A disappointing finish to the New York Yankees‘ season should make for an intriguing offseason.
For the most part, the Yankees’ roster next season will look similar to 2025. However, several players will hit the free agent market this season, including outfielder Cody Bellinger and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Goldschmidt’s likely departure leaves the door open for Ben Rice to take over initially, but the 26-year-old is also Austin Wells’ backup at catcher. At least for now.
This past year, the Yankees had three left-handed-hitting catchers in Wells, Rice, and J.C. Escarra. To create more flexibility for manager Aaron Boone, New York could target a right-handed backstop during the offseason.
The Yankees Could Use Free Agency to Balance Their Lineup
One of the Yankees’ top priorities this offseason should be to find a veteran catcher who allows Rice to spend most of his time at first base.
Wells is a tremendous pitch framer with pop in his bat, but owns a mediocre .224/.294/.423 slash line through the first 260 games of his career. Rice, who hit 26 home runs, enjoyed a breakout year offensively but has a weaker throwing arm behind the plate than his teammate.
“If the Yankees could merge the two players into one, they might have one of the top all-around catchers in the game,” the New York Post’s Greg Joyce wrote on Tuesday.
Coincidentally, Wells received praise for his hitting skills and power while at the University of Arizona and in the Yankees’ minor league system. Many evaluators predicted he would not remain at catcher during his rise to the Major Leagues.
Now, the Yankees ought to find a backup catcher who will often allow Rice and Wells to be in the same lineup together. Unrestricted free agent catchers that hit from the right side of the batter’s box include J.T. Realmuto, Christian Vazquez, Max Stassi, Jacob Stallings, James McCann, and Tomas Nido.
Weighing the Options
Despite some struggles, the Yankees may view Rice as one of their catchers of the future. After limited action behind the dish at the beginning of the season, Rice finished the year with 36 appearances and 26 starts at the position.
“The Yankees may not want to fully rule out Riceâs future as a catcher just yet, but the simplest solution for Rice to be in the lineup every day next year figures to be as their starting first baseman, with Paul Goldschmidt headed to free agency,” wrote Joyce.
“He made progress at first base throughout the year, though he still struggled with scoops and certain nuances that come with more reps at the position.”
To allow Rice to focus solely on first base, the Yankees could target one of the free agent catchers listed. Realmuto is the top name of the six, earning three All-Star selections and two Gold Glove Awards in his 12 seasons with the Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies.
Turning 35 next March, Realmuto might not want to sign with a team where he would not be the starting catcher. However, his veteran presence and ability to throw out base runners could prove invaluable for the Yankees.
The other five catchers are all veterans and should be considered backup options at this point in their careers. The Yankees could also observe the trade market to find a suitable backup.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Why Yankees Need Right-Handed Hitting Catcher appeared first on Heavy Sports.