The Yankees’ catcher search has already started to take shape around a familiar name.
Ryan Jeffers, who was on New York’s radar while he was still with the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline, is now a free agent. And ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney thinks the Yankees could be a fit if they want to rework some of the at-bats that went to Paul Goldschmidt over the last two seasons.
Goldschmidt, also a free agent, had been used as a right-handed platoon bat at first base, and Olney floated the idea of Jeffers filling a similar kind of role behind the plate alongside left-handed hitting Austin Wells.
Jeffers put together a solid season at the plate, batting .256 with 14 homers, 56 RBI and an .814 OPS.
On the podcast, ESPN producer Paul “Hembo” Hembekides said he was “connecting” Jeffers to the Yankees on a three-year, $48 million deal.
“They like Austin Wells a lot,” Hembekides said. “Austin Wells is not a 110-game a year catcher though. You put Ryan Jeffers back there and platoon him with Austin Wells, all of a sudden you have a really favorable catching situation.”
Olney then laid out how he sees the fit.
“Maybe they work out something where he kind of takes some of the plate appearances that Paul Goldschmidt had last year if that makes sense, except he works behind the plate” Olney said.
Hembekides added that Jeffers’ bat would give the Yankees more flexibility.
“It makes sense. He also mashes both sides of the platoon. He’s a way better hitter than most people realize, which is to say you could afford to use him at DH or even at first base and not lose any offense when doing so.”
In Other News...
Yankees Infield Plans May Hinge On One Polarizing Free Agent
The Yankees search for infield help has led them to a familiar name from across the division, with Jon Heyman of The New York Post reporting that the club has shown interest in free agent Alec Bohm. A former Phillies third baseman, Bohm brings corner-infield versatility, and he would fit into a market where New York is still weighing ways to shore up its options on the dirt.
Bohm also comes with plenty of debate attached, which is part of why his market is worth watching. His recent seasons have featured uneven production at the plate and some inconsistency in the field, so any move would be as much about fit and projection as it would be about immediate certainty. For the Yankees, the question is whether he ends up being a real solution or just one more name in a search that still has room to evolve. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Face Delicate Aaron Judge Problem Heading Into 2027
The Yankees are already thinking ahead to 2027 with Aaron Judge, and the plan is as much about preservation as production. The club expects to use him at designated hitter at times to ease the strain on his body, a sign that New York is trying to protect its biggest offensive weapon after injuries limited him to 66 games in 2026. It is the kind of adjustment that reflects both Judges importance and the reality of how carefully the Yankees have to manage him now.
Brian Cashman also acknowledged the organization did a poor job handling the public messaging around Judges calf injury in 2026, and he said the team wants to be better about that going forward. For a player whose health status immediately becomes a front-page issue in New York, the communication piece matters almost as much as the lineup decisions, especially with the Yankees trying to balance honesty, caution and the need to keep Judge available for the long haul. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Second Base Decision Is Starting To Say A Lot About Jazz
Brian Cashmans latest comments made the Yankees offseason picture at second base a little clearer, and a little more revealing about where Jazz Chisholm stands in the organizations thinking. With Chisholm coming off a strong 2025 before a tougher 2026, the club is already sounding open to alternatives, and Cashman pointed to Anthony Volpe, Jose Caballero and Max Schuemann as possible internal answers if the Yankees decide to reshuffle the infield.
Cashman also left the door open to free agency, while making it clear the Yankees could still work through a mix of internal options, outside signings and trade possibilities. For a player who arrived with real expectations, the tone around Chisholm now feels different, and the fact that the Yankees are publicly mapping out life without him suggests this winter could bring a clean break rather than a simple reset. [Read more 🡒]