The Yankees have spent more than a year looking for a right-handed bat behind the plate, and the fit they’ve been missing might finally be on the board.
New York opened last season with Austin Wells and J.C. Escarra, a pair of left-handed catchers.
That setup didn’t last long. Escarra was eventually optioned to the minors, and Ali Sanchez stepped in as the backup.
The problem was obvious: the offense never really arrived, especially against left-handed pitching.
Wells struggled badly in that split, posting a .192 on-base percentage and a .436 OPS in 90 at-bats against lefties last season. That kind of production leaves the Yankees hunting for help, and Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly sees Ryan Jeffers as the answer.
Kelly predicts New York will land Jeffers on a three-year, $46 million deal.
“The Yankees make sense for Jeffers, as Austin Wells had a meager .436 OPS against left-handed pitching this past season.
Jeffers could be the 1A catcher in New York, with Wells serving as the 1B. Jeffers could also take some at-bats at DH,” Kelly wrote.
Jeffers brings a much stronger offensive track record. In 92 games with the Minnesota Twins last season, the 29-year-old hit .256/.353/.461 with 14 home runs and a 127 OPS+.
The bat is the selling point. The glove is the concern.
Kelly noted that Jeffers has been a below-average defender, pointing to minus-eight defensive runs saved and a minus-20 fielding run value in his career. He also isn’t built to carry a huge workload, with 720.1 frames in 2024 marking the most he has ever caught in a season.
“With minus-eight defensive runs saved and a minus-20 fielding run value in his career, Jeffers is a below-average catcher. He's also not a workhorse, with 720.1 frames in 2024 being the most Jeffers has ever caught in a season. Adding in the qualifying offer, some teams just won't be interested in him, even if they need a catcher,” Kelly added.
Still, that shouldn’t scare the Yankees off. They need an upgrade, and they need one before they get boxed out by other catcher-needy teams while they keep weighing Jeffers.
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