Jose Trevino is a former All-Star, Gold Glove, and Platinum Glove catcher during his brief Yankees tenure, but would the team be better off without him in the long term?
The Yankees are stacked organizationally at the catcher position, perhaps their deepest depth along with shortstop. The Yankees host three catchers and three shortstops among their top 30 prospects.
Trevino is now on the wrong side of 30, which historically is the beginning of a drastic decline for all but a few catchers, such as Carlton Fisk, Yadier Molina, and Pudge Rodriguez, with at least one of them involved with PED’s to help lengthen their career behind the plate.
Even Johnny Bench, arguably the most prolific catcher in MLB history couldn’t last long at the dish past 30. It is not rational to expect more of Trevino.
As the Hall-of-Fame General Manager Branch Rickey said, “Trade a player a year too early rather than a year too late.”
The trade with the Texas Rangers to acquire Trevino was not considered more than a depth trade at the time—perhaps a classic buying low and trading high is the best the Yankees can do to help the team for 2024, and beyond.
The hope is it’s not already too late for the Yankees to regain value.
The problem is Trevino coming off his 2022 All-Star season could not stay healthy. Showcasing a veteran like Trevino can easily be explained as he needs to rebuild bonds with the Yankees pitchers, but in reality Trevino is just rebuilding his trade value.
If the power hitting rookie Austin Wells can show he can handle Gerrit Cole, and other veterans, it will be easier to let Trevino go in a trade. Wells looked good handling Clarke Schmidt in a Spring Training start this week. Clarke was second on the staff to Cole in games started and innings pitched last year for the team and a decent barometer of his handling of a rotation key cog.
The left-handed batting catching platoon would be Rortvedt and Wells—certainly enticing with the Yankees Short Porch and making a combined 40 home runs within reach for the battery duo.
Rortvedt lost his Yankee job when he strained his oblique at the end of 2022 Spring Training forcing the team to acquire Trevino.
Ironically Rortvedt served as Cole’s personal catcher for 13 starts last year replacing Trevino after his season-ending injury.
Trevino filled in admirably in 2022, and part of 2023. But, Rortvedt looks to be back and is five years younger. Can Rortvedt at least be the answer to losing Kyle Higashioka this year?
The best thing is between Wells and Rortvedt is they are under team control until 2028 and 2030 respectively Allowing the Yankees affordability at catcher throughout the decade. Trevino hits free agency in 2026.
DYK?—Rortvedt is the only player of the three of Josh Donaldson, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa to remain with the team in the trade giving up Gio Urshella, and Gary Sanchez?
