The New York Yankees are going to have some work to do this coming offseason if they want to avoid a repeat performance of the 2023 season.
This year, the Yankees posted a record of 82-80 and missed the postseason for the first time since 2016.
However, it appears that the Yankees are dangling a few players out on the trade market.
Yankees entertaining trade offers for catchers
According to Andy Martino of SNY, New York has told clubs that catchers Ben Rortvedt and Kyle Higashioka are available via trade. Martino notes that New York plans to enter the 2024 season with a catching tandem of Jose Trevino and Austin Wells.
Higashioka has been the Yankees' backup catcher since 2017. He has served in that role behind Gary Sanchez and Trevino. Martino notes that the veteran backstop could be a non-tender candidate due to Wells' emergence.
As of now, Higashioka is one year away from reaching free agency.
As for Rortvedt, the Yankees have reportedly been very impressed with his defensive abilities. However, Martino explains that the 26-year-old has not yet been able to prove he can hit in the big leagues.
The young catcher has a career average of .146. Rortvedt is also out of minor league options.
Both Rortvedt and Higashioka could be valuable additions for teams looking for catchers. Despite his struggles at the plate, Rortvedt is still young and has plenty of upside. He's been blocked due to Trevino's emergence, but a fresh start somewhere else could help him take off.
Higashioka is obviously a serviceable veteran who provides clubhouse leadership. He hit just .236 during the regular season but did pop 10 home runs and had a slugging percentage of .413, so there is value in having him on the roster.
One thing to note however is that Trevino and Wells are not completely untouchable, as was reported by Martino, who notes that should an opportunity arise, the Yankees may be interested in making a trade including one of them.
It would seem at this point that a trade involving Trevino is unlikely. He is a former All-Star, a Gold Glover, and a Platinum Glove winner. He finished the 2023 season on the injured list.
If the Yankees were to trade the veteran catcher however, he would be a great addition to any team in need of a catcher. His defense is elite, and he can also provide power at the plate. But it would likely take quite a haul to pry him away from the Yankees.
