Yankees option ‘elite’ defensive catcher to Triple-A

The New York Yankees have been thinning out their roster ahead of the regular season, with the latest move being the reassignment of catcher Carlos Narvaez back to Triple-A Scranton.

The Yankees recently sent Agustin Ramirez back down to Double-A, so it is clear that Austin Welles and Jose Trevino will be the primary duo this upcoming season at the top level. However, the Yankees are high on Narvaez, who is 25 years old and put together some strong spring training results.

Yankees’ Aaron Boone Spoke Highly of the Catcher Prospect

First and foremost, manager Aaron Boone recently said that Narvaez is an “elite” defensive catcher, suggesting that he could have a role as a starter down the line or a valuable piece if the Yankees need to leverage one of their stronger positional groups.

In Triple-A last season, Narvaez hit .240/.373/.387, including 10 homers and 39 RBIs over 84 games. Over eight games in spring training, he hit .273/.429/.636, including one homer, two RBIs, and a 179 wRC+. Despite those impressive metrics, Narvaez struck out at a 42.9% clip, which is certainly well above average and a metric he needs to tame in the near future.

Nonetheless, the Bombers are moving toward the establishment of their 40-man roster and, eventually, their opening-day squad, but there are still some decisions left to make, especially with injuries arising. Gerrit Cole is expected to miss some time, and Oswald Peraza is out for 6–8 weeks with a shoulder injury.

With a few extra roster spots opening up, several players will have a chance to squeeze on as reserve additions.