New York Yankees Organizational Breakdown: Catcher

Dec 5, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees new catcher

during press conference at Yankees Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

We’ve made our way behind the plate for the organizational breakdown of the New York Yankees. If you missed any of them look back on our website and they are all there. Catcher is the one position where the Yankees have a good amount of depth, depth that they could use to make a trade for another position. They have a whopping five catchers on the 40-man roster, so I would expect some sort of move between now and Opening Day.

Was catcher a problem last year? Yes. Letting Russell Martin go wasn’t the best decision in the world. Chris Stewart wasn’t a starting catcher and is now backing up Martin in Pittsburgh. Brian McCann signed a big contract this off-season and he’s a big left-handed bat in the lineup. He may produce the most of any catcher since Jorge Posada.

Backing him up will be Francisco Cervelli who is fully recovered from his injury last season (and the whole Biogenesis suspension thing). Austin Romine is a quality defender and could probably be a backup on most teams or even a starter on some.

The guy who I really like, and the Yankees do too, is J.R. Murphy. Murphy got a cup of coffee last season and started a few games while the Yankees were fighting for a postseason spot down the stretch. The final catcher on the 40-man roster is uber-prospect Gary Sanchez. Sanchez is the top prospect in the entire organization. His bat is his big tool and his glove seems to be improving.

Other guys include former second round pick Peter O’Brien, who has been playing a good amount of third because the Yankees are so loaded at catcher and they want his bat in the lineup. The Yankees also have Francisco Arcia and Jose Gil who were invited to big league spring training.

Catcher is a spot where the Yankees and their fans should be happy about their depth. To me, if Mark Teixeira is hurt and can’t play and if McCann is the probable heir apparent at the position, I think the Yankees can expedite the process and have McCann learn the position during spring because of their depth at the catcher position. Yes McCann has a new staff to learn, but he’s a veteran guy and is capable of it. Cervelli and/or Romine and/or Murphy may be better than Russ Canzler at first with McCann behind the dish.

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