Yankees Gary Sanchez Finally Getting the Call

New York Yankees have promoted long-time top prospect Gary Sanchez to the big league roster. Is he ready to produce in an everyday role?

Catcher Gary Sanchez will recieve his second call-up of the 2016 season Wednesday. Hopefully this time things go a little better. Sanchez was first called up on May 12th to face one of the toughest lefthanders in baseball, Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale.

Predictably, he didn’t exactly thrive under those conditions, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout. He was immediately demoted back to Triple-A because manager Joe Girardi wanted an extra bullpen arm for the weekend series.

It was pretty clear back in May that the Sanchez promotion was likely a temporary measure with the Yankees facing several consecutive tough lefties and Alex Rodriguez on the 15-day disabled list. The same is true of Sanchez’s two game cup of coffee last September. 

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From what Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman has been saying lately, this promotion may be much more permanent. Cashman was very candid about the team’s plans following the trade deadline. When asked about the young talent the Yankees have amassed in Triple-A, he told reporters:

We look forward to starting to have our fan base see these guys trickle in and hopefully impact us in a positive way. Or, if not, get their growing pains out of the way sooner than later so we can get a better feel for who’s real and who’s not, just as you do with any player.

With the Yankees more or less out of contention, this is a great time for guys like Sanchez to receive every dat at-bats in a low pressure situation. Cashman hinted that Ben Gamel got the call on Monday because the team was playing two days in a National League park with no designated hitter. That would seem to indicate that Gary Sanchez may be the club’s semi-regular DH going forward. 

After seven seasons in the Yankees minor league system, it feels like Gary Sanchez has been a top prospect forever. It’s definitely weird to think he will finally get his chance in the Bronx. The team signed him out of the Dominican Republic as a teenager for a massive $3 million signing bonus all the way back in 2009.

Sanchez has become a fixture on Baseball America’s Top 100 lists, making five appearances in the last six seasons. He peaked at number 30 prior to 2011. Although his defense and work ethic have occasionally been questioned, there’s no doubting his exceptional righthanded power and cannon arm behind the plate.

Baseball America recently bumped Sanchez up to second in their Midseason Prospect Update, although that was before the Yankees influx of top talent at the trade deadline. Here’s what BA’s Josh Norris had to say at the time:

Sanchez missed about a month with a fractured thumb, but when healthy he’s showed continued improvement. Evaluators still like him as an everyday catcher with well above-average power and a double-plus throwing arm. He’s gotten more mature and has refined his receiving and blocking, too.

After putting on a show against stiff competition in the Arizona Fall League last year and following it up by batting .285/.340/.473 (134 wRC+) in 309 Triple-A plate appearances this year, Sanchez looks like a guy who has conquered the minor leagues. Hopefully he can carry that production over to the Bronx.

Aside from his time at DH, Sanchez will also presumably share time at catcher with Brian McCann. What isn’t clear is what his promotion means for McCann’s current backup, Austin Romine or incumbent designated hitter Alex Rodriguez.

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Carrying two full-time DH’s and/or three catchers is certainly not the optimal roster construction. Even though he’s done a competent job as a reserve this season, longtime farmhand Romine seems like the obvious choice to get the boot if the Yankees can’t stomach eating A-Rod’s remaining contract.