New York Yankees 2020 Projections: Gary Sanchez

Gary Sanchez has the potential to be one of the greatest New York Yankees catchers in franchise history. 2020 could be a huge stepping stone for the 27-year-old.

In 2016 Gary Sanchez received that call that he was getting promoted from Triple-A to MLB, and New York was buzzing. They had every right to be excited for the catcher to make his debut in the Bronx. “The Kraken” or “the Sanchize,” whichever you decided to call the New York Yankees catcher, had one of the best but shortest rookie seasons in baseball history.

In 53 games, he hit .299, 60 hits, 20 home runs, and 42 RBI. As a result of his stellar performance during those 53 games, the Yankees were once sellers rebuilding to the following season, but Sanchez carried them into playoff contention. Unfortunately, the Yankees didn’t make the playoffs, but at least they knew they had one brick set in a solid foundation for the future of the team.

Sanchez would have a rough couple of seasons after his stellar 2016 season. His lack of hustle became a hot topic. It seemed like Sanchez would be a liability behind the plate, especially when it came time for the playoffs. Also, he has missed significant time over the last few seasons as groin injuries would take their toll on Sanchez.

Sanchez has the potential to be a great catcher for the Yankees, but there are a few aspects to his game that he needs to fine-tune. This extended time that Sanchez has off due to COVID-19, which has delayed the start to the 2020 season, could be a blessing in disguise for Sanchez.

Rumors have been circulating about when and if the 2020 season will start, but no decision yet has been made. We are already in May, and 30+ games are postponed. These postponements mean that approximately 100 games will be played this season, at most, and it could be possible that Sanchez plays at least 90 of those games. Fewer games played mean fewer chances to get hurt again.

Sanchez can be very inconsistent at times, but when he is on his A-game offensively there is no one more dangerous in the Yankees lineup. Last season was one of his better years since his rookie season. Sanchez hit .232, he had 92 hits, 34 home runs, and 77 RBI. He played in 106 games, with 90 of those games behind the plate. Sanchez had 15 errors catching, which is nine more than the six he had in 2018. Despite this, he still handled himself better than in the past. His reaction to pitches in the dirt improved as he wasn’t a liability anymore behind the plate. Sanchez hasn’t reached his peak yet, in my opinion, because he has yet to put it all together consistently. This means no extended injuries, limiting the errors and being more patient in the batter’s box.

2020 could be the season that Sanchez finally lives up to the expectations put on him when he debuted in 2016. A shortened season could help his confidence and give him that edge he needs to be dangerous offensively as well as defensively. I would expect more of the same line from Sanchez in 2020 but a higher batting average. I can see Sanchez batting .260, hitting 20+ home runs and 70-80 RBI. Behind the plate, I fully expect the errors to go down and the pass balls to not be an issue for Sanchez, especially dealing with Gerrit Cole, who is a notorious fastball pitcher. Time will tell when the season begins, but Sanchez could have his best season yet this year.