3 Yankees players who may have lost their roster spots this offseason

Carlos Narvaez

Carrying six catchers on the 40-man roster was absolutely ridiculous, and the Yankees took care of that by including their longest-tenured backstop, Kyle Higashioka, in the Soto trade package.

Carrying five catchers isn't, uh, that much more normal, though.

Agustin Ramirez was protected just ahead of the Rule 5 deadline, as the Yankees opted to retain control over one of their most intriguing and under-discussed minor-league bats, complete with the exit velocity profile of a young Gary Sánchez. Narvaez, sneakily, was protected far earlier in the offseason, following a campaign where he posted a .767 OPS and hit .239 across two levels (mostly Triple-A).

Narvaez got a minor spotlight in spring training when the team's catching depth dropped like flies -- you know, back when Ben Rortvedt still wasn't a real person. He showed solid raw power, and the team obviously believes in his competence and didn't want him getting plucked just yet, but ... at some point, there's going to be another reckoning. Between Narvaez and Ramirez. Between both of those men and Rortvedt. Ben Rice, still unprotected, is a half-catcher, half-first baseman mutant. There's talent in the pipeline, and there's a current projected platoon of a 2022 All-Star and top-10 prospect at the big-league level. Despite the departure of Higashioka, something still likely has to give.