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LAKELAND, Fla. — The competition is not over, but J.C. Escarra is making an awfully strong bid for the Yankees’ backup catcher job.
The 29-year-old entered camp with a leg up on veteran Alex Jackson because Escarra already cracked the 40-man roster, and probably with a leg up on Ben Rice, who does not have the reputation behind the plate that Escarra has. (Rice could also find his way onto the roster as a DH bat and backup first baseman.)
Escarra has done nothing to lose the spot and plenty to win it during a camp in which he is 10-for-28 (.357) with two homers, a .971 OPS and encouraging reports from pitchers.
If and when Escarra makes his major league debut, he will complete a journey that borders on cinematic.
Five minor league seasons with the Orioles, who took a catcher and played him at first base before releasing him in 2022.
Out of affiliated ball, Escarra played with several teams in independent leagues as a catcher and became an Uber driver to make ends meet.
The Yankees found him, signed him and now might carry him on the major league roster to be Austin Wells’ backup and perhaps a DH candidate.
“There’s a lot to the grit that you develop through your journey. You got to survive a lot of slammed doors, and he has,” manager Aaron Boone said before an 8-6 win over the Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium. “To have a 29-year-old catcher be put on the 40-man roster having not played in the big leagues I think says a lot about his perseverance and the quality of the player that he’s turned into.”
Max Fried allowed one hit and one run in an efficient four innings in which he threw 57 pitches.
He then jogged to the bullpen to throw a few more and get above 60.
Fried was happy with his stuff and happy to work with Wells for the first time in a game.
“Obviously extremely talented, very smart,” Fried said of Wells. “I’m someone that likes to have a lot of conversations with the guy I’m working with. Just trying to figure out what he’s seeing and just getting more familiar.”
Boone expects to name his Opening Day starting pitcher on Friday.
Oswaldo Cabrera was scratched from the starting lineup with an illness that has been going around the clubhouse. Oswald Peraza got the start.
Everson Pereira played the final four innings in left field, his first time appearing on defense since undergoing Tommy John surgery in June.
The righty-hitting outfielder/DH was optioned out of major league camp this week.
Gerrit Cole’s Tuesday UCL reconstruction surgery included internal bracing, Boone announced.
Boone did not think the newer style of surgery affected Cole’s return timetable.
Clarke Schmidt, whose spring debut was delayed by a sore back, came through feeling fine after starting Tuesday.
The plan remains for Schmidt to start the sixth game of the season to allow a bit more time for the right-hander to build up his arm.
Boone said he did not know when Giancarlo Stanton, who received his third round of PRP injections in his elbows Monday, would rejoin the team.
