Kyle Higashioka
After slashing .276/.337/.511 with 21 homers between Trenton and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2016, catching prospect Kyle Higashioka needed protection from the Rule-5 Draft and was added to the 40-man roster.
That means that the 26-year old may start his rookie campaign in the Bronx following this year’s spring training, but the fact that Austin Romine is out of options may prevent that from happening.
Nevertheless, Higashioka has made strides with his bat and has always packed an above average glove making him the theoretical “third string catcher.”
If anything were to happen to Romine or Gary Sanchez, expect New York’s seventh-round pick from the 2008 June Amateur Draft to step in as the backup catcher for a brief major league assignment.
