Finding a Right Handed Catcher Could Suddenly Be Solved Internally for Yankees

The New York Yankees have been on the hunt for a right-handed catcher since last winter. Having two lefty backstops on the roster just isn't practical. It's even less practical when you consider that both Austin Wells and J.C. Escarra haven't hit all year.

The Yankees' catching situation is one of the worst in the sport as far as offense goes. The combined 60 wRC+ between Wells and Escarra is the fourth worst in the league. Their .559 OPS is the third worst.

The reason they even have a positive WAR, according to FanGraphs, is their defense. The combined .3 WAR accounts for metrics such as Framing, which still holds weight even with the league's ABS challenge system implemented this season.

New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) celebrates his solo home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the dugout during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Changing it up

While the Yankees may not outright replace Wells this season, if anybody could be on the chopping block between the two, it's likely Escarra. This is why it seems Escarra is taking his fate into his own hands and finding a way to make himself a bit more valuable to the Yankees.

According to NJ.com's Randy Miller, Escarra has decided to swing from the other side of the plate and make an attempt to be a switch-hitter. The idea started as a joke in the off-season, and the more he talked about it, the more he came around to giving it a try. Escarra says he writes, throws, and golfs right-handed, so hitting should be something he believes he is capable of.

"What I've been doing every time I get in the cage, my first round is kind of messing around, but I've been taking five swings righty every day," Escarra said, according to Miller. Talking about it, I started thinking about it. I'm not committed yet, but it's been on my mind some. We'll see where it goes. All things are possible."

One thing Escarra has done to become a switch-hitter is to take at least 5 right-handed hacks in the cage per session. Things will be different when he's facing live pitching, but for now, it's just an idea he's kicking around to see if it works.

Hitting coach James Rowson is intrigued by the idea. He just doesn't think it should be the focus this year.

"From my perspective, you hear that for the first time, I've got to see what J.C.'s thinking about," Rowson said. "I'm solely locked in on him hitting left-handed right now for this year, but if he was serious about that, then it would be more of a conversation to see where it went. But right now, that probably would be the last thing on my mind about J.C."

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