Yankees Should Trade For a Catcher, But Not Hunter Goodman

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman faces some franchise-altering decisions before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Does he go all-in on the club and pry Tigers ace Tarik Skubal from Detroit? Or perhaps he will decide to load up on the bullpen. Certainly, the left side of the infield could use an upgrade as well.

But it's entirely possible that job No. 1 for Cashman is to find a new starting catcher. Despite Austin Wells going deep for his fifth home run of the season in Thursday's 12-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, Yankees catchers are hitting a combined .174 this year, which is third-worst in the majors. Their combined .514 OPS is dead last in the big leagues.

Among the names generating buzz on the trade market is Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman. And with good reason, since he leads all backstops with 27 home runs this season. But if Cashman is pragmatic, he would be better off turning his attention elsewhere.

Goodman a "dream match"

On Thursday, ESPN's Jeff Passan wrote a story about the top moves for contenders. For the Yankees, he identified Goodman as his "dream match."

"For a Yankees team with a real shot at winning the AL this year, letting perfect be the enemy of good is dangerous, and if they can get Goodman, they should," Passan wrote.

May 27, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman (15) hits a single during the eleventh inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The case for Goodman is strong. After all, his 27 home runs are tied for fourth-best in the majors. He's well on his way to surpassing his career bests from last season: 31 home runs and 91 RBIs.

In addition, Goodman is just 26 years old and is under club control through 2029, with two years of arbitration eligibility remaining. But there's the problem. The All-Star backstop will come with a huge price tag. Think multiple top-10 prospects, including at least one in the top 100.

Instead, Cashman would be wise to look elsewhere. Specifically, he could look to Baltimore, which could trade All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman.

Rutschman makes more sense

Yes, Rutschman is having his second straight subpar season (eight home runs in 62 games). But he's now in a platoon situation with Samuel Basallo (14 home runs in 80 games). And keep in mind, the Orioles already signed Basallo to an eight-year, $67 million contract last season. Clearly the club sees him as the backstop of the future, while the 28-year-old Rutschman has one more year of arbitration eligibility remaining.

Jun 20, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) at bat during a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Given his age, contract status and position on the depth chart, Rutschman should cost Cashman less on the trade market. That means he could save some of the Yankees' prospects for deals to address other needs on the roster.

Also keep in mind that Rutschman is battle-tested, having spent his five-year career in the American League East. And he has postseason experience thanks to Baltimore's playoff runs in 2023 and 2024.

The case against making a trade

Of course, it's entirely possible Cashman decides to ride it out with the catchers currently on the roster: Wells, Ali Sanchez and J.C. Escarra, who's down in the minors. Consider what MLB.com's Mark Feinsand wrote last week:

"Cashman has a history of making the moves he deems necessary at the Deadline, so the Yankees will likely add a relief arm or two. Catcher is a different situation; despite their offensive woes at the position, introducing a new catcher into the mix could disrupt the pitching staff, which currently owns the best ERA in the (American League)."

One thing is certain: help is not coming from within. Of the Yankees' top 30 prospects according to MLB Pipeline, not one of them is a catcher. If Cashman deems it necessary to upgrade behind the plate, he's going to have to wheel and deal before the deadline.

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