Yankees' Top Catcher Trade Target Is Clear as Door Seemingly Closes on Adley Rutschman Dream

It's off to the next option on New York's potential target list.

Any long-shot odds the Yankees had to trade for Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman are seemingly dead, forcing them to look elsewhere before the MLB trade deadline. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

A brand-new catcher is atop most Yankees fans' trade wishlists as the 2026 MLB trade deadline sits five weeks out. Despite the confidence that the team seems to have in him, Austin Wells's bat isn't talented enough to be an everyday option. Winning the World Series this fall will be a lot harder with Wells operating as an automatic out more often than not, giving every reason for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to explore an upgrade.

As the Aug. 3 deadline looms, Adley Rutschman has often been named the ideal catcher upgrade for the Yankees. Even though a trade with the rival Orioles wouldn't be easy to pull off, the effort and sacrificed pieces could be worth it if it means injecting a switch-hitting multi-time All-Star catcher—with 69 home runs and 270 RBIs in 560 games—into manager Aaron Boone's lineup.

The price of an Adley Rutschman trade would be worth it for what he brings to the table. | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Optimistic New York fans holding out hope for a Rutschman trade were dealt disappointing news on Monday, though, courtesy of Orioles President of Baseball Operations Mike Elias.

Rutschman is seemingly off the table

On Saturday, Elias made it clear to MASN's Roch Kubatko that the Orioles won't be turning the page on Rutschman unless he exits as a free agent in 2027.

“(Rutschman has) been the cornerstone, basically, since I’ve been here, so he’s an enormous part of it,” Elias said. “I wish our commitment was greater than it is. We want him here forever. That’s not something that’s crossed the desk or the agenda. Our focus, first of all, we want to get it back, but we want to win with him here.”

Elias on whether Orioles are buyers: "I really hope so" - MASN #orioles https://t.co/MpzGNpbESn

— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) June 27, 2026

Even if the Yankees offer a boatload of top prospects, it likely won't move the Orioles' needle after Elias's comments. Instead, Cashman & Co. need to focus on the other top catching names who'll be available in the coming weeks, especially a certain National League backstop.

Hunter Goodman must be Yankees' primary catcher target before trade deadline

When it comes to potentially available catchers, the Twins' Ryan Jeffers is often discussed alongside Rutschman. The right-handed 29-year-old is among baseball's best offensive catching options, but a fractured left hamate bone has sidelined him for over a month now. Even though he'll return soon, Jeffers's recent injury, combined with his upcoming free agency, could raise too many concerns for the Yankees' liking.

That's why they should target Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman instead.

The power-hitting Goodman won't be a free agent until 2030, but the Rockies' being 18 games under .500 as of Monday afternoon could leave them open for a deal. After all, the one-time MLB All-Star is easily one of the National League West club's most valuable pieces if there's a fire sale, so the Rockies might be fine with trading Goodman—especially to the AL—if it means landing a massive prospect haul.

The Yankees should make it a priority to target Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman for a trade before another team beats them to it. | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

After a lukewarm May, Goodman stepped it up in June. His .674 slugging percentage and .991 OPS were the best of any month so far this season, while he amassed 12 home runs, 24 RBIs and 10 walks in 24 games (92 at-bats). For comparison, he had 13 HRs and 23 RBIs in 54 games (205 ABs) between March, April and May. He's clearly heating up at the right time, giving the Yankees even more reason to jump on the momentum wave.

Goodman leads the majors with seven errors at catcher, so it's safe to say that his defense isn't as reliable as Wells's. On the flip side, he only has two errors in his 14 most recent outings, as well as none in the last seven—his third-longest streak of the season. He's at minus-2 catcher runs saved, per Baseball Savant, and while that isn't good, his plus-2 from last season gives hope that he can get back to making a positive impact.

A potential trade could cost the Yankees an arm and a leg, but that's neglible if it means solving one of the club's most pressing issues.

We're talking about a 26-year-old Silver Slugger who's mashed 56 HRs with 138 RBIs and a 5.9 WAR across 222 games since the start of 2025. With three more years of team control remaining, there are more than enough reasons to be okay with trading away prospects and young players like Carlos Lagrange, Jasson Domínguez and Chase Hampton if it means landing a difference-maker of that level.

Hunter Goodman has homered in three straight at-bats 🤯 pic.twitter.com/hc6JpzypMZ

— MLB (@MLB) June 27, 2026

With Rutschman likely staying in Baltimore, names like Goodman (and Jeffers) will only attract more attention with each passing day. The Yankees can't allow their catching woes to persist much longer, giving them every reason to convince the Rockies that a trade surrounding their star backstop can be mutually beneficial.