Despite their many injuries, the New York Yankees have risen to the challenge and are proving they are still World Series material. Top of the order bats Aaron Judge, Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger have been able to keep the team afloat behind lockdown pitching from Max Fried and Carlos Rodon. Still glancing at the bottom of the lineup shows an Achilles’ heel waiting to be exploited.
At the forefront of this problem has been the lack of production the Yankees have received from their catchers. Entering Friday, starting catcher Austin Wells is hitting .200/.269/.443 with eight home runs while backup catcher J.C. Escarra has fared worse, posting a slash line of .175/.306/.325 with one home run (though he is just a rookie). But as the Yankees’ backstops slump in the Majors, another option has caught fire in Triple-A.
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Alex Jackson has been tearing the cover off the ball, pushing for a promotion
Alex Jackson came to New York in the trade that sent Jose Trevinoto the Reds. Fernando Cruz was the headliner in the package sent to the Bronx, prioritized by the Yankees for his wipeout splitter. Jackson, who was better known for his defense than his bat, posted a lackluster .132 batting average with six home runs over parts of five seasons in the MLB, the last of which came with the Rays in 2024. His stint in Triple-A that year didn’t prove very fruitful either, hitting .238/.322/.533 with eight home runs in 105 at-bats.
However, since landing with the RailRiders, Jackson seems to have figured something out. In 72 at-bats, the 29-year-old backstop is .319/.412/.708 with eight home runs, coming off a two-homer game on Thursday. These are by far the best numbers of Jackson’s career.
Though Jackson has found only marginal success in the Majors, his performance this season has more than warranted another chance. And with the Yankees experiencing massive struggles at his position, it would seem this chance should come sooner rather than later.