The Yankees are looking for catching help again Hunter Goodman of the Rockies is a speculative trade candidate. ESPN’s Jorge Castillo reports that the Yankees have called the Rockies about Goodman, though not recently.
It’s unclear exactly when this entry took place, but it’s worth noting that both sides have talked about Goodman at some point. It’s no secret that the Yanks want to make a change behind the plate. General Brian Cashman admitted last week that the fishing group is now part of the list. Austin Wells is having a bad season, with a .155/.247/.258 line so far. Ali Sánchez again JC Escarra they also struggled.
The Yanks are often linked to it Ryan Jeffers Of the twins. He is a good hitter and an upcoming free agent. However, it is not clear whether the twins will move him as he has entered the race for the playoffs. They have it too Victor Caratiniso it’s possible that they trade Jeffers even though most of them work as buyers, but they also might just keep both for a long time and make Jeffers a worthy offer at the end of the season. If the pursuit of Jeffers doesn’t work out, the Yanks could call Colorado again.
Goodman would be too expensive for the Yankees to acquire. While Jeffers is an upcoming free agent making $6.7MM, Goodman is not yet eligible for arbitration and is under club control for three seasons beyond this one. But they are strong at the plate. Goodman hit a lot but hit 31 long balls last year and has hit 27 this season. His 32.2% strikeout rate this year is up significantly from last year’s 26.3% clip, but he’s also increased his walk rate from 5.7% to 8.5% while adding more power. His wRC+ was 118 last year and is at that same number this year.
With the Colorado player, it’s fair to wonder if the offense is a product of Coors Field, but that doesn’t seem to be the case since he’s actually been better away from the pitch. Since the start of last season, he has 22 runs, a .276/.335/.497 line and a 101 wRC+ at home compared to 36 runs, a .262/.312/.557 line and a 134 wRC+ on the road. Defensively, he is considered league average.
The whole package is very attractive, when you consider his skills and his affordable window to control the club. That means the Rockies could set a high asking price and it’s unclear if they’re willing to make a move.
Historically, the Rockies have generally been reluctant to trade their players for the highest amount. They often sign candidates to exchange extensions, with Daniel Bard again CJ Cron being a few examples from the last few years. Trevor’s story again Jon Gray they were simply captured and allowed access to free positions. The story earned the club a draft pick by rejecting a qualifying offer but Gray did not receive a QO.
That was under a different front office. The team and general manager Bill Schmidt parted ways after last season. Paul DePodesta was hired to run the front office as president of baseball operations. This will be his first run for the Rockies.
“There could be some guys that would be really hard for us to move. I think that’s true for any team,” DePodesta said in June, when asked if he was on the no-contact list. “There are guys that we feel are core players for us going forward. At the same time, we need to take advantage of opportunities. We’re not where we want to be. So, if there’s an opportunity to get better, certainly both in the short and long term, I think we have to look at that. I think it’s our responsibility to do that. But there are a lot of guys that we’re selling.”
While Goodman’s qualities make him attractive to the Yankees, he is also valuable to the Rockies. But Colorado has been one of the worst teams in baseball for a few years now and it’s unclear how long it will take for them to compete again. Baseball America recently ranked his farm 28th in the majors, so it doesn’t look like a surprising wave of young talent is about to take over the roster.
The Rockies can keep Goodman until 2029 but may not be able to compete much during that time. Pulling the trigger on a trade can be one of their best ways to reclaim that farm with new names.
For the Yankees, trading a catcher mid-season can be a challenge, as the new backstop must learn a new pitching staff on the fly. But the Yanks look like they’ll do whatever it takes, given the way Wells is playing. They may have the luxury of using a designated call center, since Giancarlo Stanton injured and has an uncertain timeline. Goodman is a strong enough hitter to step into the DH role as he has increased velocity with pitchers.
Currently, Ben Rice again Paul Goldschmidt they share the starting point and DH functions. Goldschmidt had a great season but his bat got really cold in July, so maybe he could move from an everyday game to a shortstop role. Once Goodman gets more comfortable with the arms in the lineup, he can gradually spend more time behind the plate.
If the Yanks can’t get Jeffers or Goodman, the other guys that could be found include Shea Langeliers, Jonah Heim, Francisco Alvarez, Joey Bart, Tyler Stephenson and an old friend Kyle Higashioka.
Photo courtesy of Robert Edwards, Imagn Images
