The Yankees have agreed to a minor league deal with veteran catcher Christian Bethancourt, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. He’ll report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
New York has been on the lookout for a right-handed-hitting catcher for some time now. Bethancourt, 34, isn’t the solution to that search — the Yankees will surely continue to explore the market — but he’s a depth option they can stash in Scranton as insurance for an injury on the big league roster.
Bethancourt has spent the season thus far in the Cubs system. He hasn’t reached the majors this year but has eight other seasons with big league experience. He’s slashed .229/.259/.362 in 1301 plate appearances as a major leaguer while suiting up for the Braves, Padres, Rays, A’s, Marlins and Cubs. Bethancourt hasn’t had a dominant season in Triple-A by any means, but he turned in a decent .262/.309/.466 line (90 wRC+) and popped 11 round-trippers in 222 plate appearances with the Cubs’ Iowa affiliate.
The Yankees continue to scour the market for a righty-swinging catcher, but options could be drying up — even without any trades of note. A’s star Shea Langeliers was always a long shot to move, but a torn meniscus that required surgery will shelve him for most or all that remains of the current season. Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers has long been a rumored target for Yankees GM Brian Cashman, but last night’s walk-off win for the Twins got them back to .500. They’re approaching the deadline as buyers. Jeffers could theoretically still be moved if he brings back some controllable bullpen help for the Twins, who could turn the bulk of catching duties over to Victor Caratini. However, GM Jeremy Zoll downplayed the idea of moving Jeffers last night, telling reporters the Twins are “looking forward to doing everything we can to keep the group together” and making a run at the postseason.
There should still be some catchers on the market. Cincinnati’s Tyler Stephenson is the top rental if Jeffers stays put. Like Jeffers, he’s a right-handed bat with plenty of pop. The A’s are all but certain to move switch-hitting veteran Jonah Heim. He’s mashing as a right-handed hitter (.253/.292/.545) but has struggled from the left-handed batter’s box. Atlanta might welcome the opportunity to dump the final two-plus years of Sean Murphy‘s contract, though even the deep-pocketed Yankees would likely ask that they cover a notable portion of the roughly $34.76MM he’s owed through 2028. Controllable, arbitration-level backstops like Colorado’s Hunter Goodman or the Mets’ Francisco Alvarez will surely be discussed in the final days leading up to the deadline, but both are long shots to change hands; both are controlled through 2029.
