Former New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez, who experienced a resurgence in 2023, is currently regarded as the premier free-agent catcher. Whether Sanchez lands elsewhere, teams like the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels have considered him a potential acquisition. During the past season, the 31-year-old revitalized his career with the San Diego Padres, contributing to Blake Snell’s NL Cy Young win throughout 72 games.
Offensive and defensive impact
Despite imperfections in his game, Sanchez displayed notable offensive prowess, launching 19 home runs and maintaining a slash line of .218/.292/.500 across 260 plate appearances. Such production from a catcher positions him favorably for securing a new team this offseason, underscoring his capacity to add value to lineups.
Beyond offensive contributions, Sanchez notably influenced Snell’s performance, showcasing impressive defensive metrics, including a pop time in the 86th percentile, framing in the 64th percentile, and an above-average CS rate in the 77th percentile, as reported by BaseballSavant.
Red Sox set sights on former Yankees catcher
Mark Feinsand’s assessment on MLB.com designates Sanchez as the premier free-agent catcher available, with potential landing spots including the Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox.
Sanchez’s journey at the Yankees
During his tenure with the Yankees, spanning seven seasons, Sanchez achieved notable milestones, including two seasons with 33-plus home runs. However, his defensive struggles prompted the Yankees to explore other options, leading to his departure before the 2022 season. In a trade with the Minnesota Twins, the Yankees acquired Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa in exchange for Sanchez and third baseman Gio Urshela.
The transaction proved less favorable for the Yankees, as Donaldson and Kiner-Falefa failed to impact the team significantly while Urshela and Sanchez remained popular among fans.
The former New York catcher eagerly awaits his next opportunity within Major League Baseball, poised to contribute his skills to a new team.
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Good for Gary. Once Cashman got rid of Girardi, Pena, and allowed Josh Paul to leave after 2017, Cashman ground Sanchez into the ground and then screwed the Yankees on the deal that finally got Sanchez out of town.