Kyle Higashioka has the tools to step up for the Yankees
Over the past few seasons, Kyle Higashioka has solidified himself as the third-string catcher on the Yankees depth chart. Fans haven’t been able to see Higashioka much in the Bronx because of Austin Romine, but that could soon change. Yesterday I mentioned that Romine will enter the free agent market for the first time in his career, possibly taking his services somewhere else. What could Higashioka offer if he took over the role of backup catcher?
Pitch framing is becoming one of the most important metrics for catchers as technology allows that information to be easily accessible on Statcast. Not only can you see where each player ranks in regards to pitch framing nowadays, but you can find out what areas of the plate are more likely to get called a strike. Higashioka, who has caught about 290 innings over the last two seasons, has shown a great amount of potential behind the plate.
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