Yankees re-assign promising catcher to Double-A

The Yankees are starting to thin out their spring training roster ahead of the 2024 MLB season. The team has already reassigned several pitchers and position players but announce one more on Saturday afternoon.

The team announced that promising young catcher Agustin Ramirez would head back down to Double-A Somerset to continue his development. The 22-year-old started in Tampa last year and climbed his way to Double-A by the end of the 2023 campaign. He spent 31 games with Somerset, hitting .211/.273/.313. However, he was dominant in Hudson Valley, hitting .384/.430/.714, including nine homers and 23 RBIs over 27 games.

Yankees Gave Ramirez Essential Experience in Spring Training

The Yankees wanted to give Ramirez an opportunity to showcase his talents against major league-level pitching on both sides of the ball. Over eight spring training games, he hit .154/.214/.231, posting just one RBI and a 42.9% strikeout rate. Clearly, Ramirez has some things he needs to continue working on, notably his plate discipline and contact rates.

However, Ramirez is already a stout defensive option behind the dish, and the Yankees certainly hold him in high regard. Recently, manager Aaron Boone spoke about the Yankees’ strength at the catcher position, which is a rarity among teams in the MLB.

Notably, Boone spoke about Carlos Narvaez, who was solid defensively and put together some decent offensive moments. With Jose Treviño and Austin Wells projected to be the primary two starters, he will continue the development of several youngsters but also consider trading away assets for potential pitching acquisitions to help reinforce the bullpen.