GASTONIA, N.C. – The New York Yankees announced on Monday that they are adding former Gastonia catcher J.C. Escarra to the 40-man roster.
Escarra, 29, spent part of the 2023 season with Gastonia. In 41 games, the catcher slashed .348/.423/.707, which totaled a 1.131 OPS. Escarra hit 15 home runs, recorded 14 doubles and drove in 41 runs. He also had five more walks than strikeouts with Gastonia (22 BB, 17 Ks).
Escarra played the majority of his games with Gastonia in the outfield, occupying right field for 13 games and left field for 12 games. The lefty hitter spent 17 games behind the plate, two games at first base and two manning third.
While with Gastonia in 2023, Escarra was named Atlantic League Player of the Month of April/May. Escarra hit .374 over the first 28 games of the season, leading the ALPB in hits (43), doubles (12), and extra base hits (20). Escarra struck out just 11 times in 115 at-bats.
The Hialeah, Florida native was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2017 out of Florida International University. Escarra reached as far as Triple-A Norfolk with Baltimore’s organization in 2021.
After spending the 2022 season with the Kansas City Monarchs of the American Association, Escarra excelled in Gastonia. During the 2023 season, Escarra’s contract was picked up by the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League.
Escarra was signed by the New York Yankees as a Minor League free agent on Jan. 11, 2024.
Escarra started his Yankees’ career in Double-A with the Somerset Patriots. In his ninth start behind the plate for Somerset, his batterymate was none other than reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole. The superstar right-hander was making a rehab start due to a right elbow inflammation injury that caused him to miss a chunk of the 2024 season. Following the game, Cole gave Escarra high praise.
“[Escarra] did outstanding,” Cole said. “He came up to me earlier today, and we communicated what we were looking for in terms of reading swings. And we got together a few times in the dugout, making sure that we were on the same page. He put down some good pitches and really caught some nice balls. So I thought he was really outstanding.”
After playing 72 games with Double-A Somerset, Escarra was called up to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he dominated. In 52 games, the lefty slashed .302/.403/.527 (.930 OPS) with eight home runs and 34 RBIs. Escarra hit 14 doubles and had just three fewer walks than strikeouts at the highest Minor-League level.
Escarra was named International League Player of the Week for September 2-8 while he was with Scranton. During the week, he went 8-for-17 (.471) with six homers and 12 driven in. His sixth and final home run of the week was in grand style, crushing a grand slam deep beyond the right-field wall to put his team up 5-0 on a Sunday afternoon. Escarra also drew three walks and scored nine runs during the span.
J.C. Escarra now joins the 40-man roster of the reigning American League champions, featuring names such as Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole and Giancarlo Stanton. His journey took him from Gastonia and landed him in The Bronx in the span of a season.