The New York Yankees are no longer just watching J.C. Escarra fight for playing time. They are suddenly watching one of the strangest offensive experiments in modern baseball quietly develop inside their clubhouse.
At 31 years old, Escarra is exploring the possibility of becoming a switch-hitter.
According to NJ.com’s Randy Miller, the Yankees backup catcher is already taking right-handed swings during his pregame cage routine and is seriously considering whether to pursue switch-hitting in the offseason. What was originally a joke about the Yankees having two left-handed hitting catchers has turned into something much more significant.
Because this is not happening in some random moment of Escarra’s career.
This is happening as the Yankees continue to search for more offense from behind the plate, and Austin Wells continues to struggle to fully lock down the position offensively.
Yankees Suddenly Facing Bigger Catching Questions
GettyJ.C. Escarra #25 of the New York Yankees looks on during batting practice before the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on March 30, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Entering 2026, the Yankees thought Wells was developing into one of the organization’s long-term cornerstones. Defensively, he still remains extremely valuable because of his game-calling and work with the pitching staff.
But offensively, the results have been inconsistent.
New York Post’s Greg Joyce wrote that Wells is looking for consistency at the plate as Escarra begins to earn more opportunities. Wells did the bulk of the catching early in the season, but the playing time gap has narrowed over the last couple of games.
In the Yankees’ Memorial Day win over the Kansas City Royals, Escarra had three hits, his best offensive game of the season. The performance broke a brutal 0-for-13 slump and validated something the Yankees still very much believe internally.
They think Escarra can hit more than he’s been hitting. Manager Aaron Boone was clear about that after the game.
“He’s got a good swing,” Boone said. “I think he’s got strength and power.”
Escarra is a left-handed hitter who has had very good success against left-handed pitchers in limited opportunities. He was hitting .400 going into Tuesday with a .945 OPS against left-handed pitching and just .125 against right-handed pitching, according to the New York Post.
That split presents an interesting opportunity for the Yankees moving forward.
If Escarra can prove he can handle lefties consistently, the organization could silence one of the loudest criticisms of the roster construction of carrying two left-handed hitting catchers.
The stakes are even higher with the switch-hitting experiment.
Baseball History Says Escarra Should Fail
GettyJ.C. Escarra #25 of the New York Yankees slides into home off a single hit by Aaron Judge #99 during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium on May 07, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
Players have rarely become successful switch-hitters after making the majors, especially catchers in their 30s. NJ.com says former players Paul Blair and Bob Dernier attempted similar transitions decades ago. But, both quickly abandoned the idea after a rough go.
Even Boone seemed genuinely surprised when reporters first told him of Escarra’s experiment.
“Wow!” Boone said, according to NJ.com. “Try it at 31 years old? I don’t know. I’ll have to check him out in there and see what I think.”
Yankees hitting coach James Rowson had a similar answer.
Initially, Rowson admitted the idea had not even crossed his mind because the Yankees remain focused on helping Escarra develop offensively from the left side. Still, Rowson also acknowledged the organization would likely take the experiment seriously if Escarra commits to it during the offseason.
Most players have enough trouble learning to hit major-league pitching from one side. Learning it from the other side at 31, while still having to deal with the physical demands of catching borders on an unprecedented level.
But Escarra’s career has already thrown out the normal timelines of baseball.
Before making it to the Yankees organization, Escarra had spent years grinding through independent baseball while working as an Uber driver and substitute teacher to help support his family financially. He almost walked away from baseball entirely at one point before fighting his way to the majors.
This background makes it more difficult to dismiss this experiment outright.
Escarra clearly knows the odds are against him. He admitted the swings still feel unnatural and said he hasn’t even seen real velocity from the right side yet.
Still, he also sees the bright side.
“If I can do it, it would only help my career,” Escarra said.
For the Yankees, that possibility suddenly matters a lot more than anyone expected just a few weeks ago.
If Escarra continues to put up offensive numbers and Wells is still looking for consistency, the organization might find itself paying close attention to a once-seemingly impossible experiment.
Yankees’ Veteran Catcher Suddenly Exploring Switch-Hitting