The Yankees made a pair of moves affecting their Triple-A depth this weekend, signing infielder Jeimer Candelario to a minor-league deal and trading catcher Alex Jackson to the Baltimore Orioles for international bonus pool money and either cash or a player to be named later.
Candelario, 31, was released by the Reds just before the Yankees visited Cincinnati late last month, about midway through a three-year, $45 million contract after he hit just .113 with a .410 OPS in 22 games this season around a back injury.
The veteran slashed just .225/.279/.429 in 112 games last year, but in 2023, he had an .808 OPS between Washington and the Cubs, has hit 20-plus home runs each of the last two seasons, and led the Majors with 42 doubles in 2021.
His addition adds another layer of corner depth at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre – the team signed Nicky Lopez to a minor-league deal earlier in the week as well – and, if Candelario is both healthy and productive, he could be a boost to a Yankees club that has gotten a paltry .225/.306/.382 slash line from its third basemen this season, even with Jazz Chisholm’s .311/.383/.594 line in 29 games there.
Chisholm also admitted that he has been dealing with some shoulder soreness recently and was out of Sunday’s lineup because of it, and with the Yankees’ second base unit also struggling around Chisholm, there could be upgrades at both positions if Candelario can work out.
As for Jackson, the 29-year-old was acquired from the Reds with Fernando Cruz for Jose Trevino back in December, and he slashed .226/.308/.463 with 10 homers and 34 RBI in 44 games with the RailRiders.
The Orioles immediately activated Jackson to their 40-man roster, and he replaces another ex-Yankee in Gary Sanchez, who went on the IL with a right knee sprain. Sanchez had become the O’s top backstop after injuries to Adley Rutschman, Maverick Handley, and Chadwick Tromp, and now, Jackson and veteran Jacob Stallings will share time behind the plate as the fifth and sixth catchers deployed by the Orioles this season.
The Yankees do have three nominal catchers at the MLB level right now with both JC Escarra and Ben Rice capable behind the plate, but this trade leaves the Yankees’ Triple-A catching depth as Jesus Rodriguez, who has hit .311 with an .808 OPS while catching and also playing third base in Scranton, and Edinson Duran, who has been on and off the development list this season and has just four games experience above Low-A ball in his career.