There are nearly 30 first-time All-Stars in 2022, two of which – Alejandro Kirk and Jazz Chisholm Jr. – were voted in by the fans.
Of the other 27 so far, some are burgeoning stars, some are veterans finally having a great season, and some are guys who have literally come out of nowhere – just ask Arizona’s Joe Mantiply, who was selected by MLB as the Diamondbacks’ lone rep at age 31, in just his second full MLB season and three years after the Yankees had picked him up off the minor-league scrap heap.
That latter category may also be where the Yankees’ Jose Trevino fits, even though he was almost in Kirk’s spot as one of two finalists for the AL’s starting catcher job – and that’s awesome, if you ask Tiki Barber, who watched the hidden camera footage the Yankees put out of manager Aaron Boone telling Trevino he was going to the game.
“It was a really cool moment to capture, because at the beginning of the season, I don’t think anyone thought Trevino would be the player he’s become, and be as important to this run of dominance the Yankees have had,” Tiki said.
Trevino turned 29 last November, and in parts of four seasons with the Rangers, he played 156 games – 89 of which came in 2021 alone – and hit .245 with nine home runs and 55 RBI. Nothing really screamed future All-Star, and Trevino was dealt to the Yankees because they needed a backup/complementary catcher with Ben Rortvedt’s recovery from an oblique injury taking longer than anticipated.
Texas got back an out-of-options reliever (Albert Abreu, now back with the Yankees) and a 2021 draftee (Robby Ahlstrom) who has a 4.45 ERA in 57 1/3 innings at Class-A, so it wasn’t a blockbuster deal, either.
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But Trevino emerged quickly, basically usurped his timeshare with Kyle Higashioka to become the No. 1 catcher, and is now headed to L.A.
after a first half that has seen him slash .261/.308/.439 with seven homers and 27 RBI in 58 games.
He has only 32 more plate appearances than Higgy, but he’s the one headed to Los Angeles, the latest in a line of Yankees All-Star catchers from Berra and Dickey to Munson and Howard to Posada and Sanchez.
“Everybody was just kind of happy to get rid of the old, and here comes Jose Trevino kind of out of nowhere – one of six Yankees to make the All-Star team, and maybe the most surprising one,” Tiki said. “It’s great when you see kids like that, who know what their expectation is but don’t know if they’re going to achieve it, actually go on and achieve it.”
And the best part for the Yankees? He’s at least formed a strong one-year bridge from the past in Sanchez to whomever may be the future…and because he’s just entering arbitration this winter and has a minor-league option, even, he could be part of that future in some form through 2025 or 2026.
“The good think got the Yankees is they have him for a few years in arbitration,” Tiki said, “so if he keeps playing and developing, they maybe got a little bit of a steal in Jose Trevino.”
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