NEW YORK ¨C The universal appreciation for J.C. Escarra¡¯s unique and winding path could be seen in the joyous reactions from the Yankees¡¯ bench on Thursday night as the 29-year-old catcher raced for his first Major League hit, a seventh-inning double in the club¡¯s 9-7 victory over the D-backs at Yankee Stadium.
¡°We were all excited. We¡¯re all pulling for that guy; we know his story,¡± said Yankees captain Aaron Judge. ¡°But besides that, just the type of person he is, to battle through that type of adversity. He¡¯s come in here every single day with a smile on his face, trying to make guys better, trying to push guys all the way in Spring Training.
¡°It¡¯s fun to watch and it¡¯s fun to be around, because he just brings a different energy into this clubhouse, and it¡¯s contagious.¡±
Making his first Major League start behind the plate, Escarra had been hitless in his first five at-bats of the season before ripping a ball down the right-field line facing left-hander Jalen Beeks. With one foot anchored on second base, Escarra beamed, pumping his right fist wildly as he eyed his teammates in the dugout.
¡°I got a little too excited at second base; just enjoying the moment ¨C close game, big hit,¡± Escarra said. ¡°Before that at-bat, I¡¯m like, ¡®Man, I¡¯m pressing. I¡¯m trying to do too much. Let me just focus in and just have fun, not try to do too much.¡¯ It¡¯s funny how baseball works; when you don¡¯t try to do too much, that¡¯s when things come.¡±
A spring standout who won the James P. Dawson Award as the top rookie in Yankees camp, Escarra earned a spot on the club¡¯s roster by exhibiting a lively bat and excellent skills behind the plate. He said he plans to give the baseball from his first hit to his father, a long-time Yankees fan who lives in Yonkers, N.Y.
¡°He¡¯s been through a lot, so he deserves that ball,¡± Escarra said. ¡°He¡¯s going to be happy.¡±
It is a gift that seemed unlikely just a few years ago. Drafted in 2017 as a catcher but converted into a first baseman during his time in the Orioles¡¯ organization, Escarra was released by Baltimore in April ¡®22, but he was unwilling to give up on his dream.
To make ends meet, Escarra pursued numerous odd jobs, picking up fares as an Uber driver and handling classes as a substitute teacher near his Miami-area home.
¡°I had just gotten married and bought an apartment with my wife [Jocelyn],¡± Escarra said this spring. ¡°So now I¡¯ve got a mortgage to pay and a wife to provide for. I had to make money somehow, and no one was going to take away my home from me. I knew I had to make those payments, so I was doing anything it took.¡±
Escarra scored on-field opportunities with independent league teams, in the Mexican League and in Puerto Rico, stops where he hit well and caught well. The Yankees¡¯ pro scouting department was paying attention, signing Escarra to a Minor League contract in January 2024.
Initially envisioned as organizational depth, Escarra finished last season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he posted a .302/.403/.527 slash line in 52 games. He then won a batting title in the Dominican Winter League, prompting his addition to the 40-man roster.
¡°Gosh, he¡¯s been through so much in his career,¡± said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. ¡°He strikes me as someone that really loves playing this game. He loves all that goes into it. I think he¡¯s someone that is going to play a big role for us.¡±
Yankees right-hander Carlos Carrasco said Escarra was ¡°unbelievable¡± behind the plate on Thursday, pleased with a partnership that produced the veteran¡¯s first victory in pinstripes.
¡°For him to go out there and get his first knock and first win behind the plate, especially with a veteran pitcher like Carrasco, that¡¯s a tough ask,¡± Judge said. ¡°It¡¯s a veteran, a guy who knows what he wants to do, and he¡¯s a rookie just coming up. But I think that chemistry they built started in Spring Training and went into that first start.¡±