Yankees Should Already Have This Sleeper Offseason Target on Their Radar

The New York Yankees are searching for answers after being eliminated by the Tampa Bay Rays in the MLB playoffs, and there aren't many clear ones out there.

The Yankees do have some holes they need to address, but how they go about doing it remains to be seen.

One area New York absolutely must patch up is the catcher position, and even if the Yankees don't plan to move on from Austin Wells (news flash: they don't), they need a better backup than Ali Sanchez.

Ryan Jeffers probably isn't realistic at this point. He would need to be a full-time starter, and New York doesn't seem to have any interest in replacing Wells. Plus, Jeffers would likely cost more than what the Yanks are willing to spend.

But there is another option that could make sense: Tyler Stephenson.

Stephenson has spent the first seven years of his big-league career with the Cincinnati Reds, slashing .257/.335/.422. Want to hear something funny? That's a slightly better lifetime OPS (.757) than Jeffers (.753).

This past season, Stephenson slashed .241/.323/.404 with 15 home runs and 54 RBI over 468 plate appearances, and he is also arguably the best catcher in baseball when it comes to blocking pitches in the dirt.

His pitch framing is less than stellar, and his arm isn't the best, either (but let's be honest: Wells doesn't exactly have a cannon behind the plate).

The key here is that he is a strong offensive catcher who can spell Wells or perhaps even challenge him for the starting job.

Stephenson does come with some caveats, however.

While he is a right-handed batter, he hasn't been much better against lefties (.785 OPS) than righties (.746 OPS) throughout his career. In fact, he was actually far better versus right-handed pitchers than southpaws in 2026.

Additionally, Stephenson may be seeking a more obvious starting role elsewhere. He is a good enough hitter to be a full-time player, and he might end up securing a multi-year deal as a result. Something the Yankees might not be willing to offer.

Regardless, New York definitely needs an improvement at backstop. J.C. Escarra is not a major-league player, and Sanchez shouldn't be on the roster in 2027.

We know that options are generally always thin when it comes to available catchers, so the Yankees might as well pursue Stephenson, who might be the most realistic productive backstop that could be had.