Heyman Links Yankees to 20-HR Catcher — But Is This Trade Even Realistic?

The New York Yankees are sitting atop the AL East, but the view from the top is getting blurry. With Aaron Judge sidelined by a rib injury and Giancarlo Stanton’s availability always a question mark, the offense has started to show cracks. Add in catcher Austin Wells landing on the injured list with cervical headaches and neck stiffness, and suddenly the position behind the plate looks like a major weak spot.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, one name the Yankees could kick the tires on is Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman. Speaking on MLB Network, Heyman acknowledged it’s a long shot — but the logic is there. “I think this is a long shot, but I’ll throw it out there. Yankees look like they may need a catcher, at least a backup catcher. Right now, the Yankee catchers are hitting, get this, .173 as a group. They could look at catcher Hunter Goodman, who looks like an All-Star again,” Heyman said.

Goodman is having a breakout season in Colorado, slashing .865 OPS with 20 home runs and 37 RBI. Last year, he popped 32 dingers and drove in 91 runs. For a team desperate for any kind of offensive jolt from the catcher spot, Goodman looks like a dream fit on paper. The problem? The Rockies aren’t exactly eager to deal him.

Heyman noted that Goodman remains under team control through two more arbitration years after 2026. Colorado is deep in a rebuild, and trading away one of their few young bright spots would be a strange move — even for a front office that has made some head-scratching decisions in recent years. The team has not confirmed any interest in moving Goodman, and internally, sources suggest the Rockies view him as a building block.

Still, the Yankees have to explore every avenue. Wells’ injury timeline is unclear, and the current catching tandem of Jose Trevino and Ben Rortvedt has combined for a .173 average. That’s not just bad — it’s historically unproductive for a contending team. Adding a power bat who can also handle the rigors of catching would address two problems at once: depth behind the plate and pop in the middle of the lineup.

But the timing complicates things. The trade deadline is still weeks away, and the Yankees have a history of waiting until the last minute to strike. Heyman himself described a pursuit of Goodman as “very unlikely,” and for good reason. Colorado would likely demand a premium prospect package, and New York’s farm system isn’t exactly overflowing with untouchable talent after recent trades and call-ups.

Fans online have been quick to point out that Goodman’s numbers are inflated by Coors Field — his home/away splits tell a familiar story. Still, when your catchers are hitting below the Mendoza line collectively, even a league-average bat would feel like an upgrade. Whether the Yankees can convince Colorado to sell remains to be seen, but the rumor mill is already churning.