Yankees catching suffers yet another blow with new injury

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Yankees better hope that their two big-league catchers stay healthy this spring, because their depth options are dropping like flies.

Catching prospect Josh Breaux won’t throw for the next few weeks with an elbow injury that popped up this week at Yankees camp, manager Aaron Boone said before an exhibition game against the Pirates on Thursday afternoon.

Breaux had an MRI, but no results were announced.

“A few days ago he was feeling stuff throwing,” Boone said. “I think he’s shut down for another week or two throwing wise and then hopefully it’ll be ramped up from there.”

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The Yankees have been hemorrhaging catchers this spring. Ben Rortvedt, who has major-league experience and is poised to begin the year as the starter in Triple-A, recently underwent shoulder surgery to address an aneurysm that was causing a scary circulation issue in his fingers. He’s been making progress, but won’t start ramping up until next month.

Besides 2022 All-Star and Gold Glove winner Jose Trevino and backup Kyle Higashioka, Rortvedt is the only other catcher on the 40-man roster. Higashioka will leave the Yankees early next week to play for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

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Breaux had been ticketed to be the No. 2 catcher for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Prospect Austin Wells is out for the next six-eight weeks with a fractured rib. Unable to play in any exhibition games this spring, Wells won’t be ready to begin the season. Before the injury, he probably would have started out at Double-A Somerset, his spot for the end of last season.

Scrolling down from the top of the Yankees’ depth chart at the position, that’s quite a few holes.

Boone admitted that the Yankees have “taken a hit” of late, but he’s not worried. Non-roster invitees Rodolfo Durán, Carlos Narvaez and Anthony Seigler will shoulder the load while the Yankees continue to pull certain backstops from minor-league camp in Tampa. Narvaez hit a two-run, walk-off homer in the ninth inning of the Yankees’ Grapefruit League game on Wednesday, a 4-2 win over the Nationals.

The injuries probably have the Yankees exploring options to add a cheap journeyman similar to Rob Brantly, who was in the organization the last two seasons before signing with the Blue Jays over the winter. Gary Sánchez, once a rising star catcher for the Yankees, is a 30-year-old free agent and remains available.

Breaux, 25, has slugged his way through the Yankees’ farm system over the last few years, making the jump from Double-A Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season. Ranked as the organization’s No. 20 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Breaux whacked 19 homers over 94 games in 2022, slashing .219/.283/.422.