Ex-Red Sox Prospect Lands With Yankees Four Years After Uneven Trade

The New York Yankees welcomed pitchers, catchers and a former Boston Red Sox prospect to spring training camp on Tuesday.

New York signed catcher Ronaldo Hernández to a minor league contract, per a team announcement. The 27-year-old also received an invitation to the team’s big league camp as a non-roster invitee, giving Hernández a chance to showcase in spring training.

Hernández spent a brief stint with the Red Sox after the franchise acquired him from the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021. Boston surrendered pitchers Jeffrey Springs and Chris Mazza in exchange for infielder Nick Sogard and Hernández, a trade that in hindsight, proved to be lopsided in Tampa Bay’s favor. Springs blossomed with the Rays and became a reliable big-league starter, making 25 starts and logging a 2.46 ERA in 2022.

Boston, meanwhile, never debuted Hernández, even after the Red Sox selected him for their active roster after catchers Christian Vázquez and Kevin Plawecki were both placed on the COVID-19 injured list. Then once Boston acquired veteran Reese McGuire, the team sent Hernández back down to Triple-A Worcester where he’d log 105 appearances before departing the Red Sox — Hernández .261/.298/.451 with 17 home runs and 63 RBIs before electing free agency in 2023.

The Arizona Diamondbacks signed Hernández to a minor-league deal, giving the veteran journeyman another farm system run. Hernández slashed .311/.357/.507 with 11 home runs and 36 RBIs over 63 games with the Triple-A Reno Aces, before the Diamondbacks cut ties and released Hernández on Sept. 18.

Now with Boston’s division-rival Yankees, Hernández will strive toward making his long-awaited big league debut. Austin Wells is slated the be the go-to catcher for New York’s American League pennant-defending club, while J.C. Escarra and Jesus Rodriguez are the only other catchers listed on the team’s 40-man roster.