Yankees Acquire Catcher Jose Trevino From Rangers For Albert Abreu And Pitching Prospect

As spring training winds down, the Yankees and Rangers made a small deal on Saturday night to address the needs of both teams. The Yankees acquired defensive catching whiz Jose Trevino from Texas in exchange for fireballing reliever Albert Abreu and lefthanded pitching prospect Robert Ahlstrom, whom the Yankees selected in the seventh round of the 2021 draft.

YANKEES ACQUIRE

Jose Trevino, C
Age: 29

Trevino, the Rangers’ sixth-rounder in 2014 out of Oral Roberts, earned a reputation as a strong defender who works well with pitchers and is extremely adept at framing pitches and stealing strikes. The Yankees overhauled their catching crop when they dealt Gary Sanchez to the Twins in a deal that brought back a package that included Ben Rortvedt, but Rortvedt’s injury shortly after coming to New York necessitated the presence of another backstop to complement Kyle Higashioka. All three players fit the same defense-first mold.

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RANGERS ACQUIRE

Albert Abreu, RHP
Age: 26

Abreu’s talent is undeniable. He brings upper-90s fastballs and sharp breaking balls, but hasn’t shown the command or control to unlock his true potential during his stints in the big leagues. He issues too many walks (4.7 per nine innings) and allows too many home runs (nine in 38 career innings) but could fill a low-leverage role in the back of the Rangers’ pen. Abreu, who came to New York in the trade that brought Brian McCann to the Bronx, is out of options. That lack of options diminishes his value as a reliever, as he lacks the roster flexibility teams covet in the lower depths of their bullpen.

Robert Ahlstrom, LHP
Age: 22

Ahlstrom was Oregon’s best pitcher in its run to a host’s role in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season, and the Yankees thought enough of his potential to pop him in the seventh round. He boasts three potentially average pitches, fronted by a 88-92 mph fastball and backed up by a solid curveball and changeup. Ahlstrom is a competitor on the mound, but his workload with the Ducks in the regular season led the Yankees to shut him down after he was drafted. He’ll make his professional debut in 2022, likely at one of the Rangers’ two Class A affiliates. If he’s assigned to High-A Hickory, he’ll team up with former Oregon teammate Aaron Zavala, an outfielder whom the Rangers chose in the second round of the 2021 draft.