Kyle Higashioka Thanks Yankees, Fans in Social Media Post

The New York Yankees catcher was one of five players the team gave up to acquire outfielder Juan Soto.

Kyle Higashioka took to social media on Sunday night to express his gratitude for his long tenure with the New York Yankees.

Higashioka was part of the price the Yankees paid to acquire outfielder Juan Soto via trade last week. The Yankees also gave up pitchers Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vásquez and Drew Thorpe, the last of which was one of the Yankees’ top prospects.

But Higashioka was the Yankee with the most experience, as he was drafted in the seventh round by the New York Yankees in 2008 and eventually reached the Bronx in 2017. His career was derailed, in part, by injuries and Tommy John surgery.

“As I reflect on my 16 seasons with the Yankees organization, I have nothing but gratitude to express to the fans, my teammates, the organization, and the Steinbrenner family for the many incredible moments we have all shared during my time in pinstripes,” Higashioka said.

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— Kyle Higashioka (@the_higster) December 11, 2023

Higashioka wasn’t a particularly good hitter for the Yankees, as he had a .210 lifetime batting average. But he had a reputation for handling the pitching staff well.

He caught On May 19, 2021, caught Corey Kluber's no-hitter against the Texas Rangers on May 19, 2021, and caught Domingo Germán's perfect game last June. He also played for the United States in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he earned a silver medal.

He was also with the Yankees for Aaron Judge’s AL-record breaking 62nd home run last season and caught a good portion of Gerrit Cole’s starts in 2023 as he won his first Cy Young.

He thanked everyone in his post, including Yankees fans.

“Thank you to the fans for always making me feel at home and loved in New York,” Higashioka said. “It blew my mind every time I would see a 66 jersey in the wild! There aren’t many of them, but the fact that anyone would spend their hard-earned money just to support me is crazy to think about.”

He also said that he looks forward to “bringing a world championship to San Diego.”