This archive report was first published on 12 October 2019.
Published on October 12, 2019, Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez has undergone a transformation this season, focusing on his defense and reaping the rewards.
Sanchez's teammates and coaches have noticed the change, with backup catcher Austin Romine praising his growth, saying, 'He's taking more pride in his defense. He's working hard and he wants to be a good catcher. When he focuses and puts in the work, you're seeing him continually make strides to be better.'
While some advanced statistics show Sanchez has regressed as a pitch framer, he has made significant progress as a blocker, reducing his passed ball total from 18 in 2018 to just seven this season.
Sanchez's strong throwing arm has been a key asset, but he struggled early in the season with eight errors and four passed balls in the first two months. However, he improved dramatically as the season progressed, working closely with coach Brown on his positioning and timing.
Sanchez's growth as a receiver has been evident in his ability to make nimble stops of darting pitches, including a notable performance in Game 3 of the division series against the Chapman.
Coach Brown praised Sanchez's improvement, saying, 'Watching him catch, especially lately, he's more relaxed and comfortable.'
Even opponents have taken notice of Sanchez's growth, with Zack Britton and Adam Ottavino offering their praise, with Britton saying he was pleasantly surprised by Sanchez's abilities and Ottavino commenting, 'I'm guessing he's come a long way, but I think he's doing a pretty good job.'
