TAMPA — When Gerrit Cole made his first (and only) start in the Grapefruit League on March 1, there was a class going on inside the Yankees dugout.
At the time, Jose Trevino was recovering from a calf strain and was sitting on the dugout railing alongside three of the Yankees’ leading pitchers: Will Warren, Clayton Beater, and Chase Hampton.
The veteran catcher gave insight to the young trio on how Cole prepares to start, and talked about various situations that have arisen during the current AL Cy Young Award winner’s road trip.
Trevino, who has earned Cole’s trust and admiration by catching him the past two seasons, offers advice on reading batters’ swings while also providing insight into what Warren, Beater and Hampton will throw on a given count. I wanted to know.
“We’re all planning to be here when this is all over, so you have a guy like Trevey, he’s a platinum glove catcher, you have him, you pick his brain, He’s been around for a long time because he gives us information,” Warren said a few days later. “Any way to learn more about the game is always good.”
Trevino began intentionally building connections with the Yankees’ young pitchers this spring. Not only will it help them develop as pitchers, but it will also give them a head start on relationships that will be important when they arrive in the Bronx — especially in Warren’s case, who has a lot of potential. An injury to Cole, which could happen sooner or later, leaves camp as the team’s fifth starter.
“You like to have those conversations with them, especially when you need them in New York,” Trevino said. “Get ahead of the curve. It was good to be here in spring training with them and learn from them. They have so much knowledge, young guys, so much information. There are so many things they like, things they want to do, and things I’m learning from them. The most important thing is getting to know them as people and building that relationship.”
Information to help you become a better pitcher. Kim Clement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports
Early in camp, Trevino decided to sit down with each of the young pitchers and talk about them.
Trevino wanted to know more about them and their approach, but he also came prepared. This is not at all surprising for a catcher, who has a notebook full of game plans and information about the pitchers he works with during the season.
“We sat down before the first game,” Hampton said. “He was like, ‘Hey, you’ve got a really good heater, you’ve got a really good cutter, you’ve got a really good slider, you’ve got a really good curveball.’ How can we improve that?” ”
Trevino suggested Hampton use his curveball more often against right-handed hitters, but that’s not the case with the 22-year-old, who could start the season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this spring. It became a focal point for the right arm.
The biggest thing the beaters take away from Trevino is that he trusts himself in the zone.
Trevino set up his first meeting with Beater this spring, and the 25-year-old right-hander has often been able to take advantage of that meeting.
“He’ll watch my road trips with me, he’ll watch games with me, he’ll come out during games and ask me questions,” Beater said. “He was amazing. It was really important to me that he sat down with me over and over again and was willing to talk to me, was passionate about it, and just treated me like he trusted me. It was good.”
Trevino was slowed early in camp due to a calf issue, but before returning to action last week, he continued to make an impact throughout camp through his work with pitchers, whether he made the opening day roster or not.
The Yankees have long evaluated Trevino’s presence with the pitching staff, not just for his defensive metrics, but also for the trust he builds with the pitching staff among starters.
Their young pitchers got a taste of that firsthand this spring.
“That was huge,” pitching coach Matt Blake said. “He plays a very strong leadership role among the players, both on the catcher side and the pitching side. He knows how valuable it is just to have someone guide him through his transition to the major leagues.” And I think you are.
“The most important thing is that when they stand up they feel safe, that they can be themselves and that they understand that he knows them and that it’s not a guessing game. His ability to give them reassurance that he will help them through the process is huge.”
Hampton has since been reassigned to minor league camp, but Warren and Beater are still in the final week of spring training, vying for the fifth starter spot.
Both have pitched to Austin Wells in the minors and are expected to be the other half of the Yankees’ catching team this season, but both have benefited from Trevino’s guidance this spring as well.
“I think they have potential,” Trevino said. “You see what these guys are capable of in their careers. It’s fun to watch. Just watching them on film and finally getting a feel for them and seeing their bullpen and stuff like that. It’s a big deal. I think they’ll do great things.”
