Bautista Samperi | PantherNOW
J.C. Escarra never gave up on his dream. After years of struggling and fighting, the former FIU catcher will get his chance in the big leagues.
The former FIU standout has earned a spot on the New York Yankees’ Opening Day roster, the team announced.
A Hialeah native, Escarra joins the Yankees after playing more than 450 games in the minor leagues.
The Baltimore Orioles selected Escarra in the 15th round of the 2017 MLB Draft. He played in their minor league system, reaching Triple-A with the Norfolk Tides.
After the Orioles released him in April 2022, his baseball future was uncertain.
To support himself, he drove for Uber and worked as a substitute teacher while continuing to play in independent leagues, suiting up for the Kansas City Monarchs and Gastonia Honey Hunters.
In January 2024, the New York Yankees signed Escarra to a minor league contract.
He started the season with the Double-A Somerset Patriots before being promoted to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, where he posted a .302/.403/.527 slash line in 52 games.
His consistent performance led the Yankees to add him to their 40-man roster in November 2024.
During spring training in 2025, Escarra caught the manager’s attention with a .333 batting average and a .936 OPS in 17 games.
His performance earned him a spot on the Yankees’ Opening Day roster, manager Aaron Boone announced, as a backup catcher.
When he makes his MLB debut, Escarra will become the 19th player in FIU baseball history to reach the majors.
He also joins Logan Allen (Cleveland Guardians) and Austin Shenton (Seattle Mariners) as one of three former Panthers currently on a Major League 40-man roster.
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