Trevino takes ‘long road’ back to lineup

Yankees catcher reflects on his return to starting this season

TAMPA, Fla. — On the eve of Jose Trevino’s personal Opening Day, the Yankees catcher took a moment to reflect on the “long, long road’’ back to the starting lineup.

“A lot of emotions,’’ said Trevino. “A lot of people to thank along the way.’’

Right wrist surgery ended Trevino’s season last July 18, and a left calf strain delayed his entry into exhibition games, but the wait was set to Sunday at Steinbrenner Field with him scheduled to play against the Braves.

“I feel confident … just ready to join the team that we’ve got right now,’’ Trevino said Saturday, after his five at-bats in a minor league intrasquad game.

“It’s an exciting time to be a New York Yankee.’’

Swinging free and easy Saturday afternoon, Trevino had an unofficial 3for-5 on the minor league side that included a broken-bat single, a sharp single to center, a lineout and a home run to right field.

Before those first live at-bats, “I was a little nervous,’’ Trevino said with a laugh. “I think it’s just getting back in there and used to things again, but I feel pretty comfortable and confident with where I’m at.’’

That’s a direct contrast to last spring, when he played despite an aching wrist that worsened over time.

The tipping point came three games after the All-Star break, and the Yankees’ slog toward fourth place added to the burden of Trevino’s post-surgical rehab.

“It was tougher being in New York and not playing than when I was home, just watching,’’ Trevino said of dividing his time between the Bronx and Corpus Christi, Texas.

“I just wanted to help the team whichever way I can, and to not be able to do that, that stung a little bit just to see us kind of go down the route that we went.”

Assisting Austin Wells’ defensive development

Unable to contribute on the field, Trevino put his energy toward rookie Austin Wells’ catching development.

“He’s even a better person than he is a baseball player ... he cares about his teammates. He’s going to do great things,’’ Trevino said of Wells, who ar

rived with a promising scouting report as a lefty hitter, but a suspect one as a receiver.

Wells, 25, worked hard to change that narrative during his 19-game MLB audition last September, and he arrived at camp vowing to earn the entire staff’s trust.

“The more I’m catching them, the better the relationship,’’ said Wells, contributing toward the instinct to call the right pitch in any sequence.

Past the halfway mark of spring training, “it feels like everything’s going really well behind the plate.’’

Ace Gerrit Cole recently praised Wells’ communication, preparation and game-calling skills, and Wells’ work to improve his throwing has drawn praise from Aaron Boone.

“I’ve been so impressed by how good of a catcher I think he’s becoming,’’ the manager said of Wells, who hit his second homer of the exhibition season in Saturday’s 10-7 loss to the Minnesota Twins at Fort Myers.

Yankees’ surplus catching depth

As a potential preview of his offensive upside, Wells batted .317 over his final 11 games last September, with five doubles, four homers and 10 RBI in 41 atbats.

A productive bat could eventually earn Wells more playing time over Trevino, a first-time All-Star in 2022. But any battle for playing time reflects on the club’s catching depth.

“The group of catchers we’ve assembled, we feel really good about,’’ said Boone, which includes high-end defenders Carlos Narvaez and Ben Rortvedt.

The lefty-hitting Rortvedt ended last season as personal catcher to Cole, who unanimously won the AL Cy Young Award.

But Rortvedt has been a suspect bigleague hitter and he’s out of minor league options, making him a trade candidate if Wells and Trevino are healthy leading into the March 28 season opener.

And the Yanks still boast a catching excess that includes youngsters Josh Breaux and Ben Rice, another promising hitter. Plus, veteran Luis Torrens remains in big-league camp.

“There’s no secret now that catchers are being built in this organization,’’ Trevino said of a “fierce’’ group that’s drawing notice.

CHARLIE NEIBERGALL/AP Wrist surgery ended Jose Trevino’s season last July 18, and a left calf strain delayed his entry into exhibition games this season, but the wait was set to end Sunday with him scheduled to play against the Braves.