Kyle Higashioka acknowledged your presence.
He paid attention to the cheers as he approached the plate, relishing the “small interactions” during autograph sessions.
He chuckled as he recalled the fans behind the bullpen whose shouts served as motivation before games.
Speaking over the phone on Wednesday, when asked about his message to Yankees fans, Higashioka expressed gratitude, saying, “I don’t know if any non-everyday player feels that kind of love and support from a fan base in many other areas. I guess just a big, ‘Thank you.'”
Higashioka, a longtime backup, reflected on his unexpected move to the Padres in the recent Juan Soto trade after spending 16 years with the Yankees. He admitted the move was “kind of shocking,” but so was his journey, marked by improvement in pitch-framing and a revamped swing.
After enduring nine years in the minor leagues, he finally broke into the majors due to an injury to Sánchez in 2017. Higashioka spoke from his Oregon home, acknowledging the doubts during tough years in the minors, stating, “There were definitely plenty of points where I doubted whether or not I was ever going to make it to the big leagues.”
In 2020, Higashioka’s strong defensive play earned him playing time over a struggling Sánchez. He had notable moments, including a three-homer game and catching Corey Kluber’s no-hitter in 2021. His career reached a high point this past season when he caught Domingo German’s perfect game in Oakland.
Reflecting on his career, Higashioka, now 33, considers himself lucky and expressed gratitude for the opportunities he’s had. Despite the move to San Diego, near his family, he cherishes the experiences he had with the Yankees.
Higashioka, who had been hitting with Anthony Volpe in Arizona, received the news of his trade to the Padres while training. Despite the change, he harbors no hard feelings toward the Yankees, acknowledging them as the organization that shaped him into the player he is.
He concluded, “Even if my career were to end just with the Yankees, that would have been a fantastic career based on how I started. I’m just grateful that it gets to continue.” His career now continues in San Diego, offering proximity to his family and positive expectations about playing in the city.