J.C. Escarra, born on April 24, 1995, in Hialeah, Florida, is a professional baseball catcher for the New York Yankees. He attended Florida International University (FIU), where he played both catcher and first baseman. In 2017, the Baltimore Orioles selected Escarra in the 15th round of the MLB Draft.
After leaving the Orioles organization in 2022, Escarra played for various independent league teams, including the Kansas City Monarchs and the Gastonia Honey Hunters. His impressive performance in the Atlantic League earned him the Player of the Month award in June 2023. Later that year, he signed with the Tijuana Toros in the Mexican League.
In January 2024, Escarra signed a minor league contract with the Yankees and spent the season with the Double-A Somerset Patriots and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
He batted .261 with 12 home runs and 64 RBIs across 124 games. His strong performance earned him a spot on the Yankees’ Opening Day roster in 2025, making him the backup catcher behind Austin Wells.
Escarra’s journey to the majors is particularly inspiring. Between 2022 and 2023, he worked as an Uber driver, substitute teacher, and food delivery driver to support his baseball aspirations. His perseverance paid off with his recent promotion to the Yankees.