Jorge Posada wasn't supposed to be a catcher. He wasn't supposed to be a Yankee legend. He was a 24th-round pick out of Puerto Rico -- pick 598, for those keeping score -- playing second base and shortstop with zero catching experience. The New York Yankees' player development staff watched him throw and decided he belonged behind the plate. Five years of minor league labor later, he became one of the best-hitting catchers in baseball history. The whole thing is freakin' absurd.
From Santurce to the Show
Posada grew up in Santurce, Puerto Rico -- the same neighborhood that produced Roberto Clemente, Orlando Cepeda, and Roberto Alomar (not bad company for a kid nobody was watching). His father, Jorge Sr., a former minor leaguer himself, pushed his son relentlessly. When the Yankees grabbed him in the 1990 draft, they saw a middle infielder with a strong arm and a bat that could develop. What they didn't see was a catcher.
The conversion started in 1991 and took years. Catching is the hardest position in baseball to learn from scratch, and Posada was doing it in the low minors while trying to prove he could hit, too. He spent five full seasons in the farm system before getting his first taste of the big leagues in 1995 -- one game, zero hits. He backed up Joe Girardi through the dynasty's first run, and when Girardi left after '99, the job belonged to Posada.
He never gave it back.
The Numbers Don't Lie
| Games | 1,829 |
| Batting Average | .273 |
| Home Runs | 275 |
| RBI | 1,065 |
| OBP | .374 |
| OPS | .848 |
| WAR | 42.7 |
| All-Star Selections | 5 |
| Silver Slugger Awards | 5 |
| World Series Titles | 4 |
A .374 OBP from a switch-hitting catcher. Think about that for a second. Catchers who can hit like that don't come along very often -- and the ones who do (Bench, Piazza, Carter) are in Cooperstown. Posada's 2007 season at age 35 was downright stupid: .338/.426/.543, leading all catchers in batting average, OBP, and OPS. He finished fifth in MVP voting. At 35. Behind the plate. I still don't fully understand how that happened.
His 2003 campaign gave us a career-high 30 bombs and 101 RBI, and he was right there in the middle of the 2003 ALCS against the Red Sox -- ripping a three-run double in the 8th inning of Game 7 before Aaron Boone walked it off in the 11th. A year later he had to live through the other side of that coin -- the 3-0 collapse. We all did.
The Core Four's Catcher
You can't tell the story of the dynasty without Posada. He came up through the system with Jeter, caught Mo for the better part of two decades, and squatted behind the plate for Pettitte starts more times than I can count. Four rings -- 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009 -- and he earned every single one of them.
Jorge was my guy back there from the beginning. He knew me. He knew how I worked. I would shake him off sometimes, but most of the time he was right.
That relationship with Mo meant everything. Posada caught the greatest closer in baseball history for nearly 20 years, and when you're calling pitches for a guy that dominant, trust is the entire ballgame. Posada wasn't just receiving pitches -- he fought for every borderline call, got in umpires' faces (sometimes way too aggressively, but that's who he was), and managed the game like his life depended on it. As Pettitte once put it: "He cared as much as any pitcher on the mound."
More Than Baseball
When Jorge Jr. was born in 2000 and doctors diagnosed him with craniosynostosis -- a condition where the skull bones fuse too early, requiring multiple surgeries -- it changed Posada. He and his wife Laura started the Jorge Posada Foundation, raised millions, and became genuine advocates for families going through the same thing. The guy hit 28 home runs and drove in 100 that year while watching his infant son go through brain surgery. I don't know how you do that (honestly, I don't think most of us could).
The Bitter End
I'm not going to sugarcoat 2011. It was ugly. On May 14th, Posada saw his name slotted ninth in the batting order against the Red Sox and asked out of the lineup. Pride got the best of a proud man. He addressed the team the next day and owned the mistake, but his bat was cooked -- .165 on the season. That's a painful way to watch a career wind down (and believe me, watching it in real time was worse).
He retired in January 2012. All 17 seasons in pinstripes. Every single game.
Drafted by the Yankees
Selected in the 24th round (pick 598) as a middle infielder out of Puerto Rico. Nobody saw this coming.
First World Series Ring
Part of the 114-win juggernaut that swept the Padres. Posada posted a .268/.350/.479 line with 17 HR in his breakout year.
First All-Star Selection
Made the AL squad after a monster first half -- .287/.417/.527 with 28 HR and 100 RBI on the season.
Game 7 Heroics
Posada ripped a clutch three-run double in the 8th inning, and Boone finished it with a walk-off homer in the 11th. The best night at the Stadium in years.
Fourth Championship
The Yankees beat the Phillies in six games. Posada's final ring and a perfect bookend to the dynasty.
Number 20 Retired
The Yankees retire Posada's number at the Stadium, joining Yogi Berra and Thurman Munson as the only catchers with retired numbers in franchise history.
The Hall Question
Posada got 3.8% of the Hall of Fame vote in 2017 and fell right off the ballot. One year. That's it. A 42.7 WAR, five Silver Sluggers, four rings, and a career OPS that stacks up against any catcher not named Piazza or Bench -- and the writers gave him one year. The sabermetric crowd thinks he got screwed, and I'm inclined to agree. He wasn't a slam dunk, sure, but he deserved more than a single ballot.
Seventeen years, one uniform, four rings, and a number hanging from the Stadium rafters. Pick 598 out of Puerto Rico did pretty well for himself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many World Series did Jorge Posada win?
Jorge Posada won four World Series titles with the Yankees: 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009. He spent his entire 17-year career in pinstripes and caught for every championship squad during the dynasty years.
Is Jorge Posada in the Hall of Fame?
No. Posada received just 3.8% of the vote in 2017 and fell off the ballot after one year. Many analysts consider him undervalued -- his career WAR of 42.7, five Silver Sluggers, and switch-hitting production compare favorably to catchers already in Cooperstown.
What position did Jorge Posada play before catcher?
Posada was drafted in 1990 as a middle infielder -- second baseman and shortstop. The Yankees converted him to catcher in 1991, a process that took five years of minor league development before he reached the majors.
What number did Jorge Posada wear?
Posada wore number 20 for the Yankees. The team retired his number on August 22, 2015, making him the third catcher (after Yogi Berra and Thurman Munson) to receive that honor in franchise history.
Season-by-Season Stats
Regular Season
| Year | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1996 | 8 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | .071 | .133 | .071 | .204 |
| 1997 | 60 | 188 | 29 | 47 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 25 | 30 | 33 | 1 | .250 | .359 | .410 | .769 |
| 1998 | 111 | 358 | 56 | 96 | 23 | 0 | 17 | 63 | 47 | 92 | 0 | .268 | .350 | .475 | .825 |
| 1999 | 112 | 379 | 50 | 93 | 19 | 2 | 12 | 57 | 53 | 91 | 1 | .245 | .341 | .401 | .742 |
| 2000 | 151 | 505 | 92 | 145 | 35 | 1 | 28 | 86 | 107 | 151 | 2 | .287 | .417 | .527 | .944 |
| 2001 | 138 | 484 | 59 | 134 | 28 | 1 | 22 | 95 | 62 | 132 | 2 | .277 | .363 | .475 | .838 |
| 2002 | 143 | 511 | 79 | 137 | 40 | 1 | 20 | 99 | 81 | 143 | 1 | .268 | .370 | .468 | .838 |
| 2003 | 142 | 481 | 83 | 135 | 24 | 0 | 30 | 101 | 93 | 110 | 2 | .281 | .405 | .518 | .923 |
| 2004 | 137 | 449 | 72 | 122 | 31 | 0 | 21 | 81 | 88 | 92 | 1 | .272 | .400 | .481 | .881 |
| 2005 | 142 | 474 | 67 | 124 | 23 | 0 | 19 | 71 | 66 | 94 | 1 | .262 | .352 | .430 | .782 |
| 2006 | 143 | 465 | 65 | 129 | 27 | 2 | 23 | 93 | 64 | 97 | 3 | .277 | .374 | .492 | .866 |
| 2007 | 144 | 506 | 91 | 171 | 42 | 1 | 20 | 90 | 74 | 98 | 2 | .338 | .426 | .543 | .969 |
| 2008 | 51 | 168 | 18 | 45 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 24 | 38 | 0 | .268 | .364 | .411 | .775 |
| 2009 | 111 | 383 | 55 | 109 | 25 | 0 | 22 | 81 | 48 | 101 | 1 | .285 | .363 | .522 | .885 |
| 2010 | 120 | 383 | 49 | 95 | 23 | 1 | 18 | 57 | 59 | 99 | 3 | .248 | .357 | .454 | .811 |
| 2011 | 115 | 344 | 34 | 81 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 44 | 39 | 76 | 0 | .235 | .315 | .398 | .713 |
| Career | 1829 | 6092 | 900 | 1664 | 379 | 10 | 275 | 1065 | 936 | 1453 | 20 | .273 | .370 | .474 | .844 |
Postseason
| Year | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 | 0 | -- | 0 | -- | -- | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1997 | 2 | 2 | -- | 0 | -- | -- | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | .000 | -- | -- | -- |
| 1998 | 9 | 22 | -- | 5 | -- | -- | 2 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | .227 | -- | -- | -- |
| 1999 | 6 | 22 | -- | 4 | -- | -- | 1 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | .182 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2000 | 16 | 54 | -- | 11 | -- | -- | 0 | 5 | -- | -- | -- | .204 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2001 | 17 | 55 | -- | 15 | -- | -- | 2 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | .273 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2002 | 4 | 17 | -- | 4 | -- | -- | 1 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | .235 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2003 | 17 | 63 | -- | 14 | -- | -- | 1 | 7 | -- | -- | -- | .222 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2004 | 11 | 45 | -- | 11 | -- | -- | 0 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | .244 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2005 | 5 | 13 | -- | 3 | -- | -- | 1 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | .231 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2006 | 4 | 14 | -- | 7 | -- | -- | 1 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | .500 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2007 | 4 | 15 | -- | 2 | -- | -- | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | .133 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2009 | 15 | 50 | -- | 13 | -- | -- | 2 | 8 | -- | -- | -- | .260 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2010 | 9 | 30 | -- | 8 | -- | -- | 0 | 3 | -- | -- | -- | .267 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2011 | 5 | 14 | -- | 6 | -- | -- | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | .429 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 125 | 416 | 0 | 103 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .248 | .248 | .327 | .575 |