When the Yankees acquired Mike Tauchman from the Colorado Rockies, the trade was largely viewed as an insurance policy simply because of the sheer talent already on the team. Not much was expected of Tauchman besides filling a bench role, but if needed, his minor league numbers left one feeling optimistic. Between 2017 and 2018, Tauchman accumulated more than 470 plate appearances and hit for a 138 wRC+.
After essentially being a pinch-hitter for the Rockies, Tauchman finally got his chance to play in the big leagues every day as a rash of injuries decimated the Yankees’ roster.