Kyle Higashioka Bio
Kyle Harris “Higgy” Higashioka, born April 20, 1990, is an American professional baseball catcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). A former seventh-round draft pick of the New York Yankees, Higashioka worked his way through the minor leagues for nearly a decade before becoming a reliable big-league backstop. He has also represented the United States in international competition and is known for his defensive work, game-calling, and clubhouse presence. Over his MLB career, he has suited up for the Yankees, the San Diego Padres, and the Rangers, building a reputation as a steady catcher and a valued teammate.
Early Life and Background
Kyle Harris Higashioka was born on April 20, 1990, in Huntington Beach, California, and grew up along the Southern California coast. He attended Edison High School in Huntington Beach, where he played for the school’s baseball team and developed into a promising catching prospect. Coming out of high school, Higashioka was talented enough to commit to the University of California, Berkeley, where he had planned to play college baseball for the California Golden Bears.
Higashioka’s family background shaped his cultural awareness and his approach to team chemistry. His father, Ted Higashioka, is a third-generation Japanese American, and Kyle is of one-half Japanese ancestry. Motivated by that heritage, Kyle learned Japanese, a skill that later helped him communicate with former New York Yankees teammate Masahiro Tanaka. He also studied Spanish in high school and continues to use it to connect with Latin American teammates in clubhouses across MLB.
Path to Baseball
Higashioka’s path to professional baseball accelerated quickly after high school. The New York Yankees selected him in the seventh round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft, convincing him to begin his pro career rather than enroll at Cal. He signed with the Yankees and received a $500,000 signing bonus, forgoing his college commitment to begin working through New York’s farm system.
His first full seasons in the minors brought both opportunity and adversity. In 2012, Higashioka played for the Tampa Yankees of the High-A Florida State League and the Trenton Thunder, batting .170/.228/.327 across 147 at-bats. Across 2013 and 2014, he appeared in only 13 games combined while recovering from Tommy John surgery and a broken thumb, a stretch that tested his patience. He returned to the Tampa Yankees in 2015, briefly reached minor league free agency, and re-signed with the Yankees, setting the stage for his breakthrough the following year.
Kyle Higashioka Career
Minor League Development (2008–2017)
Higashioka opened the 2016 season with the Trenton Thunder of the Double-A Eastern League, where he won a Player of the Week Award and earned a midseason promotion to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders of the Triple-A International League. He finished 2016 with a .276 batting average, 21 home runs, and 81 runs batted in, a breakout line that pushed the Yankees to add him to their 40-man roster.
The Yankees optioned Higashioka to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to start 2017, but his major league call-up arrived quickly. He appeared in one game for the RailRiders before the Yankees promoted him following an injury to Gary Sánchez. That April promotion launched his MLB career and began a stretch in which he would shuttle between New York and Triple-A as a depth option behind the plate.
New York Yankees Breakthrough (2017–2023)
Higashioka made his major league debut as a defensive replacement on April 10, 2017, then was optioned back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in May when Sánchez returned from the injured list. He rejoined the Yankees in June before a knee injury limited him late in the year. In 2018, after a 0-for-22 start to his major league career, the longest hitless streak to open a Yankees career by any position player, Higashioka collected his first major league hit, a home run, on July 1 against David Price of the Boston Red Sox. His next two hits, both home runs against the Atlanta Braves, made him the ninth MLB player since 1920 whose first three major league hits were home runs.
His Yankees tenure produced several signature moments. On September 16, 2020, Higashioka hit three home runs in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays, becoming the 24th Yankee to homer three times in a game and the first to do so while batting ninth in the order. On May 19, 2021, he caught Corey Kluber’s no-hitter against the Texas Rangers, and on June 28, 2023, he was behind the plate for Domingo Germán’s perfect game. He also played for the United States national baseball team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, won a medal representing the United States, and notched his first career walkoff hit in the 13th inning on September 10, 2023.
San Padres Era (2024)
On December 6, 2023, the Yankees traded Higashioka, along with Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Randy Vásquez, and Jhony Brito, to the San Diego Padres for Juan Soto and Trent Grisham. He wasted little time making an impact in the National League, recording his first hit with the Padres, a home run, on April 3, 2024, in Petco Park against the St. Louis Cardinals. In 84 games for San Diego, Higashioka slashed .220/.263/.476 and set career highs with 17 home runs and 45 runs batted in.
Texas Rangers Era (2025–Present)
On December 2, 2024, Higashioka signed a two-year contract with the Texas Rangers that includes a mutual option for the 2027 season. The deal brought veteran leadership, a right-handed bat, and a respected defensive catcher to the Rangers’ roster. Wearing No. 11 in Texas, he slotted into a catching group in Arlington as the club mapped out its long-term plans behind the plate.
Defensive Strengths and Catcher Profile
Higashioka has built his reputation on defense, game-calling, and pitcher management, traits that helped him catch both a no-hitter and a perfect game during his time in pinstripes. His framing, blocking, and willingness to build relationships with pitching staffs have made him a steady presence alongside a wide range of arms. His bilingual communication in Japanese and Spanish, along with his engineering coursework, has also made him a bridge in clubhouses filled with players from many backgrounds.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the highlights of Higashioka’s career are his first three major league hits all going for home runs in 2018, his three-homer game against the Blue Jays in 2020, catching Kluber’s no-hitter in 2021, and being behind the plate for Germán’s perfect game in 2023. He also represented the United States at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, capping a memorable summer that ended with his first career walkoff hit in September 2023.
Kyle Higashioka Career Statistics
Through June 20, 2026, Kyle Higashioka has compiled a .219 career batting average, with 73 home runs and 227 runs batted in across his time in the major leagues. He has combined offensive contributions with a defensive profile that has kept him in demand as a backup and platoon catcher.
MLB Career Statistics (through June 20, 2026)
Higashioka’s big-league resume includes stints with the New York Yankees from 2017 through 2023, the San Diego Padres in 2024, and the Texas Rangers from 2025 to the present, where he wears No. 11. His career totals of 73 home runs and 227 runs batted in reflect a power-leaning offensive profile out of the catcher position, and his defense and leadership have been central to his value with each club.
Kyle Higashioka Family
Family Background and Heritage
Higashioka’s father, Ted Higashioka, is a third-generation Japanese American, and Kyle is of one-half Japanese ancestry. That family heritage inspired him to study Japanese, which he has used both to honor his background and to communicate with teammates such as Masahiro Tanaka. His mother, Diane Higashioka, encouraged him to pursue education alongside baseball, a promise Kyle has worked to keep.
Personal Life
Kyle Higashioka is married to Alyse Higashioka. Outside of baseball, he has taken college classes in mechanical engineering at Orange Coast College, following through on a promise to his mother that he would earn a college degree. His interest in languages, engineering, and cross-cultural connection has shaped both his personal life and his identity as a teammate.
2025 Season Performance
Higashioka entered 2025 with the Texas Rangers after signing a two-year deal in December 2024, taking on a veteran role behind the plate in Arlington. The Rangers built their catching depth around his experience, his history of catching elite starting pitching, and his right-handed power bat. He is part of a group tasked with steadying the Rangers’ pitching staff and providing thump in the lower part of the lineup.
As the 2025 season unfolds, Higashioka’s role centers on defense, game-calling, and timely hitting against left-handed pitching. With his contract including a mutual option for 2027, the Rangers have a multi-year window to evaluate his long-term fit, and Higashioka has a chance to add to his career totals of 73 home runs and 227 runs batted in while mentoring younger catchers in the organization.