"He has become the Yankee of all trades. Don't ask catcher/infielder/outfielder Jim Leyritz, unless you have a few minutes to spare. He can play them all and contribute while doing so.
Since playing his first game in a Yankee uniform in 1990, Leyritz has made his mark as a fiery competitor. The 29-year-old product of the Yankee minor league system showed off his versatility in a productive way last season playing five different positions (catcher, first, second, third and rightfield) plus designated hitter. But in his heart, Leyritz will always be a catcher first.
'If you look at what I did when I was back there (catching), the results were good. I can be an offensive catcher and play defense. There is not much of that around,' he says.
Yankee fans have grown to love his spirited play and all-out hustle on the field. Rarely does Leyritz leave a game without dirtying his uniform.
Despite collecting just 144 at-bats in 1992, Leyritz connected for seven home runs and had an uncanny ability to drive in key runs.
'With the amount of at-bats I had, if you take that production over a full year, there would be good numbers,' he adds.
Leyritz is proving to be quite a catch."
-The New York Yankees Official 1993 Yearbook
"Once again in 1992, Leyritz showed his versatility, seeing action at five positions, plus designated hitter. He hit .257 with seven home runs and 26 RBIs in 144 at-bats and 63 games.
Leyritz appeared in five April games, making two starts, both behind the plate. On April 6 at Toronto, he hit his first home run in his sixth at-bat of the season.
He made the most of his limited playing time in May, hitting .409 (9-for-22) with two doubles, two homers and six RBIs. His big game came on May 4 at Seattle, going 3-for-4 with a home run (off Russ Swan) and a career best -tying four RBIs. Jim was hitting.367 with three homers in 30 at-bats through the end of May.
On June 13 at Cleveland, he hit a game-winning sixth-inning home run (off Dave Otto), then on June 18 at Boston delivered a game-winning sacrifice fly in the 7th, both times winning the game for Melido Perez. Jim went 3-for-4 on June 24 at Kansas City, making his second career start in right field. He was hitting .303 on July 1, the last time he would be hitting .300 during the season, hitting .263 with five homers and 16 RBIs at the break.
Jim hit just .108 in July, then .233 in August. He had a season long five-game hitting streak from August 29-September 14. He rebounded at bat in September, hitting .462 (6-for-13) with a pair of homers, raising his batting average from .237 to a season-ending .257. His home runs came in back-to-back games against Kansas City (Mike Magnante) and Chicago (Wilson Alvarez). Jim hit .250 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in 64 at-bats after the break.
Leyritz hit his seven home runs in 144 at-bats (1:21 AB) after hitting five home runs in 380 major league at-bats (1:76) prior to 1992. He reached base safely in 32 of his 42 starts, hitting .273 (35-for-128) with seven homers and 23 RBIs. 13 of his overall 26 RBIs came with two out in an inning and he reached base leading off an inning 15 of 37 times. Jim drove in seven of eight runners from third base with less than two out and was 2-for-9 with seven RBIs with the bases loaded.
He started 42 games overall in 1992 (DH-26, C-13, RF-2, 3B-1) and also played first and second. He made one error all year, as a catcher, throwing out nine of 24 runners attempting to steal (38%). The Yankees were 3-10 when he started behind the plate and the pitching staff's ERA was 4.51.
Jim hit .278 in night games. He hit .245 with five homers against left-handed pitchers and .286 with two homers against righties. He hit .351 (13-for-37) on turf.
Jim signed a contract for the 1993 season.
Leyritz spent time with both the Yankees and the Columbus Clippers in 1991. He started the season with the Yankees before being optioned to the Clippers on May 17.
He appeared in 11 April games, made three starts and went 0-for-12. He was the Opening Day catcher on April 8 at Detroit- his other two starts were at third base. Jim's only hit in April was a pinch single on April 10 at Detroit off Walt Terrell.
May was no better offensively. Leyritz started eight games, all at third, and hit .094 (3-for-32). All three hits came in back-to-back games, May 5-6 at Seattle.
With the Clippers Jim played in 79 games and hit .267 with 11 home runs and 48 RBIs. Upon his recall to New York on September 16, he played in 10 games (9 starts) and improved his offensive numbers dramatically. He hit .303 (10-for-33) with four RBIs after the recall and in the field did not make an error.
Overall for the Yankees in 1991, Jim played in 32 games of which 20 were starts at catcher (3), third base (16) and DH (1). In his two stints he combined to .181 with four RBIs. With the Clippers, he played second base (1), third (21), shortstop (1) and caught (34). He hit .316 (6 HR, 21 RBI) after the break, .321 (9-for-28) in the playoffs and was tied for seventh in the Yankee organization in home runs (11). Jim spent a week on the disabled list (June 24-July 1) with a sore arm while at Columbus.
A versatile player for the 1990 Yankees, Jim played third base, outfield and caught while hitting .257 with five home runs and 25 RBIs.
Jim started the season with the Clippers and had his contract purchased on June 8. At the time of his promotion he was hitting .280 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs over 59 games. With the Clippers he saw action at first base, second base, third base, in the outfield and at catcher.
He made an immediate impact, making his major league debut as a pinch hitter on June 8 at Baltimore- he had a two-out 9th inning RBI single off Gregg Olson to tie the score at 4-4. Jim's first start came at third base on June 10, also at Baltimore, going 2-for-3 with a double. His second pinch-hit at-bat came on June 13 against Boston, resulting in a single off Roger Clemens.
From June 18-27 Jim hit in nine straight games (.412, 14-for-34). On June 30 at Chicago, he went 3-for-5 with his first two major league home runs (off Melido Perez and Ken Patterson).
From June 19-July 2, Jim hit .400 (20-for-50) over a 13-game period, raising his average from .250 to .351. He hit .343 in June. At the break he was hitting .313 with two homers and eight RBIs.
Jim's batting average tailed off after the break From July 12-August 27 he started 42 of the clubs 47 games at third base.
He hit .262 in August. He hit in five straight games from August 22-27 before spraining his ankle running out a ground ball on August 27 at Baltimore. He did not start the next six games before starting on September 3. He started 24 games in August, all at third.
On September 6 against California, Leyritz was ejected after hitting an apparent first-inning two-run homer down the right-field line off Mark Langston. The ball was initially called fair by first base umpire Evans and then reversed by third base umpire Welke. Jim was ejected by home plate umpire Coble, with Mike Ferraro and Stump Merrill also getting thrown out. His fifth home run came on September 19 at Toronto, a three-run shot off Jim Acker.
For the season, he started 85 games at third base (67), catcher (10), left field (7) and right field (1).
Jim made 13 errors in 1990 (3B-11, C-1, LF-1). His error in left field came on July 1 at Chicago, allowing the winning run to score in Andy Hawkins' no-hitter. The ERA of the Yankee pitching staff was 3.77 (74.0 IP, 31 ER) with Jim behind the plate. He threw out two of four base stealers and allowed four passed balls.
12 of his 25 RBIs came with two out. He hit .291 against left-handed pitchers.
Jim was signed by the Yankee organization as a free agent by scout Bill Livesey on August 24, 1985. He began his pro career in 1986 with the Oneonta Yankees [short-season A New York-Penn League] and batted .363 with four home runs and 15 RBIs in 23 games. Jim was promoted to Ft. Lauderdale where he batted .294 in 12 games with a double and a triple.
He spent the 1987 season at Ft. Lauderdale and batted .307 in 102 games with 22 doubles, six homers and 51 RBIs. He played in the Florida State League All-Star Game and led FSL catchers in assists (76), double plays (7) and passed balls (25). Jim spent the 1988 season at Albany (AA) of the Eastern League where he batted .241 in 112 games with 18 doubles and 49 RBIs.
Jim spent the 1989 season with Albany. He led the league in hitting (.315), on-base percentage (.423) and hit-by-pitches (9), ranked second on the team in hits (118) and RBIs (66) and had 10 home runs and 18 doubles. Jim had a five-hit game and was named to the Eastern League All-Star team (as a utility man). He played 67 of his 114 games as a catcher. A versatile player, he played three positions from 1986-89 (C-268, OF-30, 3B-17).
He attended Middle Georgia Junior College and the University of Kentucky. He played one year of baseball at Kentucky and hit .327 with 11 homers and 39 RBIs for the Wildcats. At Middle Georgia, he hit .387 with 17 homers and just 10 strikeouts in 231 career at-bats. Jim played Connie Mack and Babe Ruth baseball in Cincinnati.
Jim is involved with the Big Brothers, Big Sisters organization and the Harlem Kids organization."
-1993 New York Yankees Information Guide
Led Florida State League catchers in assists (76), 1987.
Led Florida State League catchers in double plays (7), 1987.
Led Florida State League catchers in double plays (25), 1987.
Named to Florida State League All-Star team (catcher), 1987.
Tied for Eastern League batting title (.315), 1989.
Led Eastern League in on-base percentage (.423), 1989.
Led Eastern League in being hit by a pitch (9), 1989.
Named to Eastern League All-Star team (utility man), 1989.
-1993 New York Yankees Information Guide
James Joseph Leyritz "Jim" "Ritz" (C) #13
Born December 27, 1963, in Lakewood, Ohio, resides in Plantation, Florida. Height: 6-0, weight: 190. Bats right, throws right.
Married, Andrea (11/11/89). Attended Middle Georgia Junior College and the University of Kentucky.
Major league service time: 2 years, 6 days. Opening Day age: 29.
-1993 New York Yankees Information Guide
