ANAHEIM, Calif. — During spring training, there was no better story in Yankees camp — and, really, in anyone’s camp — than J.C. Escarra’s.

The amiable catcher’s story quickly became well-known.

He was a journeyman trying to make it to the major leagues after years of toiling in the minors and in various independent leagues, including in Mexico, making ends meet at times by doing odd jobs such as driving an Uber and substitute teaching.

Escarra, signed to a minor-league deal in January 2024, spent that season between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Because of his performance, the Yankees added him to the 40-man roster in November 2024.

It made Escarra, who had made it only as high as Triple-A in his career, the front-runner to win the backup catcher’s job behind starter Austin Wells entering spring training.

Escarra put a stranglehold on it from the early days of camp and more or less had the job secured about two weeks into the Grapefruit League season.

On March 22, manager Aaron Boone made official what had been obvious for weeks.

“You’re going to the big leagues,” Boone told Escarra in a video posted to the Yankees’ social media account as the pair sat in the manager’s office at Steinbrenner Field. “You’ve earned it. What a journey, and it’s just getting started.”

A good story, to be sure.

But, in the end, irrelevant if Escarra couldn’t actually do the job.

Two months into the season, he has.

After recording the first three-hit game of his major-league career and driving in two runs in Sunday’s 5-4 victory over the Rockies in Denver, Escarra, 30, entered Monday night hitting .244 with one homer, four doubles and a .752 OPS. Though those aren’t numbers that jump off the page, they’re more than respectable for a player who gets sporadic playing time at best — 19 games and 45 at-bats.

Among the reasons the Yankees added the lefty-hitting Escarra to the 40-man roster was because of their belief in his ability to hit if given consistent at-bats. As long as Wells is healthy, that won’t happen, which makes his work behind the plate all that much more important.

And if Escarra hadn’t demonstrated that last season in the minor leagues — and especially in spring training, when he caught plenty of the front-line pitching staff, whether it be in bullpen sessions, simulated games or exhibition games — he would not be in the major leagues now.

“He can really swing the bat,” Boone said. “But the real good part about it is what he’s bringing behind the plate on the days he catches. I mean, he’s been excellent . . . On the days I don’t have [Wells] in there, we’ve got a ton of confidence in J.C.”

Carlos Rodon, talking about Escarra toward the end of spring training, was taken aback when he was told the catcher had never played in the majors.

“If you hadn’t told me he didn’t have any big-league time, I wouldn’t have known,” Rodon said. “He can really catch.”

Of Escarra’s story, Luke Weaver said: “It’s inspiring. But he’s pretty good, too.”

Will Warren, who made his big-league debut last season but spent most of the year in Scranton, threw to Escarra on Sunday, just as he did a handful of times in 2024.

“I played with him last year [in Scranton],” Warren said. “I’ve seen the grind he puts in every day. So to see him have success is awesome.”

Escarra, who on the first day of spring training bounded through the clubhouse exuding a just-happy-to-be-here joy — fist-bumping pretty much everyone in his path, including reporters, on the way to his locker — carries himself with the same vibe two months into the regular season. Fist-bumps included.

“It’s amazing,” Escarra said with a mile-wide smile Sunday. “The major leagues is everything it’s hyped up to be, and I’m blessed to do it with the New York Yankees.”  

Before Monday’s game, Boone said DH Giancarlo Stanton (tendon tears in both elbows) arrived earlier in the day at the club’s minor-league complex in Tampa and will get “live at-bats” through the weekend. “Then we’ll see what we’re going to do next week, if it’s more of that or a rehab assignment,” Boone added.