BRONX, NY — Before becoming a Boston Red Sox this past offseason via a surprising trade with the franchise’s long-time rival, the Maracay, Venezuela native Carlos Narváez was a New York Yankee for nearly a decade, signing with the Bronx Bombers in 2015 as a 16-year-old international free-agent.
As baseball runs in his family—Carlos, now at the age of 26—a cousin of MLB catcher Omar Narváez, recently inking a minor league contract with the Houston Astros, developed in the Yankees’ farm system for over nine years, making his MLB debut last season on July 20th.
Carlos Narváez and Austin Wells in Yankees Spring Training camp in 2024 – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Less than six months later in December of 2024, the Red Sox and Yankees agreed to a deal, which sent Narváez to Boston in exchange for right-handed pitcher Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz as well as international signing bonus pool money.
“Narvy is a hard worker, a great teammate, one of the best we ever had over here,” said Yankees’ captain Aaron Judge; a teammate of Narváez’s last season, spending time together in Spring Training.
“I was sad to see him go, but excited for the opportunity he’s getting right now.”
Aaron Judge and Carlos Narváez: Former teammates and now rivals on the diamond – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Despite the adjustment period remaining an uphill battle, only having six MLB games under his belt before 2025, paired with Boston not showing the results and competitive standing many projected, Narváez is prospering with the Red Sox over the organization’s first 67 regular season games on the year.
Appearing in 50 contests behind the plate, while sharing time with teammate Connor Wong, the right-handed hitting catcher has thrown out nine base-runners attempting to steal this season, tying for third in all of MLB among qualified catchers—William Contreras of the Brewers (12), Keibert Ruiz of the Nationals (10), and each with nine, Narváez, J.T. Realmuto of the Phillies, and Sean Murphy of the Braves.
Carlos Narváez and Boston’s pitching staff zoned in on the Yankees’ base-running this weekend – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
On the other side of the diamond, Narváez could hit to all parts of the field and contains the power that changes the complexion of a game on one swing of the bat, fitting a need the Red Sox offense lacks.
Entering Sunday with an impressive .795 OPS for a rookie, he had yet to show those capabilities at the plate in a high-intense environment or experience his first legitimate big league moment.
So, what better place than at Yankee Stadium, a ballpark he dreamt of delivering in for years upon years…
Carlos Narváez had his Big League moment on Sunday night in the Bronx – Image Credit: Latino Sports
Down by one, Narváez had his opportunity arise in the top of the six inning of the Red Sox-Yankees series finale Sunday evening in the Bronx, which was broadcasted nationally on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, and capitalized on a 1-2 95-MPH four-seam fastball from Yankees’ left-handed starter Carlos Rodón for a three-run go-ahead home run, flipping the score to 5-3, Boston.
“I was in my head a little bit to bunt there to be honest, to bunt at the beginning,” Narváez said of his clutch sixth inning go-ahead HR following the 11-7 win. “I talked to Huddy (Red Sox third base coach Kyle Hudson) and it’s like, ‘Okay, I’m just gonna be aggressive…’
I found myself in a two-strike approach and was just happy I found some barrel.”
Carlos Narváez recorded his sixth home run of the 2025 season Sunday night in Boston’s 11-7 win over New York – Image Credit: MLB
To mark his sixth blast of the season and 22nd RBI, forcing the Yankees to go to the bullpen in the process, Narváez’s towering shot left the ballpark at an exit velocity of 101-MPH and traveled approximately 372 feet.
“He (Narváez) had a short time coming up with us for a little bit and the stuff I saw in Spring Training and stuff I heard about, everybody loved him,” Judge noted. “He outworked everybody in this room. So it doesn’t surprise me he’s having the success he is this year.”
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