Kyle Higashioka Bio
Kyle Harris “Higgy” Higashioka, born on April 20, 1990, in Huntington Beach, California, is an American professional baseball catcher currently playing for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres, and he represented the United States national baseball team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. A catcher known for his defensive work and power potential, Higashioka has built a career spanning more than a decade across the minor and major leagues.
Early Life and Background
Kyle Harris “Higgy” Higashioka was born on April 20, 1990, in Huntington Beach, California, where he grew up immersed in a sports-oriented environment. His father, Ted Higashioka, is a third-generation Japanese American, and Kyle’s heritage is one-half Japanese. To strengthen his connection to that side of his family, Kyle learned Japanese, a skill that later helped him communicate with former New York Yankees teammate Masahiro Tanaka.
Beyond Japanese, Kyle Higashioka also studied Spanish during his high school years and uses the language to communicate with Latin American teammates in clubhouses. His mother, Diane Higashioka, encouraged him to prioritize education, and by 2017 he was taking classes in mechanical engineering at Orange Coast College while pursuing his professional baseball career. Those academic efforts reflected a family commitment to balance athletic ambitions with long-term preparation beyond the sport.
Path to Baseball
Kyle Higashioka attended Edison High School in Huntington Beach, California, where he played for the school’s baseball team and developed into a promising catching prospect. His play in high school drew attention from college programs, and he committed to the University of California, Berkeley, to play college baseball for the California Golden Bears. That commitment suggested a developmental route through the college ranks before reaching professional baseball.
Instead of heading to Berkeley, Higashioka chose to begin his professional career immediately after high school. The New York Yankees selected him in the seventh round of the 2008 MLB draft, and he signed with the organization, receiving a $500,000 signing bonus. That decision launched a long developmental journey through the Yankees’ minor league system, where he would spend nearly a decade refining his game before reaching the majors.
Kyle Higashioka Career
Early Career (2008–2017)
Kyle Higashioka spent nine seasons moving through the New York Yankees’ farm system, beginning in 2008 after being drafted in the seventh round. He played for the Tampa Yankees of the High-A Florida State League and the Trenton Thunder in 2012, batting .170/.228/.327 across 147 at-bats. His development was interrupted by Tommy John surgery and a broken thumb, which limited him to 13 combined games in 2013 and 2014.
He returned to action with the Tampa Yankees in 2015 and became a minor league free agent after that season before re-signing with the Yankees. In 2016, Higashioka started with the Trenton Thunder of the Double-A Eastern League and won a Player of the Week Award. He was promoted during the season to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders of the Triple-A International League, finishing 2016 with a .276 batting average, 21 home runs, and 81 runs batted in. The Yankees added him to their 40-man roster that offseason, and he began 2017 back at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before earning his first major league opportunity.
New York Yankees Breakthrough (2017–2023)
After appearing in one game for the RailRiders in 2017, Higashioka was promoted to the majors following an injury to Yankees catcher Gary Sánchez. He made his MLB debut as a defensive replacement on April 10, 2017, and went 0-for-18 in nine games before being optioned back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre when Sánchez returned. He came back to the majors on June 16 and later suffered a knee injury that limited his playing time in August and September.
Higashioka began the 2018 season in the minors and was recalled on June 27 after another injury to Sánchez. He opened his major league career 0-for-22, the longest hitless streak to start a Yankees career for any position player, before collecting his first major league hit, a home run, on July 1 against David Price of the Boston Red Sox. His next two hits, on July 3 and July 4 against the Atlanta Braves, were also home runs, making him the ninth MLB player since 1920 whose first three major league hits were home runs. In 2019, he batted .214 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in 18 games with the Yankees.
On September 16, 2020, Higashioka hit three home runs in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays, becoming the 24th Yankee to record a three-home-run game and the first to do so while batting ninth. In 2021, he caught Corey Kluber’s no-hitter against the Texas Rangers on May 19, and in 2022 he hit a home run off a 35.1 miles per hour pitch from position player Frank Schwindel, the slowest pitch hit for a home run since Statcast’s debut in 2015. He played for the United States at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, caught Domingo Germán’s perfect game on June 28, 2023, and recorded his first career walkoff hit in the 13th inning on September 10, 2023.
San Diego Padres Era (2024)
On December 6, 2023, the New York Yankees traded Higashioka along with Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Randy Vásquez, and Jhony Brito to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Juan Soto and Trent Grisham. He joined a Padres club looking to compete in the National League and quickly made an impact at the plate. On April 3, 2024, Higashioka recorded his first hit as a Padre, a home run, at Petco Park against the St. Louis Cardinals.
In 84 games with San Diego, Higashioka set career highs with 17 home runs and 45 RBIs while slashing .220/.263/.476. His offensive production gave the Padres a power-hitting catcher and helped stabilize their battery for a rotation that needed support behind the plate.
Texas Rangers Era (2025–Present)
On December 2, 2024, Kyle Higashioka signed a two-year contract with the Texas Rangers that includes a mutual option for the 2027 season. The move gave the Rangers an experienced catcher with a track record of handling top-tier pitching staffs. His transition to the American League West marked a new chapter after stints with both the Yankees and Padres.
Higashioka’s veteran presence and familiarity with playoff-caliber rotations have positioned him as a stabilizing force behind the plate for Texas. His power potential and track record of contributing in key moments gave the Rangers another offensive option at the catching position.
Notable Events and Milestones
Throughout his career, Higashioka has produced several signature moments, including catching Corey Kluber’s no-hitter in 2021 and Domingo Germán’s perfect game in 2023. His three-home-run game against the Blue Jays in 2020 and his record-setting slowest-pitch home run in 2022 stand out as offensive milestones. In 2023, he also walked off a game in the 13th inning for the first time in his major league career.
Kyle Higashioka Career Wins
Kyle Higashioka’s major league career has featured consistent contributions as a catcher, highlighted by home runs, RBIs, and notable defensive achievements across multiple franchises. His power production and game-calling have defined his role with each club.
MLB Highlights
Higashioka has appeared in MLB regular-season games for the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, and Texas Rangers. His 17 home runs and 45 RBIs for the Padres in 2024 represented career highs in both categories. He also caught two of the most prestigious individual pitching achievements in recent baseball history, including a no-hitter and a perfect game.
Kyle Higashioka Family
Family Background and Heritage
Kyle Higashioka’s father, Ted Higashioka, is a third-generation Japanese American, and Kyle’s ancestry is one-half Japanese. Kyle learned Japanese to strengthen his ties to his heritage and to communicate with former teammate Masahiro Tanaka during their time together with the Yankees. He also studied Spanish in high school to connect with Latin American teammates throughout his career.
Personal Life
Kyle Higashioka is married to Alyse Higashioka. His mother, Diane Higashioka, made him promise to earn a college degree, and by 2017 he was pursuing coursework in mechanical engineering at Orange Coast College while continuing his professional baseball career.
2025 Season Performance
Kyle Higashioka entered the 2025 season as a member of the Texas Rangers following his two-year contract signed in December 2024. The move positioned him as a primary or complementary catching option for a Rangers team seeking stability behind the plate. His familiarity with high-level pitching and proven power surge gave Texas an experienced veteran to anchor its battery.
Coming off a 2024 campaign in which he set career highs with 17 home runs and 45 RBIs for the San Diego Padres, Higashioka carried strong momentum into the new season. His ability to contribute both offensively and defensively made him a valuable piece of the Rangers’ roster as the club pursued a return to postseason contention in the American League.