This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch’s Yankees Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Jose Trevino's cell phone lit up with text messages from friends this past week, accompanied by comments like: “Could you imagine if this was us?”

The Yankees catcher soon found himself watching video clips of New York’s Section V Class B1 championship game, a bizarre May 27 contest in Batavia, N.Y, in which the catcher for Hornell High School’s team neglected to tag the Palmyra-Macedon High batter after a dropped third strike.

As the Hornell catcher shoved the baseball into his right pocket, embracing his pitcher and other teammates, Palmyra-Macedon’s runners circled the basepaths. The play was still live, everyone realized too late; a scene made more confusing because both teams were dressed in red uniforms.

When the dust settled, Palmyra-Macedon had won, 6-5, and Trevino’s heart ached -- especially for the young Hornell catcher.

“I just felt bad for the kid, for his teammates, thinking they had won the championship,” Trevino said. “I won two state championships in high school. I know the satisfaction of winning and going through a whole year with the guys you grew up with around your town. That means a lot. I just know how much it would have meant for them to win.”

Trevino asked someone in the Yankees’ front office to contact the Hornell baseball team. Trevino was soon on a conference call with Hornell head baseball coach Joe Flint and the team’s seniors, chatting for about 35 minutes.

“They were great; they were good kids,” Trevino said. “It was a great conversation. We talked for a long time.”

During the call, Trevino offered a few life lessons and fielded questions. Yes, Trevino admitted, there have been times he also neglected to handle a dropped third strike properly.

“I watched the video again and it looked to me like he tagged him; he looked back at the umpire to make sure, like, ‘Hey, you saw that I tagged him,’” Trevino said. “I can’t even imagine what was going through the catcher’s head. He’s a very important part of that team, and for him to go out that way and have that happen, it’s tough.”

Trevino also spoke to high school baseball's importance on his career. Over the years, Trevino has strongly credited Steve Castillo, his coach at John Paul II High School in Corpus Christi, Texas, for his success.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if not for high school baseball,” Trevino said. “It’s very important to me.”

The call wrapped with Trevino inviting the players to Yankee Stadium for a future home game; Hornell is in upstate New York, about a five-hour drive to the Bronx.

Trevino said his message to catchers everywhere is: “There’s a reason why they’re catching at that level. Other guys on the field can’t do it, or don’t want to do it. Catchers are the guys who have enough courage to get out there and strap on the gear, and everyone looks to them for answers.”