New York Yankees (2017–2023)
After playing in one game for the RailRiders in 2017, the Yankees promoted Higashioka to the major leagues, following an injury to Gary Sánchez. Higashioka made his major league debut as a defensive replacement on April 10. He batted 0-for-18 in nine games for the Yankees, and was optioned back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on May 5, when Sánchez was activated from the injured list. The Yankees promoted Higashioka back to the major leagues on June 16. After returning to the minors he suffered a knee injury and played in eight minor league games during August and September.
Higashioka began the 2018 season with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. With Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2018, he batted .202/.276/.346 in 188 at bats. He was called up to the majors on June 27, following an injury to Sánchez.
After starting his major league career 0-for-22, the longest hitless streak to start a Yankee career of any position player ever, he had 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 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. With the Yankees in 2018, he batted .167/.241/.319 in 72 at bats. In 2019, Higashioka 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. He became the 24th Yankee to have a three home run game and the first to do so while batting ninth in the batting order.
On May 19, 2021, Higashioka caught Corey Kluber's no-hitter against the Texas Rangers. On June 12, 2022, Higashioka hit a home run on a 35.1 miles per hour (56.5 km/h) pitch off of first baseman Frank Schwindel who came in to pitch in the eighth inning. It was the slowest pitch hit for a home run since the debut of Statcast in 2015. He batted .227 in 83 games in the 2022 season.
Higashioka played for the United States national baseball team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. On June 28, 2023, Higashioka caught Domingo Germán's perfect game. On September 10, 2023, Higashioka had his first career walkoff hit in the 13th inning.
