[2] Higashioka played in 2012 for the Tampa Yankees of the High–A Florida State League and Trenton Thunder, batting .170/.228/.327 in 147 at–bats combined.

[5] During the 2013 and 2014 seasons he played in only 13 games combined, due to Tommy John surgery and a broken thumb.

[8] Higashioka started the 2016 season with the Trenton Thunder of the Double–A Eastern League, and won the Player of the Week Award.

[3] After playing in one game for the RailRiders in 2017, the Yankees promoted Higashioka to the major leagues, following an injury to Gary Sánchez.

[17] 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.

[citation needed] On December 6, 2023, the Yankees traded Higashioka, Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Randy Vásquez, and Jhony Brito, to the San Diego Padres for Juan Soto and Trent Grisham.

[27][28] On April 3, 2024, Higashioka recorded his first hit with the Padres, a home run, in Petco Park against the St. Louis Cardinals.

[29] On December 2, 2024, Higashioka signed a two-year contract with the Texas Rangers that includes a mutual option for the 2027 season.

[32] Higashioka also studied Spanish in high school and uses it to communicate with Latin American teammates.