Having misplaced Connor Wong to a damaged finger, the Purple Sox rapidly signed veteran Yasmani Grandal to a minor league deal that features an opt-out simply over two weeks into the contract (Might 1). They may proceed to discover additional choices behind the plate within the days forward, writes MassLive’s Chris Cotillo.
At current, the Sox are going with rookie Carlos Narvaez and DFA pickup Blake Sabol behind the plate. Narvaez is hitting .212/.297/.303 in 37 plate appearances. Sabol is 0-for-6 since his recall and is a profession .239/.308/.386 hitter within the majors. Narvaez has caught simply one in all eight runners who’ve tried to steal in opposition to him. Sabol, who has a profession 11.7% caught-stealing fee, is 0-for-5 in that regard by way of his first dozen innings behind the plate with the Sox. Wong has been proper in step with league common relationship again to 2023 (21.1%). Seby Zavala, the group’s most skilled choice past the newly signed Grandal, is hitting .129/.156/.194 by way of 32 Triple-A plate appearances (2-for-31, 15 strikeouts).
In terms of free company, there’s not a lot in the best way of unsigned catchers. Grandal was one in all only a few unsigned gamers of be aware. Fellow veteran Yan Gomes additionally went unsigned this offseason, although it’s not clear he’s even seeking to play after being launched by the Cubs final June. He didn’t signal with one other workforce for the rest of the 2024 marketing campaign, both.
Catchers Curt Casali and Chadwick Tromp have been each launched by the Braves over the previous month. Neither has signed with a brand new workforce, and each struggled this spring. Casali, a veteran of 11 massive league seasons, hasn’t hit a lot since 2022 and was hitless in 15 spring plate appearances. Tromp hit .147/.171/.176 in 35 spring plate appearances and was hitless in six common season plate appearances. He has a restricted massive league monitor report however did go 5-for-17 in catching base thieves final 12 months (29.4%). Kyle McCann, who hit .236/.318/.371 for the A’s in 157 plate appearances final 12 months, was additionally launched final month and stays unsigned.
Provided that lack of free agent choices, it’s not a shock that Cotillo suggests the commerce market as an choice. Many veterans have upward mobility clauses of their minor league contracts with present groups. Others may have opt-out dates late this month or early subsequent — much like Grandal — and might be flipped for money in the event that they’re planning to decide out anyhow. Among the many veteran depth choices enjoying with different organizations’ Triple-A associates proper now are Tucker Barnhart (Rangers), Andrew Knizner (Nationals), Luke Maile (Royals), James McCann (Braves) and Austin Nola (Rockies), simply to call a couple of.
The Purple Sox nonetheless haven’t offered a precise timetable on Wong’s return from harm. The 28-year-old batted .280/.333/.425 final 12 months in what has been his lone productive season on the MLB degree thus far. He adopted up that breakout exhibiting with a 2-for-23 begin to the 2025 season previous to sustaining that fractured finger.
If Wong has any setbacks or struggles with the bat upon getting back from a hand harm of some be aware, it stands to cause that catching assist might be a goal for Purple Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow this summer time. Johanfran Garcia is the one catcher typically thought of among the many prime 30 prospects in Boston’s system after buying and selling Kyle Teel within the Garrett Crochet swap, and Garcia was restricted to 14 video games in A-ball final 12 months after requiring season-ending knee surgical procedure.
