Seattle has added another piece of catching depth after making a surprising roster move signing a former Athletics backstop from the Blue Jays and immediately assigning him to Triple-A Tacoma.
The 29-year-old catcher arrives in Seattle bringing a strong minor league résumé despite limited success at the major league level. He appeared in 33 games with Oakland last season, recording 111 plate appearances while hitting .186/.252/.324 with 2 home runs and 10 RBIs.
While his MLB numbers have been modest, the Mariners are betting on the production he has consistently shown in the minors. Over 1,146 career Triple-A plate appearances, the veteran catcher owns a .286/.376/.470 slash line, including a .253/.342/.424 performance this season with a 101 wRC+. Those numbers provide Seattle with a reliable depth option who can provide offensive upside if injuries strike.
The catcher has become somewhat of a waiver-wire target over the past year. Oakland placed him on waivers in November before the Rangers claimed him, and Texas later designated him for assignment in April. Toronto acquired him by sending cash to Texas before he reached waivers again, but after being removed from the Blue Jays’ roster this week, Seattle moved quickly to secure his services.
The Mariners’ interest appears to center around his ability to provide organizational depth behind their current catching group. Seattle entered the season relying on Cal Raleigh and Mitch Garver at the major league level, with Jhonny Pereda serving as Triple-A insurance.
However, the club recently made a change by releasing Garver and promoting Pereda to join Raleigh in the majors. That left Seattle with only two catchers on the 40-man roster for several days, creating a need for another option.
With this waiver claim, the Mariners now have a third catcher available who can remain in Tacoma until needed. The move gives Seattle added flexibility as the team pushes toward the final stretch of the season and looks to strengthen every area of its roster.