Detroit Tigers reportedly sign Jarrod Saltalamacchia to minor league deal
The Detroit Tigers have now added even more depth behind the plate by reportedly signing Jarrod Saltalamacchia to a minor league deal.
This spring, the Detroit Tigers have a little bit of competition for the backup catcher job. Although John Hicks is considered to be the favorite to back up James McCann, the Tigers also have Derek Norris and former Tiger Brayan Pena in camp.
The Tigers have reportedly now added a new name to the catching mix as well. According to Evan Woodbery of MLive, the Tigers have now signed Jarrod Saltalamacchia to a minor league deal.
Saltalamacchia spent the 2016 campaign with the Tigers, serving as McCann’s backup. He got off to a rather hot start that season, hitting six home runs in the month of April. However, he finished the season batting just .171/.284/.346 (70 OPS+) with 12 home runs and a high 35.6 percent strikeout rate.
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Saltalamacchia spent last season in the Toronto Blue Jays‘ system. Although he was able to crack the club’s Opening Day roster, he struggled early on, hitting just .040/.077/.040 through 10 games. In Triple-A Buffalo, his struggles continued as he hit only .162/.271/.243 with one home run through 33 games.
At this point, Saltalamacchia, who will turn 33 in May, has struggled at the plate for several years now. After a successful run with the Red Sox from 2010-13, Saltalamacchia signed a three-year deal with the Miami Marlins, but was released in May of 2015. He did, however, go on to perform relatively well with after being picked up by the Arizona Diamondbacks later that year. Through 70 games in Arizona, he hit .251/.332/.474 (113 OPS+) with eight homers, which is arguably his best stretch of consistent offense since his days with the Red Sox.
Though he was once a solid starting catcher, he has been a backup at best in recent years and may currently be best suited for a job in the minor leagues. While it would be tough to imagine Saltalamacchia being able to give Hicks a serious challenge for the backup catcher job, he may be able to serve as an insurance policy in Triple-A Toledo, should the Tigers decide he is a better option than Pena or Norris.
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While Saltalamacchia likely won’t be much of a difference maker at this point in his career, it makes perfect sense for a rebuilding team like the Tigers to give him an opportunity.