Blue Jays Agree With Ali Sanchez On Minor-League Deal
The Toronto Blue Jays agreed with free-agent catcher Ali Sanchez on a minor-league deal on Monday that includes an invite to big-league spring training. The 27-year-old backstop split time this past season in the minors with the Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs while also appearing in 31 major-league games in Miami. The Venezuelan catcher played went 14-for-84 (.167) with no homers, four RBI, 24 strikeouts and four walks in 96 plate appearances for the Fish in his first MLB action since 2021. In 48 games at Triple-A Iowa and Triple-A Jacksonville, Sanchez slashed .226/.310/.361 with only three home runs and 22 RBI. The light-hitting catcher will have a shot to win an Opening Day roster spot in Toronto as a backup in spring training, but he will most likely kick off the 2025 campaign in the minors with Triple-A Buffalo.
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed free-agent catcher Ali Sanchez to an undisclosed one-year major-league deal on Friday. The team also claimed right-hander Roddery Munoz off waivers from the Washington Nationals. Sanchez made his big-league debut in 2020 with the New York Mets but hasn't appeared in the majors since 2021 with the St. Louis Cardinals. The 26-year-old Venezuelan backstop played in 67 games at Triple-A Reno with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2023 and looked good with a .311/.375/.492 slash line, an .866 OPS, career-high 11 home runs and 43 RBI in 267 plate appearances. Sanchez will most likely begin the 2024 season at Triple-A Indianapolis while providing catching depth behind Henry Davis, Endy Rodriguez and Jason Delay at the major-league level.
Ali Sánchez
• C
•
Blue Jays
