Max Stassi Agrees To Minor-League Deal With Giants
Free-agent catcher Max Stassi (hip) agreed to a minor-league deal with the San Francisco Giants earlier this week, according to sources. Stassi hasn't seen action in the big leagues since 2022 with the Los Angeles Angels due to personal issues and after undergoing left-hip surgery in June. In the last two seasons, he's managed to play in just five rehab games in the minors. The 33-year-old veteran backstop declined his option for the 2025 season with the Chicago White Sox to land on the open market before joining the Giants. Health will obviously be a big issue for Stassi as he tries to make a return to the big leagues, and given all the time away the last two years, he figures to begin the 2025 season rehabbing in the minors. In parts of 10 seasons in the big leagues since debuting in 2013 with the Astros, Stassi has a career .212/.295/.361 slash line with 41 homers and 128 RBI in 403 games played.
Chicago White Sox catcher Max Stassi (hip) is starting his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday night. Stassi is working his way back from a hip ailment that landed him on the injured to begin the 2024 regular season, but he could make his debut with the White Sox as early as this weekend if he looks good in the minors. The 33-year-old backstop missed all of last year due to a hip injury and a personal issue and was traded in the offseason from the Los Angeles Angels to the White Sox. When healthy, he'll serve as the team's backup to Martin Maldonado. Currently, Korey Lee is serving as Chicago's No. 2 to begin the year with Stassi on the IL. Unless Maldonado misses time with injury in 2024, Stassi is off the fantasy radar outside of two-catcher, AL-only leagues.
The Chicago White Sox placed catcher Max Stassi (hip) on the 10-day injured list on Monday with left-hip inflammation and recalled catcher Korey Lee from Triple-A Charlotte in a corresponding move. The 33-year-old Stassi will be eligible to be reinstated from the injured list on April 4, so he may not end up missing much time at all. However, it's not good news for Stassi after he missed all of 2023 with the Los Angeles Angels due to a hip injury and a family matter. When healthy, Stassi will be working as the primary backup catcher in Chicago to Martin Maldonado, leaving him very little fantasy appeal in the deepest of two-catcher leagues. Stassi also doesn't have much power in his lumber at the catching position.
The Atlanta Braves have agreed to trade catcher Max Stassi to the Chicago White Sox. Stassi is on the move again after being acquired by Atlanta earlier in the week. In exchange, the Braves will receive a player to be named later. It sounds like the Braves are going to cover a majority of the $7 million salary for Stassi next season. The 32-year-old is a solid defensive catcher, but doesn't bring much to the plate with the bat. He could end up seeing decent playing time after the departure of Yasmani Grandal this offseason. Despite that, Stassi isn't expected to be a fantasy relevant player.
Infielder David Fletcher and catcher Max Stassi are on the move from the Los Angeles Angels to the Atlanta Braves. Fletcher is a 29-year-old utility man who provided a 0.1 WAR in 89 games last season. Stassi is 32 years old and hit .180 in 2022. He did not play in 2023 due to a family medical issue. If Stassi is to return in 2024, it probably won't be with Atlanta, as they are stacked at catcher. Neither player moves the needle much in fantasy leagues.
Los Angeles Angels catcher Max Stassi was placed on the restricted list on Sunday and will miss the rest of the season as he continues to tend to a family emergency. Stassi hasn't appeared in a game this year. "Max informed the Angels that while he is in a position to resume activities to return to MLB, he has voluntarily chosen not to do so for the remainder of the 2023 season as a result of a serious family medical issue," the Angels said in a statement. The 32-year-old backstop began the year on the injured list with a hip injury and was moved to the 60-day IL in June. Stassi will be back with the Angels in 2024 for the final year of a three-year, $17.5 million extension. Rookie Logan O'Hoppe will close out this year as the Halos' primary catcher.
Jared Walsh, Max Stassi Opening On The Injured List
Los Angeles Angels first baseman Jared Walsh (head) and catcher Max Stassi (hip) will open the 2023 regular season on the injured list. Walsh is dealing with headaches and there is no timetable for him to make his season debut for the Halos. With Walsh on the shelf to begin the year, Brandon Drury is likely to see most of the playing time at the cold corner in his first year in Anaheim. With Stassi starting on the injured list, it paves the way for prospect Logan O'Hoppe to make the team's Opening Day roster. Stassi injured his hip during a minor-league game on Sunday, and he also doesn't have a specific timetable for a return to the Angels lineup. Matt Thaiss is the team's other backstop on the roster.
The Los Angeles Angels signed catcher Max Stassi to a three-year, $17.5 million extension on Thursday. He avoided arbitration after agreeing to terms on a one-year deal worth $3 million on Tuesday. The 31-year-old slashed .241/.326/.426 with a career-high 13 home runs, 35 RBI, and 45 runs scored in 319 plate appearances over 87 games. The Angels also signed catcher Kurt Suzuki signed a one-year, $1.75 million contract in mid-March, but he is expected to serve as the team's No.2 catcher. As the Angels ' primary backstop, Stassi should be in line for significant playing time and is a solid fantasy option in two-catcher formats.
Los Angeles Angels catcher Max Stassi avoided salary arbitration on Tuesday by agreeing to a one-year, $3 million deal. In his second full season with the Halos last year, Stassi slashed .241/.326/.426 with a career-high 13 home runs, 35 RBI and 45 runs scored in 319 plate appearances over 87 games played. The power is nice from the weakest position in fantasy baseball, but Stassi's 31.7% strikeout rate is concerning. He will also split time behind the dish with veteran Kirk Suzuki, limiting his fantasy upside as a low-end No. 2 backstop. The 31-year-old is a career .225/.307/.384 hitter with a .691 OPS, 32 homers and 98 RBI over 301 games in nine major league seasons.
Los Angeles Angels catcher Max Stassi hit his second long ball in his last three games, a second-inning, two-run shot that put the Angels up 2-0 to the Texas Rangers before ultimately losing 5-2. He ended the day 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Stassi put up great numbers in the first half, slashing .296/.377/.496 in 36 games, but then fell off a cliff after the All-Star break. Over 46 games since the break, he's put up just a .704 OPS while hitting .215 and had a 21 game homeless streak. Overall, he's batting .249, slugging .440 and has 13 HRs thus far. Hopefully, Stassi is finding his groove again and can be one of the more offensively gifted catchers in baseball. He can be rostered in most leagues but shouldn't take a starting spot away from someone more consistent.
