The Tampa Bay Rays signed free-agent catcher Rob Brantly to a minor-league deal on Monday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training. Rene Pinto is currently the only catcher on Tampa's 40-man roster, so Brantly should have a chance to earn the backup catching gig in spring training. The 34-year-old veteran left-handed hitter was with the Toronto Blue Jays this past season but never appeared in the big leagues. Instead, he hit .271/.390/.361 with a home run and 16 RBI in 46 games at Triple-A Buffalo before he was cut in July. Brantly has eight years of major-league service with five different teams and has a career .225/.287/.326 slash line with only seven home runs and 37 RBI in 134 games played over 456 plate appearances.
New York Yankees infielder Hoy Jun Park and catcher Rob Brantly were purchased from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday to help with depth after the Yankees put outfielder Aaron Judge, third baseman Gio Urshela and catcher Kyle Higashioka on the COVID-19 injured list due to positive tests. Park, a left-handed hitting middle infielder, has hit .303/.450/.505 with nine home runs, 28 RBI and nine stolen bases in 54 games with Double-A Somerset and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this year, while Brantly hit .270/.391/.477 with six home runs and 22 RBI in 34 games at Triple-A. Neither player is guaranteed regular playing time, even with the Yankees short-handed. Brantly will serve as the backup to Gary Sanchez behind the dish.
The Cleveland Indians have signed catcher Rob Brantly to a contract and assigned him to Triple-A. Brantly has yet to appear in the majors in 2018, and was hitting just .218 in the minors with one home run and 19 games this season. He'll function as depth following the trade of Francisco Mejia and holds no fantasy value.
Rob Brantly
• C
•
Rays
