The Angels have agreed to a minor league contract with catcher Juan Graterol, as first reported by Efrain Zavarce of Venezuela’s IVC Networks (Twitter link). He’ll be in Major League camp this spring.
Graterol, 32, in February, made his Major League debut with the Halos back in 2016 and has since had brief MLB stints in Minnesota and Cincinnati as well. He spent the 2020 season in the Twins’ 60-man player pool but didn’t get a call to the big leagues from their alternate training site in St. Paul. He’s appeared in a total of 67 MLB games, batting .218/.227/.266 through a small sample of 129 plate appearances.
Though he lacks an extensive big league track record, Graterol is a career .277/.313/.340 hitter in parts of six Triple-A seasons — numbers that generally fall in line with his career .272/.320/.336 slash through 14 minor league seasons. He boasts a 37 percent caught-stealing rate in the minors and a 32 percent clip in his limited MLB time, and Graterol has a solid reputation as a pitch-framer as well. For an Angels club that currently only has two catchers on the 40-man roster — Max Stassi and Anthony Bemboom — it’s sensible to stock up on some experienced depth to carry in Spring Training and perhaps in Triple-A to open the season.
Angels win the offseason!
Lol! Angels fans waking up to big news…
Can I go back to bed now?
BuT cAn He PiTcH?
but seriously, can he?
Better than Milner probably
Well, he hasn’t been able to tell us a thing so far, But as soon as he regains consciousness, we’ll see if he can still play the guitar.
@tom brunansky above.
Absolutely right – the right signing to break the previously water tight Minasian rule that all players signed had to have the surname Iglesias.
Indeed they’d taken it further – legendary lothario Julio Iglesias had been signed up for God Bless America indefinitely. As you rightly point out there will be some platooning will Graterol on lead guitar.
Apparently they’re looking towards Houston for percussionary help… I can’t think why that might be?
Ooops *with (Graterol on lead guitar)
Well this was a MUST get in a catcher. I dunno if they’ll be in on any more back stops, but only having 2 that are MLB playable, this was a must.
Now find us some Bitchin’ Pitchin’ y’all!!
Time to give Juan Graterol a full time catching duties opportunity! The talent is there…
Is Minasian taking advice from Billy Eppler?
And there it is! The Halos steal this week’s spotlight from those headline hogging Padres.
leverage move.
hey Jed, we don’t NEED Contrares as we have this other guy but we’re willing to take him off your hands if you’re giving him away
The ignorant comments complaining about transactions such as these are both hilarious and sad. Do you baseball “fans” realize that these types of organizational depth deals are made all the time? They have nothing to do with the major transactions that you enjoy whining about. Someone needs to publish a book titled Baseball Transactions for Dummies.
yup! the team needed a catcher to back up the 2 young and decent.ones it has. good move w/o spending much $$$.
Cey, you and I agree on much. On this you are exactly right.
Is is not as if this team is plush in AAA catchers or MLB catchers.
And most rarely agree with you Halo11fan, that is if you didn’t take your meds yet. You’re usually way to paranoid about all the moves being made, and there’s plenty of time with almost all FA’s still on the block. Chill bro, Perry’s got this, if not, complain thereafter.
PS. Looks like your doing well today, very nice to see.
I think you’re missing some of the playful sarcasm. Most Angel fans know when the Halos do steal the spotlight (poster boy: Josh Hamilton), it doesnt always go so well.
Another landing spot for JT Realmuto taken away!
Is this Brusdar’s brother? Fun new freeway series rivalry if so!
No it is his cousin
Nice!
Good to see this holiday tradition continue.
His first big league game was incredible. Hit a bomb and the game winner.
You’re thinking of Carlos Perez
Nah that was Melido Pérez
Perez definitely did that. Walk off, I believe.
Still pretty certain Graterol hit a bomb in his first game with the Angels.
Graterol has not hit a HR yet at the big league level. But I had to look it up.
We’re getting him mixed up with Briceno, another AAAA catcher, who hit a HR at Yankee Stadium in his first game.
Perez hit a game winning HR, Napoli hit HR in first AB as an Angel
Francisco Arcia
Should see what the asking price on a Musgrove and Stallings package would be.
What this signing (Graterol again!) shows that the Angels have no catching anywhere near the upper minors. Minasian needs to draft at least five catchers in 2021 along with some International signings.
Trout27. Yes, that what it shows.
Draft questions.
@trout27 Angels haven’t had a decent catching prospect since Hank Conger. I was pleasantly surprised by Stassi bat last year. . If he returns to form after surgery, I am happy to retain Stassi at this point.
When he’s older he’ll be Geratol.
Two best nicknames: Teke for Tekulve became Anteke, Olerude became Olderdude.
I swear this is his 5th round with the angels. Seems like the perfect aaaa type catcher for an organization without catching depth in the minors.
4th time, but yeah your point still stands.
It takes Juan to know Juan.
This guy has been around many teams so he must have some talent.
Dude was a beast for me in MLB the show
Seems like an opportune time to point out that the Dodgers have the best 40 man roster in MLB. You don’t win championships with just 25 guys. It takes a deep 40 man roster.
Graterol is a solid and necessary piece for the Angels. But it’s a reminder for them, and most MLB teams, that you need quality depth at every position to survive the 162 game grind and multiple rounds of playoffs.
As the Dodgers have proven the past several years, the best depth comes from young, controllable players that you draft and develop yourself.
Please look up Auroa Vargas building of Chavez Ravine
Where’s Perry? He made two good trades and now we need pitching. Did he fall asleep. I hope he isn’t talked into waiting for Bauer, only to be outbid by the Mets, Giants or Dodgers.
How about Pittsburg. They have a good catcher too.
This is exactly what we needed. A back up catcher to our back up catcher until Stassi is healthy. We did not need to spend a ton on JTR.
Now…pitching.
…and maybe a right fielder because I don’t believe Adell is MLB ready. My choice is Goodwin for a cheap one year deal.
We have Ward and Scott Schelber