The Rangers and veteran catcher Sandy Leon have agreed to a minor league contract, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter link). Leon, a client of the MAS+ Agency, will be in Major League camp this spring.
Leon, 33, split the 2022 season between the Guardians and Twins, batting a combined .169/.298/.211 in 86 plate appearances. It’s a small sample of playing time, but that’s generally representative of the level of offense the switch-hitter has provided over the course of his career. Outside of an anomalous 2016 season that saw Leon post a brilliant .310/.369/.476 batting line (124 wRC+) in 283 plate appearances, he’s generally been a well below-average hitter. Since the conclusion of that career-best 2016 campaign, he’s turned in a .190/.260/.292 line (48 wRC+) in 1167 trips to the plate.
Offense, clearly, isn’t the reason Leon continually draws interest from big league clubs. He’s regarded as an excellent defender and game-caller, generally posting above-average to plus framing marks while doing a good job controlling the running game. Leon has thrown out 30.3% of runners who’ve attempted to steal against him in his big league career, piling up 34 Defensive Runs Saved along the way and regularly stealing a healthy share of extra strikes for his pitchers.
The Rangers don’t have a dire need for catching help — far from it, in fact. On the big league roster, it’s likely that Jonah Heim and Mitch Garver will split the lion’s share of catching duties, and Texas has former top prospect Sam Huff as another alternative on the 40-man roster. Huff hasn’t yet carved out an everyday role for himself, but he’s just 24 years old and carries a .263/.321/.447 line in 165 big league plate appearances. Heim’s defensive prowess, Garver’s power and Huff’s penchant for strikeouts might all combine to push Huff to Triple-A to begin the season, but Garver is a free agent next winter, so Huff could play a more prominent role before long. If Leon heads to Triple-A Round Rock to serve as a backup catcher, he’ll provide a nice veteran mentor to work with Huff throughout the minor league season.
Teach Leiter and the rest how to throw strikes. Maybe Huff + will be traded for some outfielder or reliever(s). Kepler? Reynolds? Bednar?
We need to stay as far away from Reynolds as possible, the cost of acquisition is way to high. Doing my due diligence, we should trade for Lourdes Gurriel Jr.. Look at Baseball reference for instance and compare for yourself.
Sure, but what if they are stupid enough to do White, Winn, Ragans, Otto, Howard, Duran, and Harris for Reynolds? It’s always worth exploring. Duran and Winn were top 100 either mid-season or before, and White is a top 100 prospect right now. Howard’s was twice top 25, but that was years ago. They want arms, and not all have to be prospects. Maybe a guy from the top 4 and someone like Dunning can do the pitching part and the hitting can be something else.
I truly hope they aren’t that stupid. Reynolds and Gurriel are basically the same player. Going after Gurriel costs a 1/3-1/2 of what Reynolds would and you can offer a modest extension, say 3/30 with a 4th year option at 15 with 3mm buy out and a opt out after 2. Even if he opts out you still had him for 3 years that are still cheaper than Reynolds would be.
I am saying Pittsburg would be stupid to take that. Gurriel is not as good and only has 1 cheap year of control left (I believe he hits free agency before 6 years due to his contract). He would be a great and more effective pickup in accomplishing short-term goals, but the thing is that Reynolds is also pretty cheap for 3 years instead of 1. It would make sense to pay 3 times as much for 3 years vs 1.. Even if you are talking about salary, I would say Reynolds can be a part-time DH even if Carter and Zavala both work out. If they only want 1 good guy in White and the rest is quantity, why not just trade for both? I mean Reynolds has higher potential and power too.
Looking at that recycled month-old Heyman report about the “Soto-like” haul makes me wish the Pirates start a new double digit season losing streak, like the one they had earlier this century. I hope they don’t make the playoffs for several decades. Hearing about a team saying basically we have him and you can’t and we will demand 3 times what he is worth to us just because we can to spite you is irritating. The Rangers never did that with Gallo, Gibson, Minor, Lynn, or any of their guys. They at least had a sense of reality. The Pirates need to act like adults instead of being stubborn children. I hated the Rangers for hanging onto Perez and Moore this trading deadline for no apparent reason, and the Pirates can get something good now. I bet even Pirates fans will start to get angry at the front office if they hold on to him too long and end up with nothing.
I would say you are right.
Possible Offseason Champs strike again (other candidates include the Mets and Giants, not only for moves they made, but possibly for the moves they didn’t make in signing Correa to a potential albatross contract)
The Mets also lost several free agents of differing quality, which negates many if their additions.
That is true. I think the Mets did a good job using resources at their disposal in order to address their losses. I think they had a good offseason, but they don’t look improved the same way Texas and San Francisco do with they’re additions.
Good move by the Rangers, now let’s get the BP with Moore and Chafin handled and get the LF situation dealt with via trade for Reynolds, Kepler, Santander, Happ, Winker, or B Anderson or through FA with CUtch or Duvall.
Leon would’ve looked good behind the plate, as #1 C, for the White Sox.
He lives! Team #6. The power of a WS ring.
Great defensive catcher. Loved him in his time with BOS.
Smart move by Texas. Would have loved to see the Phils do this, as they have traded from the top of the minor league catching depth chart twice in the last 6 months, with O’Hoppe (who was a big loss) and Sands (who was looking as if he was setting up to be the next man up in the system with some upside).
Leon would have been great in AAA working with Marchan. Always love to see the old school catchers that can do everything…other than hit….hang around. They are not valued the way that they should be.
Leon has a bit over 8yrs service time……
I wonder exactly how important getting to that 10yr vesting number is……?
Remember the Phillies signed someone, a utility type inf, in the 90’s until he got his 10 and then cut hi loose soon after…Can’t think of his name….
@cpdp – What I know about the vesting system is that 10 years qualifies for the maximum vesting amount, but it is done by quarterly gradations. So if you have five full years, and then add another quarter the amount goes up (I have no idea how much).
From what I have seen, MLB has the best pension setup of the major sports, and it has helped a ton of retired ballplayers. And as badly as they have treated the minor leaguers in many ways, the MILB pension setup is also pretty solid.
I remember…vaguely…the story of the guy that they brought back for that but no recollection now of who it was.
Did a bit of Google and the pension plan is totally solid and worth hanging on for…As 10yr service time guys it is more than a liveable wage…And obviously they can hold ther jobs etc….
The guy I was thinking of came to me as I went jogging, Rex Hudler… He played in like 13/14 seasons, but in his last year he accrued the 10yr and they let him loose a few days later. Remember how the Philly Enquirer ran a small story on it after the fact….Pretty cool
Wonder Dog!!
Hasn’t hit .200 since 2017. Defensive catchers and lefty relievers are always in demand…
I do not forsee Mitch Garver with much time at catcher, if any. This is great pick up for the Rangers.
Great pickup
Now get Bauer
“Offense, clearly, isn’t the reason Leon continually draws interest from big league clubs.”
Bad writing.
“Clearly, offense isn’t the reason Leon continually draws interest from big league clubs.”
Better writing.