The Tigers announced Monday that catcher Eric Haase, whom they designated for assignment over the weekend, has been claimed off waivers by the Guardians. Cleveland designated fellow catcher Zack Collins for assignment in a corresponding move.
Haase, 30, goes from his hometown team back to the team that originally drafted him and gave him his Major League debut back in 2018. Cleveland selected Haase in the seventh round of the 2011 draft but traded him to Detroit for cash in Jan. 2020. He appeared in just seven games during the shortened 2020 season but broke out in 2021 and has seen semi-regular playing time over the past three seasons.
In 2021-22, Haase turned in a .242/.295/.451 batting line, swatting 36 home runs, 29 doubles and a pair of triples in 732 plate appearances. That offense clocked in about six percent better than league average, by measure of wRC+, and Haase showed some defensive versatility along the way. In addition to his work behind the plate, the Tigers frequently used him in left field (in addition to a pair of one-off appearances in right field and at first base).
The 2023 season has been a rough one for Haase, however. In 286 trips to the plate, he’s slashing .201/.246/.284. Haase has seen his ground-ball rate increase, while his exit velocity and hard-hit rate have both trended in the wrong direction. He’s also popping the ball up to the infield at a career-high rate.
Guardians catchers rank dead-last in offense this season, batting a combined .184/.258/.312. Even a small step toward Haase’s 2021-22 production would clear that remarkably low bar. For now, Haase will split time behind the plate with top prospect Bo Naylor. If he shows well down the stretch, Haase can be retained for another three years via arbitration, so there’s potential for him to stick around for awhile in his original organization. He’s out of minor league options, however, meaning he can’t be sent down without first clearing waivers.
Collins, 28, was the No. 10 overall draft pick by the White Sox out of Miami back in 2016 but has yet to establish himself at the MLB level. He’s spent parts of five seasons in the Majors and tallied 465 plate appearances during that time. His .188/.300/.329 slash is illustrative of his struggles to make contact, though. Collins has a huge 13.1% walk rate in his career, but he’s also fanned in 33.5% of his plate appearances. He’s a .252/.371/.468 hitter in 1040 Triple-A plate appearances.
Now that the trade deadline has come and gone, the only action the Guardians can take with Collins is to attempt to pass him through outright waivers or release him. He’ll be placed on either outright waivers or release waivers within the next few days.
Nothing like a reunion.
Getting the band back together, eh?
I like it. Feel good story if this group of miscast players can get it together and make a run for the playoffs.
I hope the change of scenery helps…he had two good years for Detroit.
Move over Lebron, Eric Haase is coming home next
Haase has won over many hearts among Tigers fans (including mine). I am happy that he can continue his MLB career, both quite near his home and where he might have made some friends. I am not a Guardians fan, but I wish Haase well!
Gruß,
BSHH
The Tigers game him every chance. I just wish he had continued to produce here.
No, they didn’t. They are going nowhere this year. He’s having a bad year at the plate, but a solid one behind it. They could have brought him back next year, and then decided in spring whether to make a change. They had three years of control over Haase, which they just gave away. Kelly has been no more productive, is more expensive, and even if he rebounds, will be a free agent. Haase has been productive without the 2019 lively ball. Both have the ability to rebound, but Haase and his 3 yrs of control, would have more trade value than a half season of Kelly. That’s assuming HARRIS learns how to complete a deadline trade.
He has shown absolutely nothing offensively this year. Other than one good week in early May, he has sucked the entire season. The power seems to be completely gone, but the K rate is still there. Maybe the hitting stroke will come back, but he’s not getting any younger.
I guess you missed where I acknowledged he was having a bad season at the plate. Kelly hasn’t shown anything with the bat, either. Haase is 30 yr old and Kelly is 29. Its not like they are getting a notably “younger” player. Plus Kelly has only one yr of control and Haase has 3. If this was happening because Dingler was ready, or Sands was ready, I could understand the need for the move. But, paying Kelly $2MM more than Haase next year, is not how I want to see HARRIS spending any of the Cabrera windfall, because it doesn’t make the team better.
Yes, they did. He was not just bad this year he was terrible. Worse than Schoop. Worse than Baez. He put up -1.2fWAR as a back up catcher. I liked the guy a lot, but when his power evaporated he was a black hole in the line up. He has no trade value and is 30 years old. he had hundreds of PAs to show SOMETHING. He couldn’t. Time to move on.
For Love of the Game — you are wrong here. He’s clearly done better offensively than all the guardians catchers combined so this is an offensive upgrade for us…
Tiger fans on this site: “Get rid of the guy he sucks!” Tigers get rid of him. Fans: “Why do they get rid of all our players?” He’s hitting .129 against LH pitching this year – that’s why
Haase a career .225 hitter and Carson a career .223 hitter…. How is this an offensive upgrade? Plus like another poster wrote Carson is more expensive and less years of control.
He caught 6 shut outs and a no hitter.
An article said that they they added a team option extension for next year when they signed Kelly to back up Rogers and they want Dingler to work on some things. If the next 6 weeks don’t work out then they don’t exercise the option and they have to go find a backup in the offseason. Haase had worse stats than Maton but I don’t see anyone screaming that Matons in the minors. For Love of the Game is right.
I’m starting to wonder if you are Al Avila’s alter ego with your hatred for Harris 😉 He could sign Juan Soto for a dollar and you’d still slam him. He has had some misses and screw-up but he’s also had some successes. Cutting Haase was not one of those screw-ups.
Best point so far. Haase has shown the ability to call elite pitching performances. Catchers who can hit are an anamoly.
Although I don’t like the move in this moment, I will reserve judgement until next year, mid summer. Maybe they see a JD Martinez type of tweak in Kelly’s swing that will unlock something special.
Happy to hear this for Haase…only 3 hours away from home now and back with the team that drafted him.
Collins thanked Jose Ramirez for doing something he badly wanted to do himself then bounced.
Outside of Will Smith, the 1st round of the 2016 draft hasn’t done well so far. Collins is one of many that have struggled.
DFA Rick Hahn.
I liked Haase and wish he could have gotten more of a chance before he ended up with the Tigers, but he’s a little bit redundant now since Fry (when he comes back) is pretty much the same player.
Fry is not an accomplished catcher. If Haase were the third catcher, you’d be right about the redundancy. But Hasse by far represents a more viable 2nd catcher than Fry does. Still, Haase won’t last long if he doesn’t rediscover his stroke. Fry is a jack of all trades and a masher of LHP, but Cleveland doesn’t envision him as a 2nd catcher (meaning someone who catches 40% of the time).
Haase is more accomplished as a hitter, but he’s not really a great defensive catcher. He’s not a good framer either.
I think Fry could be decent with more reps, but as it stands they’re both guys who might hit a little but are probably catchers in theory more than in reality. But they can both play the outfield corners and Fry can obviously play the infield corners too. I like them both but they’re pretty similar pieces.
Haase caught 5 or 6 shutouts and one no hitter. Not too bad framing in those games
Yep, there’s no comparison between Fry and Haase when it comes to catching experience. You want to get a different #2 catcher, fine, but Fry ain’t an alternative.
Haase’s arrival probably spells the end of Cam Gallagher in Cleveland. Solid move for the Guardians as they secure their catching duo for the next few seasons if they so choose
No mention of the fact that he accomplished the rarest of all feats for a catcher, so I will.
He caught/called two no hitters
Look at Zack Collins exit velo and hard hit rates… dang… he’s going to be a superstar!!
91 MPH exit velo. 47% hard hit… 13% walk rate. The stat nerds are getting in a circle for this guy.
Doubt these catcher transactions will move the bar much for either team. I like Haase and hope he returns to 21-22 form, even as Tigers fan
Going to be tough to root for Eric when we play the Wahoos but I’ll sure do it against everyone else! Good luck buddy
Absolutely !
And he was a serviceable LF, as well….
Right hand “power bat”. Short term platoon, nothing more.
Haase is better than Kelly