The Giants recently signed catcher Donny Sands to a minor league contract. The 28-year-old made his organizational debut with Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday, going 0-5 with three strikeouts.
That was Sands’ first affiliated action of the 2024 season. The Tigers released him at the end of March. Sands subsequently had a brief stint in Mexico, suiting up in 16 games for the Toros de Tijuana. He hit .245/.339/.490 with four home runs to earn another crack at Triple-A pitching.
Sands spent most of last year with Detroit’s top affiliate in Toledo. Acquired over the 2022-23 offseason alongside Matt Vierling and Nick Maton in the deal sending Gregory Soto to Philadelphia, Sands slumped to a .225/.318/.353 batting line in 371 plate appearances with the Mud Hens. He never appeared in an MLB game with Detroit. The Tigers outrighted Sands from the 40-man roster in January and released him after he went 1-8 in Spring Training.
To this point in his career, Sands has appeared in just three major league games — all of which came with the Phillies in 2022. He’ll add short-term cover for a team dealing with a couple injuries behind the plate. Patrick Bailey is on the concussion injured list. Tom Murphy will be out until at least July because of a sprained left knee.
The Giants signed Curt Casali to a big league deal late last week. He and Blake Sabol are sharing the catching duties at the MLB level until Bailey returns. Jakson Reetz, who is on the 40-man roster, is on optional assignment to Sacramento. Sands joins him with the River Cats as a potential competitor for the third catcher role.
I like sabol, but he cannot throw to second. Seriously check out the clips. He’s a utility but he doesn’t have it for catcher.
Unnecessary signing, unless there is something about Bailey that suggests he is going to be sidelined for awhile.
@Baseball77
I heard he’s injured but trying to play through it.
I think I once saw the Donny Sands Show at the Riviera in Vegas in the 80s.
Yup.
He opened for Joe Dirt.
Eartha Kitt being the headliner
Yep, he was decent, but Wayne Newton stole all the thunder.
Yeah, but Wayne is a terrible pitch framer.
We may be on the cusp of smashing the all-time MLTR record for fewest article comments. Go Donny, go!
Sands to compete for 3rd catcher spot. Doesn’t say much about his potential. Just another body to fill in – if needed – at catcher
This is on the great Farhan. The buck stops at the top. Why have the Giants not developed a backup since the great Farhan came onboard? In 2022, Kyle Haines said, “Most teams are just hoping to have one good catcher.” “We have discussions about multiple (catchers) . . .From our standpoint, it’s a good problem to have.” Since then, Genoves and Santana were released. Bart traded. Who is left? Sugastey. What a piss poor job of identifying or developing players. Maybe the Giants can trade with the Padres or Dodgers, each have four catchers among their top 25 prospects. And a quality elite catcher at the MLB level.
Wah Wah Wah. Oh look, another mind numbingly repetitive take from the fragile and weak.
Keep drinking the kool aid. I’m sure you and Angnes will kissing Farhan’s posterior.
Or maybe their is middle ground..
Right between blaming everything on Farhan & posterior kissing. Pretty sure that’s where most of us live..
Genoves actually walked as a minor league free agent but your point stands. The team has had intriguing minor league talent at the catching position but nothing has come of most of them. However, unfortunately, most minor league prospects don’t pan out. The rate just feels higher with the Giants.
Bart was a bust, unfortunately. And backup catchers are rarely developed. They are usually veteran/mentor types whose glory days are behind them, like Nick Hundley or Stephen Vogt.
If Bailey returns and is able to play at anywhere near the level he demonstrated so far this season, I’ll be quite happy. We’ve got Casali back, and hopefully, we can keep adding to the depth in the minors.
Wasn’t Donny Sands the whiz kid in the movie Magnolia?
He also needs to have a beautiful sister named Marie.
Sabol is a DH and an emergency LF.
Whatever it takes to keep pushing Sabol down the depth chart. Maybe Donny will catch fire in Sands Francisco!
Jerry’s bother?
The fact that there is even armchair analysis of this transaction is amazing.
The REAL issue for ALL MLB teams is:
The current MLB roster ceiling of 26 players restricts the majority of teams to carrying ONLY TWO actual catchers on their roster.
Each team may also carry a player unofficially designated as that team’s “emergency” catcher. That player’s focus is on playing OTHER defensive positions but they could serve as a catcher – if absolutely needed.
Catcher is the most physically demanding and the position most vulnerable to injury.
Catcher is also a position with a high degree of thinking and is actively involved in each and every time the ball is put into play..
Since the typical configuration of the 26 man roster is:
5 starting pitchers
1 spot starter
1 closer
2 set up relievers
4 relievers
2 catchers
4 starting infielders
3 starting outfielders
1 designated hitter
2 back-up infielders
1 back-up outfielder
The flexibility available to team managers is severely limited, especially and particularly in the incidence of player injury.
The 25 man roster, back in the day, was outdated for the way the game is now played.
The 26 man roster was outdated and insufficient BEFORE it was even implemented.
Roster limits should be raised to 28 players.
Pitchers should be capped at 13.
Each team should be mandated to carry 3 catchers = players whose PRIMARY position actually is catcher…
Teams have carried only 2 catchers on the active roster since the beginning of the sport. Now three should be mandatory?
Nope. Teach relievers to go more than one inning. Then 8 relievers won’t be needed. That gives a spot for that 3rd C, a full time dh, or a utility player. 26 is enough.