The Cubs traded minor league catcher Ali Sánchez to the Marlins, tweets Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register. According to the MLB.com transaction tracker, Miami sent cash in return.
Sánchez was not on Chicago’s 40-man roster. He won’t immediately take a spot on Miami’s. He’ll head to Triple-A Jacksonville for the time being, joining his third organization of the season in the process. The Venezuela native signed a somewhat surprising big league contract with the Pirates last offseason. Pittsburgh outrighted him off the 40-man roster at the end of Spring Training, sending him back to free agency. Sánchez inked a non-roster deal with the Cubs a week into the season and had been playing for Triple-A Iowa.
He appeared in 41 games, hitting .240/.338/.388 in 148 trips to the plate. That’s a step down from the .311/.375/.492 batting line he’d posted with Arizona’s Triple-A affiliate in 2023. Reno, where the D-Backs’ top farm team plays, is one of the sport’s most favorable hitting environments. Sánchez, a typically light hitter, connected on 11 homers in 67 games there. He hit three longballs with Iowa.
While he doesn’t bring much power to the table, Sánchez has decent contact skills. He has drawn walks in 12.2% of his plate appearances on the season against an 18.9% strikeout rate. He’s generally regarded as a capable defender, though he only cut down six of 46 attempted basestealers with Iowa.
The Cubs have gotten almost nothing out of their catching duo of Miguel Amaya and Yan Gomes. They nevertheless opted against bringing Sánchez up. Chicago signed Tomás Nido to a major league contract while designating Gomes for assignment this morning.
Miami is one of the only teams whose catchers have been less productive than the Amaya/Gomes pairing. Marlins catchers — almost exclusively Christian Bethancourt and Nick Fortes — have hit an MLB-worst .155/.192/.237 over 232 plate appearances. Miami isn’t going to expend much to upgrade the position in a lost season. Sánchez could play his way into an MLB look with a productive showing in Jacksonville. Bethancourt, Fortes and Jhonny Pereda are the catchers on the 40-man roster.
Wait? Jed couldn’t get them to throw in Tanner Scott? Ha!
Nido is a decent overall catcher but if he plays everyday he’s unproductive. He’s a split squad guy at maximum. I do wish him success though.
Never heard of her
A lot of people here got mad at me a while ago for suggesting that the Cubs keep Willson Contreras.
Wrong answer, Contreras wanted to be the star..he’s a much better supporting “actor”, tends to be a hot head at times.
There was no question.
Well, if you want him back, make an offer.
I’m not Jed.
That should have been the play once the Cubs didn’t trade him in 2021.
They can keep him.
Cubs getting rid of a catcher…. That’s a bold strategy!! It’s not like they have a major league caliber catcher on there roster…..
Maybe they could sign voggy to catch he’s big enough to at least block the plate!!! And is probably a better hitter than what they have!!!! Plus it would be cheap entertainment to watch him catch!!!!
Although watching the cubs play on their own is cheap entertainment….
Never got over trading Realmuto
This is about the Cubs promoting hit-firsr prospect Moises Ballestreros to AAA this week. They already have their former late round draft pick Bryce Windham there who is hitting well enough for AAA, as well as a third catcher. They didn’t need Sanchez any more.
True Brick, the Cubs need to give Ballesteros a heavier load behind the plate – just for him to get the opportunity to develop. He may never get beyond becoming a back up, but his bat could turn out to be valuable in various roles.
Have you actually seen Ballesteros catch? Trust me, He can’t. If he catches a game in the Majors he will spend most of his time running back to the backstop. He’s horrible. As a C he makes Kyle Schwarber look like Johnny Bench. He’ll either be a 1B or DH. He can’t catch.
I’ve seen him hit and catch on the backfields in ST. It would be a reach to expect him to get to a starters level – but his bat makes it mandatory to give him the instruction and opportunity to develop to his best level.
Mike, I compared him to Lloyd McClendon elsewhere this week. Enough to play 1-2 innings when they are losing and need to PH for the starting catcher, as well as DH/PH and be the backup (albeit too short) 1B.
Who do you want on the roster after July 30, Moises or Patrick Wisdom?
Neither. Ballesteros isn’t going to be ready by then and Wisdom smells bad, Like Gary Indiana.
Bring back Jody Davis.
“Miami sent cash in return.”
All of which Hoyer promptly spent on his “You Pick Two” lunch at Panera.
I would put Will Banfield and Joe Mack ahead of Ali Sanchez, but if you can’t have real quality, it’s good to have numbers
Well, might as well move on from Bethancourt and just bring in Banfield or Ali or whatever to at least try to sell some ‘building a future’ tickets.
100 loses here we come! And if you doubt it, take a look at the fine work our bullpen has done to lead us there.