SF Giants retain multi-positional catcher in organization after clearing waivers

Veteran backstop Jakson Reetz had been on waivers since the SF Giants added Andrew Knapp on a major league deal at the end of last week. However, Reetz's status has been resolved as he has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Sacramento.

SF Giants retain multi-positional catcher in organization after clearing waivers

For Reetz, this is the second time that he has cleared waivers this season. He was added to the 40-man roster earlier this year after the organization's catching depth was tested. In May, Patrick Bailey landed on the concussion list, whereas Tom Murphy had sustained a knee injury, leading to a trip to the injured list. Murphy has not been back since then.

In their absence, Reetz tallied 12 at-bats and blasted his first career home run before he was placed on waivers. He cleared and remained with the organization.

With the Sacramento River Cats, the right-handed bat has been a productive hitter, slashing .254/.368/.432 (102 wRC+) with five home runs, 34 RBI, and 31 runs in 235 plate appearances. He has served as one of the club's primary catchers along with Blake Sabol.

Reetz has also seen time in the corner outfield spots in the past, but only made one appearance in the outfield grass this season in Triple-A.

The 28-year-old was added back to the roster earlier this month but only made one appearance with the club. Curt Casali took over as the starter with Reetz as the backup while Patrick Bailey was on the injured list. This was before Andrew Knapp arrived.

Perhaps, it is a bit alarming that the Giants would prefer Reetz over Sabol even as a backup option. Sabol would have been a natural platoon complement to Casali as a left-handed-hitting backstop. It does not speak favorably for how the coaching staff views Sabol's progress behind the plate.

The Giants knew that the nuances of learning the position would be a steep learning curve. For Sabol, it seems to be steeper than they could have anticipated. Sabol did see scant time at catcher with the Giants earlier this season but made three errors in eight games behind the dish.

On the other hand, Reetz returns to Sacramento as a dependable bat and catcher in Triple-A. The River Cats are in the midst of a strong season with a 68-59 record.