SF Giants bolster catching depth after adding veteran backstop on minor league deal

The SF Giants have reportedly added some catching depth to the organization. On Sunday night, Aram Leighton of Just Baseball Media indicated that they have signed veteran backstop Max Stassi to a minor league deal.

SF Giants bolster catching depth after adding veteran backstop on minor league deal

The Giants pretty much ran out of catching depth at different points during the 2024 season. That is a scenario they would like to avoid in 2025.

On the surface, the addition of Stassi does not do much to quell any concerns about catching depth. After all, he has not appeared in a major league game since 2022. He missed all of the 2023 season as he tended to a family emergency.

Stassi's son, Jackson, was born more than three months prematurely and has dealt with several health issues as a result. The good news is that Jackson appears to have recovered from those issues and has found some sense of normalcy as reported by Sam Blum of The Athletic.

The veteran catcher was shipped to the Chicago White Sox last winter but underwent hip surgery in June of 2024. He appeared in just five rehab games before being shut down for the year.

Overall, Stassi has put together a long career since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2009 draft out of Yuba City High School.

In 10 seasons, he has registered a .212/.295/.361 line (83 wRC+) with a 9.3 percent walk rate, 29.5 percent strikeout rate, and .149 ISO. His best season came with the Los Angeles Angels in 2021 where he posted a .752 OPS with 13 home runs and 45 RBI while being worth 2.9 fWAR.

The Angels rewarded him with a three-year, $17.5 million pact with a team option for 2025. The White Sox declined that team option, opting to buy him out for $500,000 instead.

While Stassi does not normally offer much with the bat, he has a good track record behind the plate. These are just two data points, but he has been worth +26 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and +20 Outs Above Average (OAA) during his career.

This is a no-risk deal and gives the Giants some insurance behind Patrick Bailey and Tom Murphy. Murphy missed much of the 2024 season as he dealt with a knee ailment and he does not have much of a track record for staying healthy.

On the other hand, joining the Giants on a minor league deal gives Stassi a chance to play close to his hometown of Yuba City if he is assigned to Sacramento.