MLB Player News

Sanchez (concussion) agreed to a minor-league contract with Detroit on Monday, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

Sanchez was let go by the Giants in June of 2018 after his latest concussion, but he'll be brought aboard by the Tigers and has received an invitation to spring training. Grayson Greiner and John Hicks are the favorites to begin the season as the top two catchers on the big-league team, so Sanchez along with Kade Scivivque and Bobby Wilson appear in line to begin the year at Triple-A Toledo as organizational depth. Sanchez last appeared in the majors during the 2017 season with the Padres, posting a .219/.245/.423 slash line with eight homers and 25 RBI through 75 games.

Grandal passed his physical Monday and officially signed with the Brewers on a one-year, $16 million contract that includes a $16 million mutual option for 2020, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

When Grandal and the Brewers first agreed in principle Jan. 9, initial reports suggested the catcher would sign a one-year, $18.25 million contract. Instead, it was clarified Monday that Grandal's deal will guarantee him at least $18.25 million, as the 2020 option contains a $2.25 million buyout if not exercised. The structure of the contract keeps the door open for Grandal to remain in Milwaukee for two years and earn $32 million in salary plus award-based incentives, but the 30-year-old will presumably be eager to test the market again next winter in pursuit of a longer-term deal. Grandal reportedly turned down a four-year, $60 million offer from the Mets earlier in the offseason before New York turned its attention to other catching options.

Leon signed a one-year, $2.475 million deal with the Red Sox on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

Leon had an abysmal offensive campaign in 2018 with a .177/.232/.279, and was the worst hitter in the league with a 33 wRC+ (minimum 250 plate appearances). The 29-year-old should remain a part of Boston's catching situation in 2019 with Christian Vazquez and Blake Swihart, neither of which performed significantly better offensively last season.

Hedges signed a one-year, $2.06 million contract with San Diego on Friday, avoiding arbitration., Robert Murray of The Athletic reports.

Hedges posted a .231/.282/.429 slash line with 14 home runs in 326 plate appearances in 2018 as he split time with veteran A.J. Ellis and then rookie Francisco Mejia behind the plate. The Padres are likely to give Mejia a chance to earn the starting gig, but Hedges remains a solid defense-first option, though his fantasy outlook will remain limited with playing time not guaranteed.

Realmuto signed a one-year, $5.9 million deal with the Marlins on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Jon Heyman of FancredSports.com reports.

Realmuto and the Marlins were able to reach a number without the help of an arbiter despite the backstop reportedly having no interest in signing with the team long term. He's under control for two more seasons. Rumors persist that those seasons will be spent outside of Miami though no trade currently appears imminent.

Casali signed a one-year, $950,000 contract with the Reds on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Casali will return to Cincinnati after serving as the team's backup catcher for a chunk of the 2018 campaign. The 30-year-old hit a solid .293/.355/.450 with four homers in 52 games for the Reds last season, but his path to playing time remains firmly blocked by Tucker Barnhart heading into 2019.

Grandal agreed to a one-year, $18.25 million deal with the Brewers on Wednesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Grandal will receive slightly more than the $17.9 million qualifying offer he turned down earlier in the offseason. He was one of the best catchers in the league during the 2018 campaign, hitting .241/.349/.466 with 24 homers and 68 RBI across 140 games for the Dodgers. Look for Grandal to immediately slot in as the Brewers' primary backstop, representing a significant upgrade at the position.

Plawecki and the Indians agreed to a one-year, $1.1375 million contract Wednesday, avoiding arbitration, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Plawecki was acquired just three days prior and looks to be in line for a split with Roberto Perez behind the plate in Cleveland. Perez has never started more than 66 games behind the plate in Cleveland, typically playing a heavy backup role behind the now-departed Yan Gomes, but it remains to be seen whether Plawecki or Perez will be the leading man this season.

Perez signed a minor-league contract with the Orioles on Monday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

The deal includes an invitation to spring training, though Perez seems more likely to open the season in the minors as catching depth. The backstop spent time with the Braves and Rangers in 2018, appearing in 28 games and slashing .143/.178/.214.

Plawecki was traded from the Mets to the Indians for pitcher Walker Lockett and infielder Sam Haggerty on Sunday.

Following the Mets' signing of Wilson Ramos, Plawecki looked to eventually wind up squeezed out of a roster spot in the big leagues. The Mets decided to use him as a trade piece, sending him to a Cleveland team that is a bit thin at catcher after shipping Yan Gomes away earlier in the offseason. Plawecki certainly doesn't possess the same offensive upside as Gomes, though, and his value is limited further if he ends up in a timeshare behind the plate with Roberto Perez, as the Indians employed in the past.