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Cardinals Sign Brayan Pena To Two-Year Deal

By Steve Adams | November 30, 2015 at 3:37pm CDT

3:37pm: Pena’s $5MM guarantee will be spread out evenly, paying him $2.5MM in each season of the contract, MLBTR has learned.

3:35pm: Pena’s contract guarantees him a total of $5MM, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link).

3:11pm: The Cardinals announced that they have signed catcher Brayan Pena to a two-year contract. Tom Ackerman of KMOX in St. Louis first reported the news shortly before the announcement (Twitter link).

Pena spent the past two seasons with the division-rival Reds, where he batted a combined .263/.313/.339 with five homers in 739 plate appearances. The soon-to-be 34-year-old walked at a 6.6 percent clip and struck out in just 10.2 percent of his plate appearances during his time with the Reds. Pena is a switch-hitter but is markedly better from the left side of the dish.

From a defensive standpoint, Pena has typically thrown out a respectable number of baserunners, though this past season’s uncharacteristic 18 percent caught-stealing rate was the lowest of his career. That dragged his career mark down a bit, to 28 percent, though it should be noted that the pendulum swung the other way in 2014, when Pena prevented an excellent 43 percent of attempted thefts. Framing metrics tell a similar story, as Pena graded out as one of the worst pitch-framers in the league this past season but had previously rated anywhere from average to slightly above-average in his limited time behind the dish. The Cardinals will hope that the 2015 season was an aberration in terms of Pena’s defense, and he’s instead able to replicate the solid, if unspectacular defensive skills he showed prior to the most recent campaign.

This signing figures to supplant the arbitration eligible Tony Cruz as Yadier Molina’s primary backup for the next two seasons. That makes it likely that Cruz, who is projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn $1MM next season, will be either traded or non-tendered before this Wednesday’s deadline, as the club probably won’t have interest in carrying three catchers on the roster.

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Newsstand St. Louis Cardinals Transactions Brayan Pena

Shelby Miller Drawing Significant Trade Interest
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A’s Outright Craig Gentry, Fernando Abad
View Comments (29)

Comments

  1. Yougotpetcoed

    7 years ago

    Good for him, he’s a good guy.

    Reply
    • aknott1

      7 years ago

      He’s an excellent clubhouse guy, always positive with a smile on his face. I’ll miss him on the Reds.

      Reply
  2. bluejayseveryday

    7 years ago

    No power but he hit .273/.334/.324 last year which is pretty good for a backup

    Reply
  3. tim815

    7 years ago

    But, that will take time from Tony Cruz.

    Reply
    • stl_cards16

      7 years ago

      Ding Ding Ding

      Reply
    • Cards Fan

      7 years ago

      Yep, I think that’s the point. Cruz is a decent enough defensive backup but he just can’t hit

      Reply
  4. jmac1984

    7 years ago

    He’s a great backup to have and a fan favorite. Sad to see him go, but the Reds no longer needed him. I’m really sad to see him head to the Cardinals though.

    Reply
  5. redsfanman

    7 years ago

    One of the most likeable people in baseball goes to the Cardinals? As the backup to one of the most hated players in Reds country, Yadier Molina? Wow.

    Good pickup by the Cardinals, Brayan Pena did a good job for the Reds, often in long term roles (1b, starting catcher) he wasn’t initially expected to fill. Sure he lacks power, but he’s a respectable defensive catcher and reasonably good at getting on base, while also being a switch hitter. His recent contract was a big bargain and success for the Reds. The Reds have already moved onto Tucker Barnhart as a younger, less expensive, and perhaps better backup for Mesoraco.

    Reply
  6. francys08

    7 years ago

    Welcome to the Cardinals Organization, you played well for Cincinnati.

    Reply
  7. blueberryninja

    7 years ago

    Looks like Tucker Barnhart will be Cincinnatis new backup. He wasn’t that bad either. Has a bit more power potential than Pena imo, but doesn’t hit for as high of an average.
    He hit 252/324/326 last year at just under 250 ABs.

    Reply
    • redsfanman

      7 years ago

      Barnhart isn’t really becoming anything new, he’s basically been the backup catcher since Mesoraco got hurt at the start of the season. By the end of the season Bryan Price had identified Barnhart, not Pena, as the starter.

      Barnhart is a better defensive catcher, much younger, and costs ~$2m less. Barnhart has always been more a glove-first guy, but his offensive numbers in 2015 were surprisingly similar to Pena’s. Any power potential Barnhart offers over Pena is merely an irrelevant side note, in my opinion.

      Reply
  8. cardfan2011

    7 years ago

    Yippee a good backup catcher signing!!

    Reply
  9. cardfan2011

    7 years ago

    Very glad the Cardinals signed this guy, theyve needed at least a decent backup catcher for a long time, and now they have one. Welcome aboard Brayan!

    Reply
  10. hozie007

    7 years ago

    This guy is underrated…good framer, solid bat, positive attitude….!

    Reply
  11. citizen

    7 years ago

    $2.5mm is not bad to play 20 mlb games a year unless the primary gets hurt.
    Id want more playing time, however.

    Reply
    • redsfanman

      7 years ago

      Brayan Pena has played 223 games for the Reds over the past two seasons, without getting hurt or anything, so he can also be counted on for a lot more than 20 games, if needed.

      If Molina stays healthy, cool. If not, also cool, the Cardinals now have someone who can fill in long term.

      Reply
  12. slide

    7 years ago

    justin morneau is next signing

    Reply
    • Matt Galvin

      7 years ago

      No Cruz can play also 3B.

      Reply
  13. legit1213

    7 years ago

    Cruz would likely put up better offensive numbers with regular playing time. I wish the best for him. He had one of the hardest jobs in baseball, backing up Yadier Molina.

    Reply
  14. ctrenkamp

    7 years ago

    Wish the Reds kept him. We have no idea if Mesoraco can catch.

    Reply
  15. Lance

    7 years ago

    not a sexy signing but the kind of deal a good club makes. The years behind the plate have taken a toll on Molina. Morneau makes more sense with a one or two year deal than signing Davis IMO. Obviously, Justin’s best years are behind him but if he’s healthy, he might be a 15-75 .290 guy with a pretty good glove. I have no idea if Adams can return and he can’t hit lefties to save his life.

    Reply
    • slide

      7 years ago

      kershaw saw what adams did with one of his pitches

      Reply
  16. Cletis

    7 years ago

    Tony Cruz has been a dependable back up for Molina. He has had some clutch hits. I think he’s done an excellent job, given the amount of playing time he received. I wish only the best for Tony Cruz!!! I don’t think another back up for Molina will do any better than he has in accepting his roll.

    Reply
  17. Stricke3

    7 years ago

    Could Cards be setting table to make a play for Cueto? Pena was his personal catcher for Reds. Cueto too expensive??

    As Redsfan I am sorry to loose Pena. A class guy and good catcher. But we needed to move forward with Barnhardt and Mezz. He will be missed. Cards got a good one!

    Reply
    • slide

      7 years ago

      cueto ain’t kicking anymore in st louis. he’s a punk

      Reply
    • cardfan2011

      7 years ago

      Not with the history between him and the Cards, Id say no

      Reply
    • rogerwilco

      7 years ago

      Yeah, a Cardinals uniform won’t make the fans forget that he ended LaRue’s career with a kick to the head.

      Reply
  18. rj72000

    7 years ago

    I hope the cards make a deal and give Adams/Wong to get a first baseman a strong one

    Reply
    • frick33

      7 years ago

      Like Freeman???

      Reply

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