The Reds have signed catcher/infielder Jordan Pacheco to a minor league deal, MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon writes. Pacheco is a client of Beverly Hills Sports Council.
Pacheco, who turns 30 later this month, collected 78 plate appearances with the Diamondbacks last year, batting .242/.333/.333. They then designated him for assignment in June. That Pacheco did not catch on in Arizona despite the Diamondbacks’ issues at the catcher position at the beginning of last season is perhaps revealing. Pacheco has caught only four of the 34 runners who have attempted to steal on him in his career, and he’s been a below-average pitch framer in each of the past several seasons, so he doesn’t rate as a strong option behind the plate. Also, Pacheco’s career batting line of .278/.317/.372 is skewed by the fact that he’s spent almost half his career plate appearances in Coors Field.
Nonetheless, Pacheco possesses the ability to play multiple positions — in addition to catcher, he has bits of experience at first and third, and he also appeared in 33 games at second base in Triple-A in 2015. That versatility could give him a shot at a bench job, particularly for a Reds team that will be thin on veteran players this year.
