The Diamondbacks have agreed to a minor-league deal with catcher Josh Thole, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). His potential salary and other terms have not been reported at this time.
Thole, 30, had spent the last four years with the Blue Jays after an equivalent stint with the Mets. He went with knuckleballer R.A. Dickey in the 2012 swap between those organizations, and continued to function as Dickey’s personal catcher in Toronto.
Though he rates as a high-quality blocker and framer behind the dish, and did hit at around a league-average rate earlier in his career, the left-handed hitter has trailed off over the last five seasons. Things reached a breaking point over the last two years, as he compiled an anemic .180/.253/.228 batting line in his 188 plate appearances.
Thole joins an increasingly crowded backstop mix in Arizona. After non-tendering Welington Castillo, the organization has added Chris Iannetta and Jeff Mathis to go with incumbent Chris Herrmann. Presumably, Thole will open the year in the upper minors to function as depth, though it’s certainly possible that plans could change over the course of the spring.
Also dae ho lee is expected to go back to Korea.
North or south?
Playing for the Pyongyang Missles?
Trade to the Braves during spring training if and when none of their catchers can handle R.A.?
Yeah a little surprised the Braves didn’t offer him a minors deal. His only chance at getting back to the majors is his relationship with RA
Good point. The Jays tried other catchers but none worked out.
Dbacks are cornering the market on 1 tool catchers.
Does anyone know why the Diamondbacks moved on from Pete O’Brien?
He had no position. Their OF is crowded and 1B is obviously not open. He was horrible defensively at catcher as well. He belonged in the AL where a team could use him as a DH
Didn’t get rave reviews for his defense
You win
O’ Brien has no position on the field. And the bat isn’t really good enough even for DH duties, which is a moot point since the Diamondbacks play in the NL. There may have been some hope that the NL would adopt the DH as part of the new CBA, but once that failed to materialize all these NL teams will start dumping their DH-only guys.
I saw OB play a fair amount of 1st last season at Reno and in all honesty, he looked very passable (even good, really).
I think its more the pretty consistent sub/barely-300 OBP in the minors which was the real reason they felt him expendable, tbh
Even if he was a gold glove caliber 1st baseman, he would have no place in Arizona for at least the next few years.
While true, being blocked isnt the reason they gave up on him (seemingly holding him to such low value in trade after the opposite very recently)
This is the first I’ve heard of talks in the CBA about having a DH in the NL, I’d actually like to see them remove the DH from the AL, this way it would remove the one tool hitters in the game and force some teams to use the forgotten aspect of small ball to produce runs.
Amen
Yes!! That means the Blue Jays won’t re-sign him!!
He was our Travis before we got the real (and failed) one.
I wish him the best, but thank god that he’s gone.
I can’t wait to say the same thing about Upton and Smoke!
I really have to scratch my head on this signing. And they fired Dave Stewart…?
Really? I think its a tad brilliant…
I mean now they have a great pitch framer/caller to help re-teach all the DBacks mega-million dollar hurlers that have been sent down to Reno
later josh thole !!!!
What is a shmeckleball pitcher anyway?
Well, looks like the NL is locked up. Any bets On who makes the Series from the AL?
Took long enough for the jays to get Thole away from them.
I guess sexually assaulting women doesn’t make you a better player.