According to a morning announcement from the PR Department of the Angels, 26-year-old catcher Jose Briceno has been released from the organization following his waiver clearance. After a 46-game big league debut with the Anaheim-based club in 2018, Briceno had been stationed with the Salt Lake Bees of the Pacific Coast League for the entirety of 2019. This move comes in conjunction with the reinstatement of Andrew Heaney from the injured list, and the send-down of pitcher Jaime Barria.
Given the constant demand for passable catching options at the game’s highest level, it would not be a shock to see Briceno latch on with a big league club looking for battery depth–that is, of course, if only Briceno can prove he’s healthy. As it is, the Venezuelan-born catcher has been sidelined for the majority of the Triple-A season with shoulder issues, following a 2018 campaign in which he logged a respectable 91 wRC+ as a member of the Angels.
really hope the Angels resign him to a minor league deal. he showed some promise before this injury filled season
why release him if he weren’t asking for the release himself? wish the team retains him somehow.
He’s on the minor league DL you are required to release an injured player can’t DFA them
Keeping this guy would have made way more sense than trading two 18 year old kids for Max Stassi
Yeah, I don’t think there is a lot of wisdom in promoting a catcher who is having shoulder problems. Since Lucroy had to go, the trade for Stassi, who was just made available at that time, made all the sense in the world.
Bemboom had a good 1/2 game!
Nice to see the angels use the whole field more…also I wouldn’t mind the opposing pitcher last an 12/3 either