The Mariners announced that they have selected catcher Joseph Odom’s contract and sent left-hander Taylor Guilbeau to their alternate training site. Guilbeau will remain a part of their taxi squad.
The Odom addition gives the Mariners a full 40-man roster, and it could put the 28-year-old in position to make his major league debut. Odom entered the pro ranks as a 13th-round pick of the Braves in 2013, but they lost him to the Mariners a few years later in the 2017 Rule 5 Draft. He has little experience at the Triple-A level, though, and generally hasn’t produced much as a hitter in minor league ball. Through 1,668 plate appearances – including 100 in Triple-A – Odom has batted .239/.305/.366 with 34 home runs.
Now that he’s on his way to Seattle, Odom will give the team another backstop option alongside Austin Nola and Joe Hudson (though the M’s scratched Nola from their lineup Tuesday for an unknown reason). The Mariners have been without starting catcher Tom Murphy so far this year because of a broken bone in his foot.
Related to Lamar
I was thinking former A’s pitcher John “blue moon” Odom.
It amazes me how many minor league catchers there are out there that hit like .220 with no power and somehow manage to not only stick around the minors for years and years but then even get called up to the majors. I mean nothing against this kid Odom I wish him the best and it must be really cool to finally have a chance to make his ML debut after being in the minors for so long. But still… it just seems like there have to be some catchers out there in the minors who have put up at least passable offensive numbers that could get a chance over Odom and Hudson!
Like for example Nola… he actually put up some respectable offensive numbers in the minors but still only made his debut as a 29 year old! (I know his minor league numbers weren’t great… but compared to Odom he’s at least demonstrated the ability to actually hit!)
I don’t think Nola was even a catcher until 2018 or maybe which explains why it took him so long to debut.
I believe the answer to that is that it’s primarily a defensive position. Game calling, pitch blocking, throwing, etc. That’s why guys like Bench & Ivan Rodriguez are the gold standard. So rare to find a gold glove caliber catcher with great offense.