The Rangers have signed catcher Drew Butera to a minor league deal, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports (via Twitter). The contract includes an invitation to the Rangers’ big league Spring Training camp. Butera will be paid $1MM in guaranteed money if he makes the MLB roster, with up to $500K more available in incentives.
Butera has played for five different clubs over his 11-year career in the bigs, most playing for the Rockies for much of the last two-plus seasons. Long considered a solid defender and game-caller, Butera has used this skillset to keep finding Major League work, as he has hit only .198/.255/.294 over 1437 career plate appearances.
Rangers GM Chris Young knows Butera well, as the two played together with the Royals from 2015-17. Butera will provide Texas with some veteran depth as the Rangers currently have two inexperienced backstops (Jose Trevino and Aramis Garcia) lined up as their top two catching options. The Rangers were known to have interest in Jason Castro earlier this winter, so a bigger-name catching addition beyond just Buters might still be in the offing.
Shots fired
We have enough backup catching depth to where, imo, we don’t need to sign a “bigger” name like Castro or Suzuki. I like the idea of a Trevino – Garcia or Trevino – Butera tandem until Huff returns.
They love these no stick catchers that’s for sure.. they should grow a set and sign Realmuto.. catcher has been a black hole since Pudge.. save for one decent season by Barajas .. Realmuto solves the catching issue and gives them a legit hitter in that AL worst offense
It doesn’t make sense for the Rangers to sign Realmuto. He is an aging, expensive catcher, and the Rangers are at least three years away from being a serious threat. By the time they are ready to compete, Realmuto’s production will drop off significantly and his expensive contract will prevent them from signing god players.
Robinson Chirinos gave them some very solid years.
Jeff Mathis was too expensive?
This guy must have sabermetrics and algorithms that are off the charts for his defense. I’m going to have to look some up and learn them so I know.
Yeah, you really should.
This guy always manages to find MILB deal
The apple didn’t fall far from the tree as Drew’s father Sal Butera was a journeyman backup catcher in the ’80’s. But between this pair of Buteras, they attempted one steal (Drew in 2015) and were predictably unsuccessful. Which goes to show that the Butera family believed in the old adage that “crime doesn’t pay.” But for what Drew has stolen (money-wise) from MLB teams these last few seasons, he could at least be charged with petty larceny. I do hope that Drew Butera indeeds finds another summer in the majors in 2021. And while Drew’s overall WAR in his MLB career is (-3.6) he does have a little more palatable 1.6 dWAR.
Do not really see the purpose in this, would rather Texas focus on unloading Andrus and Odor and find some support for Gallo. Could also use one more low-cost incentive-laden contract pitcher like Alex Woods or Trevor Williams, maybe Archer.
Alex Woods lol
A younger, less expensive replacement for Jeff Mathis. 1 mil for a respected game-caller, working with a young catcher in Trevino, a pitcher coming over from Japan, and 1-2 youngsters likely in the rotation. I like it.
Oh HAL, don’t you know how you are supposed to operate around here? We are supposed to attack every MILB signing like it matters and yell and scream that JD is a dufus while pulling our hair out… you and your positivity are sickening, see yourself out sir.
LMAO
Great clubhouse guy and a future manager. No such thing as a bad minor league signing.
The Energizer Bunny …. he keeps going, and going, and going …….
There are two types of players that will always find work in the majors:
1. Left-handed pitchers that can throw strikes.
2. Catchers that can call competent games.