Indians Select Gianpaul Gonzalez

The Indians have selected the contract of catcher Gianpaul Gonzalez, Mandy Bell of MLB.com was among those to relay (Twitter link). Wilson Ramos has been placed on the 10-day injured list to open active roster space. The team already had a vacancy on the 40-man roster.

Gonzalez will back up Austin Hedges for the time being. Ramos, who had been taking that role, suffered a season-ending knee injury on Sunday. With Roberto Pérez still on the mend from a shoulder issue, the Indians needed to add another catcher to the active and 40-man rosters.

Ideally, that role likely would’ve gone to one of Ryan Lavarnway or Gavin Collins, both of whom are at Triple-A Columbus. They’re in COVID-19 protocols at the moment, Bell notes. Rather than turn to a prospect like Bo Naylor or Bryan Lavastida before they’re ready, the Indians will call up Gonzalez from High-A Lake County.

It’ll be the major league debut for Gonzalez, a 25-year-old who has a bit of past high minors experience. Cleveland’s 20th-round pick in 2014 out of an academy in Puerto Rico, the right-handed hitting Gonzalez has a .195/.274/.227 line over parts of seven minor league seasons.