The Rays announced Monday that they’ve signed veteran catcher Rob Brantly to a minor league contract and invited him to big league camp in spring training. He’ll compete with fellow non-roster invitee Alex Jackson and any subsequent catching additions for playing time alongside Rene Pinto.
Brantly, 34, has appeared in parts of eight big league seasons but never tallied more than 243 plate appearances in a single MLB campaign. He hasn’t appeared in more than six MLB games in a season since 2017 and didn’t appear in the Majors at all last year, spending 2023 with the Blue Jays’ Triple-A club in Buffalo.
In 456 trips to the plate as a big leaguer, Brantly carries a .225/.287/.326 batting line. He’s also suited up for a whopping 11 Triple-A seasons and delivered a .267/.325/.390 output in more than 2500 plate appearances. Brantly sports a career 29% caught-stealing rate, and Baseball Prospectus has credited him with strong framing marks in the upper minors dating back to 2019.
It still seems quite likely that additional catching help will be brought in by the Rays. Pinto is the only backstop on the team’s 40-man roster at present, and although he’s a talented defender he’s also a 27-year-old with just 188 big league plate appearances and a career .235/.255/.399 batting line in that tiny sample. Brantly is a long shot to crack the Opening Day roster, but he’s an experienced hand who can work with catching prospect Dominic Keegan and the team’s young pitchers in spring training and/or in Triple-A Durham this season.
lol yep, about right. Remember when the RFO said they would be willing to spend this year? haha sure. If you are going into the season with Pinto as the main catcher, that is a problem; yes, he may turn out fine in a year or two, but to hand the duties off to him already? This is why TB has not had a solid catcher in forever (d’Arnaud was great, for a few months). An underwhelming offseason for a team that won ninety-nine games and claimed to be willing to spend. But…not surprised.
As a rays fan I’m used to it, but I’d like to see them add a veteran catcher to your point.
me too, Tom. Every year I think maybe they will do something other than shed salary…
The subtractions from this time last year are alarming; Franco McClanahan Glasnow Margot Raley Springs Rassmussen Kittredge.
Well find a way to be competitive, probably will take a step back compared to last year tho.
Rays are still on track to have a higher payroll in 2024 than in the past. The Dodgers trade allowed the Rays to make the Seattle trade for a SS. Swapping out Kittredge for that young OF replaced the loss of Raley.
I don’t believe that’s right, all the moves so far except Raley reduced payroll.
Maybe if Raley was a one-year wonder, but otherwise the two have different skillsets. It may be that Raley cannot replicate last year, but I personally was not a big fan of the trade; even the SS they brought back…many M’s fans say he is questionable at SS at best. That was a one-sided trade, made necessary by the Wander situation. But jeez, we couldn’t have done a bit better than that? Still need catcher, at least one starting pitcher, and a real SS…not a good offseason. The current salary may be above last year, but it will come down more; and even so, greater than a ridiculously low payroll is not saying much.
Needs to purchase an “E” for his last name.
Given that he’s a defense first catcher, not terrible numbers in the MLB.
Rays are going to open some hidden talent in him and he’ll be at the 2024 all-star game.
Nope. Depth. I would be shocked if he gets more than ten at bats in MLB this year.
OldYork, I don’t know lol His #’s in the show do look pretty darn terrible..
@TrumboRedux
For a backup catcher, they’re pretty decent. There’s some guys in the league being paid full-time big money to put up these numbers.
I guess you are right. They just don’t make catchers like they used to.
You are correct. Austin Barnes comes to mind
I thought this guy was retired.
Expectations: Brantly
Reality: Brantly
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