The D-backs announced Friday that they’ve signed right-handed-hitting outfielders Kyle Garlick and Albert Almora to minor league contracts. Both have been invited to major league spring training.
Arizona has been on the lookout for right-handed-hitting bats to complement lefty-hitting designated hitter Joc Pederson as well as lefty outfielders Alek Thomas and Corbin Carroll. The Snakes recently signed Randal Grichuk to a one-year, $2MM big league contract, and he’ll get the first crack at that role as a result. However, both Garlick and Almora make some sense for a team seeking additional right-handed depth in the outfield — though the pair brings fairly different skill sets.
Garlick, 32, is a classic lefty masher who offers limited defensive value in the outfield corners. He’s hit just .240 with a .289 OBP against lefties in his career but has slugged a hefty .510 against them. Garlick has popped 14 homers and 10 doubles in just 208 plate appearances against southpaws at the MLB level. He’s a career .207/.264/.348 hitter against righties, however. Garlick has spent the past three seasons in the Twins organization and has been used far more often against lefties than righties, as one would expect.
As for the 29-year-old Almora, he’s more of a glove-first option in the outfield with less power but solid all-around production against southpaws. The former Cubs top prospect is a .259/.300/.383 hitter in 1605 big league plate appearances — including .267/.321/.389 against left-handed pitching. Almora has ample experience at all three outfield spots and offers a plus glove at each of the three. The bulk of his production at the MLB level came early in his career; he didn’t appear in the majors last season and posted a tepid .219/.265/.344 line in 686 plate appearances from 2019-22.
What was Almora doing in 2023?
Probably cruising chicks.
Maybe a mental reset. Check out his stats since that line drive hit that kid.
Oh completely forgot about that incident
Guess there were in the mood for Garlic breath in the locker room
I’ve seen Almora playing CF and he should be one of the best in several defensive categories, too bad that his bat is nowhere nearby.
Almora is great depth piece. Another low key move by the D-Backs that could pay off. Mike Hazen seems very adept at identifying exactly what his team needs, assigning those needs a dollar value, and addressing them within his budget. More teams should follow this model.
He is pure depth. Gurriel, Thomas, Carroll, McCarthy, Grichuk, Pederson, Barrosa and even Pavin Smith are all in front of him on that outfielder depth chart, a couple being a defensive waste or not.
I guess the dbacks need someone to hit .200 for their minor league squad.
But there’s really no such thing as too much CF depth. So many teams are struggling to adequately cover the position. A minor league deal for a guy who can legitimately glove it out there is always worth it. He may not spend more than a month on the ML roster, but having that option in case of injury is smart roster construction.
In Reno? Either one would probably hit .300 there.
Almora takes McCarthy’s spot as AAA depth if they trade him at the end of spring.
I don’t know, it’s a rather tasteless signing.
I heard he can’t cut the mustard.
Almora was never the same since he hit that girl with a foul ball. He helped the Cubs win the World Series in 2016 by tagging up and going to second on Kris Bryant’s long fly ball. That was huge.
That signing’s going to leave a bad taste in their mouth
Vampires beware!
Beat me to it