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Royals Release Sandy Leon

By Nick Deeds | March 23, 2024 at 5:51pm CDT

The Royals announced this evening that they’ve catcher Sandy Leon has requested and been granted his release by the organization. Leon had signed with the club on a minor league deal back in January.

Leon, 35, made his big league debut with the Nationals back in 2012 and has made appearances in every major league season since thanks to his strong reputation as a glove-first catcher. Those frequent opportunities have come in spite of a career .208/.276/.311 slash line at the plate and a below-average wRC+ in eleven of his twelve seasons as a major league player. It’s thanks to his stellar work behind the plate that he continues to receive reps in the majors. Leon has received high marks for work behind the plate from outlets such as FanGraphs, Statcast, and Baseball Prospectus throughout his career, with the former ranking him especially well in pitch framing during his stint with the Red Sox from 2015 to 2019.

The Royals seeming brought Leon in as insurance behind the club’s current catching tandem of Salvador Perez and Freddy Fermin, allowing them to more comfortably move youngster MJ Melendez to the outfield on a full-time basis. Since then, however, Kansas City signed Austin Nola to a big league split-contract that will allow him to serve as the club’s third catcher headed into the 2024 season. That left Leon as a mostly superfluous addition for the club, and the veteran hit just .118/.167/.118 this spring while striking out in seven of his 18 plate appearances with the club. Between that performance and the fact that Leon is largely blocked at that big league level in Kansas City, it’s not necessarily a shock that the sides are parting ways.

With Opening Day on the horizon, Leon will return to free agency in search of a major league deal or, more likely, a more attractive minor league pact that offers him a clearer path back to the majors. Given the constant need for catching depth around the game, he should have little trouble securing such an arrangement, which would also allow him to serve as a mentor for younger catchers the club has in its minor league system. As for the Royals, the club will likely lean on the likes of Tyler Cropley and Logan Porter in the event that injuries force the club to rely on a fourth catcher behind Perez, Fermin, and Nola.

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Kansas City Royals Transactions Sandy Leon

Carl Edwards Jr. Opts Out Of Minor League Deal With Cubs
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Latest On Rays’ Roster Plans
View Comments (11)
Post a Comment

11 Comments

  1. Giant Willy

    1 year ago

    Wow

    1
    Reply
  2. spudchukar

    1 year ago

    Ok, Rays, here is a better option for you.

    3
    Reply
  3. Laseball Biker

    1 year ago

    “The Royals announced this evening that they’ve catcher…”

    6
    Reply
    • User 3014224641

      1 year ago

      I don’t think anyone proofreads.

      2
      Reply
      • CeruleanDrew

        1 year ago

        So very true, LSGF, sadly.

        2
        Reply
  4. Hotdog 2

    1 year ago

    The 72 win royals. Most over hyped team

    1
    Reply
    • PaulyMidwest

      1 year ago

      I have heard no one hyping up the royals. Just saying they will be better than the horrendous season they had last year which they should be.

      3
      Reply
    • rsailler

      1 year ago

      Hopefully 73

      Reply
  5. EasternLeagueVeteran

    1 year ago

    You had a nice career, Sandy. Time to hang them up, or coach.

    1
    Reply
    • TheMichigan

      1 year ago

      Idk who is better riding out a MLB career based off of one season: Sandy Leon, Ryan O’Hearn or Hunter Dozier

      Bros gotta give it up at some point, 2016 was 8 years ago.

      Reply
  6. Fenway 1

    1 year ago

    Hurricane Sandy will get a opportunity somewhere

    2
    Reply

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