The Giants have released catcher Donny Sands, according to his transaction log at MLB.com. The 28-year-old signed a minor league deal with the club in mid-May after the Tigers released him at the end of spring training.
The Yankees selected Sands in the eighth round of the 2015 draft, and he spent the next seven seasons in their system before the Yankees flipped him to the Phillies ahead of the 2022 campaign. Sands made his MLB debut with Philadelphia the following September, funnily enough in a game against San Francisco – his future organization. He appeared in three games as a pinch-hitter and caught two innings behind the dish that season, the extent of his big league career so far. The Phillies traded him to the Tigers during the 2022-23 offseason alongside Matt Vierling and Nick Maton in exchange for Gregory Soto and Kody Clemens.
After he was released by the Tigers this past March, Sands briefly joined the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League before signing with the Giants and returning to affiliated ball.
San Francisco desperately needed catching depth earlier this season, when both Patrick Bailey and Tom Murphy landed on the injured list within the same weekend. The team recalled Blake Sabol in place of Bailey, selected Jakson Reetz to fill in for Murphy, and eventually signed veteran Curt Casali to replace Reetz. Shortly after signing Casali, the Giants also signed Sands as additional minor league depth. Now that Bailey is back in the lineup and Sabol is back at Triple-A, the Sacramento River Cats likely didn’t have enough playing time to split between Sabol, Reetz, Brandon Martorano, and Sands, leaving Sands as the odd man out. It surely didn’t help his case that Sands went 9-for-51 (.176) with one extra-base hit and 16 strikeouts over 13 games for Sacramento.
Sands is now free to search for a new organization in need of catching depth.
White Sox could use him.
White Sox could use 74-year old Glenn Borgmann.
We release you to the bosom of the Pacific Ocean…
Goodnight sweet prince.
Just another Zaidi impulse pickup. Never thought Sands would be a MiL Giant very long.
I’d say it was a depth pickup.
A depth pickup and an impulse original comment.
Farhan goes through backup catchers like I go through gummies.
Adam Sandler character was Donny Sands, no ?
Donny Burger
When do tickets go on sale for his Vegas comeback special?
They’ve already sold out, believe it or not. BUT, I have one extra ticket that normally goes for $3000. Since we know each other, I’ll give it to you for half price!
I just need you to wire the $1500 to an account number I will give you and I double-pinky promise I will send the ticket.
Don’t listen to ‘Clipper
I’ve got front row, third base side, $500 and it’s yours
Dude.
Do not forget the chocolate frosty !
Like Sands through the hourglass, so go the catchers of minor league depth.
Don’t dismiss the spicy chicken nuggets! Those things are good.