The Athletics announced the acquisition of catcher Jhonny Pereda from the Marlins in exchange for cash considerations. Miami had designated the 28-year-old for assignment on Tuesday as the corresponding move for the Connor Gillispie waiver claim. The A’s designated catcher Kyle McCann for assignment to open a 40-man roster spot.
Pereda has played professionally for 11 seasons. He earned his long-awaited major league call last spring. Pereda held his spot on Miami’s 40-man roster all year, though he spent the majority of the season on optional assignment to Triple-A Jacksonville. He made 20 major league appearances, hitting .231/.250/.231 across 40 trips to the plate. The right-handed hitter ran a more impressive .297/.405/.424 slash over 195 plate appearances with Jacksonville.
Over parts of four Triple-A seasons, Pereda carries a strong .293/.385/.408 batting line in nearly 800 plate appearances. He spent time in the Cubs, Red Sox, Giants and Reds organizations before getting his major league look in Miami. Pereda joins Shea Langeliers as the only catchers on the 40-man roster. That makes him the favorite for the backup job right now, though it’s possible the A’s look for a more experienced veteran in the coming weeks. Tyler Soderstrom came up as a catcher but only spent four MLB innings behind the plate last season. He’s probably ticketed for everyday run at first base. Pereda still has a couple minor league options and could go back to Triple-A if the A’s add another catcher.
McCann was the A’s fourth-round pick in 2019. The Georgia Tech product made his big league debut last year. He got into 54 games and slashed .236/.318/.371 through 157 plate appearances. McCann had also fared well at Triple-A Las Vegas two seasons ago. He connected on 17 homers with a .270/.351/.474 batting line over 388 plate appearances, albeit in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
The lefty-swinging McCann has had a solid offensive reputation dating back his time in college. He has hit for power and taken plenty of walks during his minor league career, though he also strikes out much too often. He fanned at a 37.6% clip during his MLB time and struck out in 32.2% of his plate appearances with Las Vegas. Scouting reports have long questioned his receiving skills. Statcast indeed graded him as a below-average pitch framer for his 324 major league innings. He posted slightly below-average pop times and ran a middling 19% caught stealing rate.
The A’s will trade McCann or place him on waivers within the next few days. His offensive promise could get him a look from another club that is willing to live with some of the defensive tradeoffs. McCann still has a full slate of options and could be freely sent to Triple-A if a team is willing to carry him on the 40-man roster.
Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase first reported that the A’s were acquiring Pereda.
How is it that Kyle McCann isn’t Brian McCann’s brother? They both look alike, share the same last name, play the same position, and grew up in the same state.
Are you sure about that?
How are you not ?
The real question is how are the two Brady Feigls not related even though they could pass for twins.
I remember when the McCutchen brothers Andrew and Daniel played for the Pirates.
Ross Atkins needs to be fired.
JHONNY PEREDA! THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN! THE RANGERS NEVER HAD A CHANCE!
This one is a head scratcher for me.
Does anyone understand why they’d prefer an older player with less (no!) MLB track record and worse Minor league numbers?
Since I only see the offensive numbers I’ll have to assume it’s about the defense?
Yeah, or there’s something about his swing they like, something they think they can tweak, or whatever.
Front offices don’t just look at numbers to compare, especially when it’s a small sample size for both in MLB and a larger one in AAA.
I know McCann is pretty bad defensively. He’s also not the great offensively, either. He got off to a really good start offensively last year and completely fell off, especially in the second half. I can’t say much for Pereda since I’ve never seen him play, but if he can provide just defensive value, he’s an improvement on McCann.
Hey a fellow A’s fan, I’m unreasonably excited.
After two years of the backup catching being Perez and McCann maybe we’ll strike on someone who’s worth keeping around this time.
You have any thoughts on anything A’s related? Sacramento?
I think it’s fine to excited though. They did well in the second half of last season and added some more talent this winter. I’m not sure they’re quite there yet as a playoff team, but the AL isn’t super strong, so I suppose anything is possible with a few lucky breaks. I’m curious how the team will play in Sacramento. The ballpark factors will definitely be a big change for them. That said, this is the most excited I’ve been about this team since probably 2020. I just wish Fisher was no longer a part of it.
100% on the Fisher thing, I was lucky enough to go to the last game in Oakland and the Let’s Go Oakland chant at the end is a feeling I’ll never get again. Oakland baseball is like nothing else, I really believe that. I will root for the team in Sacramento, idk about Vegas if they get there.
I agree we’re not a playoff team on paper, but a couple lucky breaks (healthy Springs, Severino, Gelof bounceback, Wilson plays like a top 10 shortstop) and we’re right there above Houston and Seattle.
Looking forward to watching the A’s this spring in Mesa,hope can get few autographs i want
Funny, I might watch the Pirates this spring in Florida.
He gets on base.
is he a bad defensive catcher? his stats do not scream cut me…
I definitely read Jhonny Peralta
You’re not the only one
I feel like McCann is going to get claimed. Lefty hitting catchers with pop don’t exactly grow on trees, but I’m guessing they don’t love his defense.
They have Soderstom as a lefty hitter poor defense option at Catcher, so if Langleirs misses time it makes more sense for the backup to a Righty
Soderstrom is not a catcher anymore.
Designating a 27 year old?
2 words….DANIEL SUSAC ….catcher of the future for the A’s……hope to catch a glimpse of him in the spring
So Langiliers and Soderstrom are dead or something?
Soderstrom is no longer a catcher he plays 1B Shea is the starting catcher it’s all about the back-up
yeah right, you’ll be changing your id in shame of this prediction by june…..oh wait, do they do WAR on minor leaguers?
I don’t get this move at all. Dump a 26 year old Catcher that had a decent season as a backup for a 28 year old career minor leaguer? I guess Fisher had to Fisher at least once this offseason
Pereda is a good defender who might get better with the bat.
The Marlins have a Rule V guy; a highly rated bat prospect who defends badly and 2 good defenders making their way up who might figure out the offensive side of the game.
Looks like Marlins ST will be a competition between Liam Hicks (RuleV), and Agustin Ramirez, with the farmhands Joe Mack and Nick Banfield trying to get a look in.
Ouch for McCann so close to spring training but as an A’s man my most of my life I can say for sure this was done because Pereda became available he won’t be arb till 2028 and he’s Spanish speaking. A’s top pitcher Severino and Bido are mainly Spanish speakers. That Georgia boy don’t speak a lick of Spanish and they rather have him at AAA if he stays.