The Braves have signed catcher Curt Casali to a minor league contract, Just Baseball Media’s Aram Leighton reports. Atlanta is Casali’s 11th different organization over his 14 professional seasons.
The last eleven of those seasons have come in the big leagues, with Casali amassing 543 career games with the Rays, Mariners, and two separate stints apiece with the Reds and Giants. Most recently, Casali suited up 41 times for San Francisco last season, stepping in as the primary backup catcher after Tom Murphy was lost for the season due to a knee injury.
Casali has mostly worked in a backup or part-time capacity, appearing in as many as 84 games twice (2016 with the Rays and 2019 with the Reds) in his career. His most productive overall stretch came with Cincinnati from 2018-2020, when he hit .260/.345/.440 in 485 plate appearances while working in what was more or less a timeshare with Tucker Barnhart behind the plate. Casali’s offensive numbers have tailed off significantly since, and he had only a .194/.293/.250 slash line in 125 PA with the Giants last season.
His glovework also took a downturn in 2024, as Statcast rated his blocking, framing, and caught-stealing numbers all below average. This could be a sign of age catching up to Casali as he enters his age-36 season, but he has a solid reputation as a defensive catcher who works well with pitchers.
Atlanta declined its $8MM club option on Travis d’Arnaud, and the longtime Braves backstop then signed with the Angels in one of the offseason’s more significant early moves. Sean Murphy will look to rebound from a down year as the Braves’ starting catcher and Chadwick Tromp is penciled in as the backup, though Casali and Sandy Leon are two well-traveled veterans who will provide some competition in Spring Training. The other name to watch here is Drake Baldwin, as the top prospect hit well in 334 PA with Triple-A Gwinnett last season and is expected to make his MLB debut at some point in 2025.
Can he catch the football slider? if so this is a no brainer
No but he can catch the knuckle volleyball
Of course he’s going to sign with the Dodgers. We all knew that. L.A. is now Tokyo East for MLB. Why not just bring the whole Japanese baseball league to L.A.? Geez.
“Sir, this is a Wendy’s”
I think it’s terribly rude of AA to attempt to steal the spotlight away from the Dodgers big signing.
AA could’ve put this signing off until Monday, which should be a slow news day.
The catcher market is on fire. I’m calling that James McCann is next.
Brian, better have your phone on.
The Braves are loading up for a run.
Cannonball run?
Kroger run, y’all need somethin?
These are the kind of moves that not everybody understands but depth is very important over a 162 season if Murphy gets hurt having a serviceable veteran catcher could be huge
Casali is steady behind the plate and an almost sure out at the plate, but he’s still a positive asset on any team. Watching him (both times) in SF he makes more sense than an Austin Hedges. And Casali is a good clubhouse guy. I wish him well.
Come to think of it the sports I knew as a child no longer exists. Free Agency has ruined pro sports as NIL has ruined college football. What happened to athletes like Chipper who could have made more if he had choose to, now it’s about greed. The Dodgers get whoever because of greed.
Maybe it’s always been like that and you’re just now opening your eyes for the first time. Did Burnes take the highest offer? Nola last year? The Dodgers get whomever b/c they’re great at development and have an international brand that is highly sought after by Japanese players. Other teams need to be more like ’em, frankly. They’re mortgaging the future, but may win a lot in the process, while making a lot of money. Not sure what the problem is other than it not being my team.
I keep hearing the Dodgers are “great at development” and I admittedly don’t follow them as closely as a Dodgers fan so I could be mistaken. But the only starter (position and rotation) that I can think of that is homegrown is Will Smith. Their entire rotation is trades and free agents. Bobby Miller has all the tools in the world but has not been good. Outman, etc have sucked. It seems to me they are good at getting insiders to overrate their prospects more than anything. But then you look at the Braves for example and the farm is always rated low but yet their prospects make far more of an impact than the Dodgers.
CHIPPER — You are absolutely correct. The over-hyped Dodger farm system has generated a series of very poor or below average players, most of whom they’ve pawned off to other teams as payment for top talent.
The Dodgers buy their roster and let the Verrdugos, Luxes, Ruizes, Outmans and others quickly lose value on other team rosters. This is partly other team’s scouting failures and also the Dodger hype machine. But ultimately the Dodgers have more money than anyone (except maybe the Yankees or Mets), so they sign anyone they want, even if it’s a contract for $700million.
RunDMC — Because it’s all about their deep pockets NOT their ability to develop players. Their market size allows them to do it, but without a Floor or a Ceiling, MLB competition is being lost to the richest. That will have—and is already having—a negative impact on fans from smaller markets. A very bad look.
Honestly that’s a complete load of crapola. How many times have the Giants Royals and Marlins won the WS since the last time the Yankees did? Nothing is being lost to the richest different teams operate differently within the same set of rules. Ask the Mets if spending the most got them a championship.
Yes, it’s their deep pockets, but they’re not even the biggest spenders (NYM). They’re able to make trades for key acquisitions with their prospects. Of course, also the deferrals — how many get a MVP on 2 sides of the ball for 2M per?
Staying below the Luxury Tax this year is now a given. Hope it does not bite us and these minor league signings help us in areas of need. That’s the thing with baseball one of these signings maybe lightning in a bottle. If not, it’s almost a no lose proposition for the Braves.
I don’t necessarily think so. As report date nears, some are going to feel the pressure to find the best, possibly pillow deals, which AA has a penchant for in the past. There’s still a lot of talent out there in most areas. The RP market is just now taking shape with arguably the best chip (Scott) still avail.
Agree as we get closer to spring training we still have a lot of unsigned players that prices will come down.
Also; Braves really don’t need that as their team is pretty much set.
I think one factor of having 3 wild card teams
Is that teams don’t have to load up on talent to be in the post season runs like before
They offered Hoffman 45 million over 5 years, they’re obviously still interested in adding pitching, just not something they’re gonna overpay. I still think they nab a starter before Spring Training.
I believe Taijuan Walker is still available.
Walker is not coming to the Braves
Well, that clears that up.
LOL…that would be a massive coup for PHI to get rid of him and somehow he ends up pitching BP for their rivals. Not even Manfred could make that happen.
If nothing else, we always have hope.
Problem is a lot of these minor league signings are older players who have established who they are and highly doubt we’re going to catch lightning in a bottle. De La Cruz may be the most hopeful of the bunch however…Santander for LF, Flaherty and maybe a Montgomery trade is all players I’d take still available. Otherwise it’s clear luxury tax is the main goal which is shame.
I disagree on the luxury tax; it was more of the prices for players so far this off season has been too high. Also someone like
Minter has injury concerns and unknown when they will take the field in 2025
who cares
Apparently you do or you wouldn’t have made a comment about it.
Bargain Bin Braves destined for 4th place.
The Braves will finish in second. Philthydelphia Philthies will get first New York Mess will get third
Real good man. Give him a job, Braves.
Braves snagging ex Giants backup catchers Who’s next… Austin Wynnes?
Looks like this guy strikes out a lot!!
A positive war signing, i like it. Best yet
Maybe Baldwin is a trade chip for a big addition?
Braves need to get profar. Would give them many lineup options.