The Red Sox have assigned catcher Ali Sanchez outright to Triple-A Worcester, according to the transactions tracker on Sanchez’s MLB.com profile page. Sanchez had previously been designated for assignment by the Red Sox earlier this week to make room for first baseman Nathaniel Lowe on the active roster after he recently signed with the club following his release by the Nationals.
Sanchez, 28, signed with the Mets out of Venezuela as an amateur and made his pro debut prior to the 2014 season. He made it to the majors during the shortened 2020 season and has played in parts of four MLB seasons since then but has just 47 MLB games under his belt in that time as he’s served mostly as a depth catcher while bouncing between Queens, St. Louis, Miami, Toronto, and Boston at the big league level to go along with stints in the minor league systems of the Tigers, Cubs, and Diamondbacks.
While Sanchez is viewed as an excellent defender, he’s held back by lackluster offense at the dish. In 132 big league plate appearances, he’s hit just .185/.222/.235 with just five walks and only two extra-base hits. That’s a small sample split up over many years, of course, but even with that context Sanchez isn’t an impressive hitter. With 334 career games at the Triple-A level, he’s mustered a career slash line of just .269/.340/.399 at the level with with less than 100 total extra-base hits. That lack of substantial power even at the minor league level will hold him back as a hitter enough that it’s unclear if he’ll ever get a look as more than a depth option in the majors, though his defensive skills are strong enough to make him rather coveted for that minor league depth role.
Perhaps that unlikelihood of greener pastures elsewhere is what led Sanchez to accept an outright assignment despite the fact that he’s been outrighted multiple times before in his career and therefore had the opportunity to elect free agency. The Red Sox don’t have much depth behind the dish and currently occupy a playoff spot, so by sticking around at Worcester Sanchez could force his way back onto the roster during the stretch run or perhaps even for the playoffs if an injury creates an opening in the club’s catching tandem. That tandem is currently occupied by Carlos Narvaez and Connor Wong, with Narvaez receiving the lion’s share of playing time amid a standout rookie campaign.
Bring him back, Jays…can never have too much depth.
They can’t bring him back because he’s not available.
And it makes sense for Sanchez to stay where he is. Boston is a likely playoff team and he’s currently the next man up if either major league catcher has problems/injuries.
He signed with the Mets
I’m surprised the Blue Jays didn’t grab him for some AAA depth..He’d be familiar with the staff if an injury took place.
The Jays did a good job of grabbing Heineman from us
Probably one of the biggest surprises for us this year…Never saw it coming..
Sox Prospects guys say he elects FA instead of the assignment.
“Our @spchrishatfield.bsky.social reports that, per a team source, C Ali Sánchez elected free agency after clearing waivers and is not actually headed to Worcester.
He is currently listed on Worcester’s https://milb.com roster, but as a free agent. The latter is apparently correct.”
Ali Sánchez and the 40 man roster.
Mets got him, with Alvarez hurt, Sanchez has a huge chance of sticking around.
The only place he’s sticking around for the rest of the season is AAA Worcester, as he has accepted the outright assignment there.
Unless this report is wrong I guess.
metsmerizedonline.com/mets-reunite-with-ali-sanche…
The official MLB transactions page shows the Red Sox outrighting Sanchez to AAA: mlb.com/redsox/roster/transactions.
I’m seeing some of those reports that he signed a minors deal with the Mets after clearing waivers, but it does not appear to have materialized.
Down goes Ali! Down goes Ali!
Better Ali G than Bruno
If he comes up with the Mets, he needs a locker next to Mullins.
Really here just for depth, with Alvarez possibly out for the season and Torrens almost getting hurt too, most likely scared the bejesus out of Stearns and jumped at the chance to sign Sanchez.