After being without a team this spring, former All-Star Gary Sanchez has reportedly signed a Minor League deal with the San Francisco Giants. It’s a low-risk move the Giants, a team that didn’t receive much punch from behind the plate last season.

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A Look at Sanchez

Two-time AL All-Star Gary Sanchez was at point one of the game’s most prolific bats from behind the plate. Sanchez broke out in 2016 when he hit .299/.376/.657 with 20 home runs and 32 extra base hits over 53 games. The following season, the 30-year-old launched 33 home runs and drove in 90 for the Yankees.

From there, things have been a bit of a roller coaster. Sanchez recorded 35 extra base hits over 89 games in 2018, but posted a lowly .697 OPS. He rebounded to have a nice 2019 campaign, but only has a .681 OPS (90 OPS+) over the last three seasons.

Sanchez has long been lauded for his power — which is easy to see just by looking at his prior batted ball metrics. The ex-Yankee has regularly posted above-average Hard Hit% and Barrel% rates in his career, but also has struck out on a very regular basis. Sanchez’s 29.5% K% between 2020-22 is about three percentage points below his average, despite a surprisingly reserved approach at the plate.

The 30-year-old spent last season with the Twins after a deal that sent him and now-Los Angeles Angels infielder Gio Urshela to Minnesota in exchange for a package that included Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Josh Donaldson. Sanchez fell out of favor in The Bronx in 2020 and 2021, as the Yankees began to give Kyle Higashioka more time due to Sanchez’s struggles both at the plate and behind the plate.

What it Means

Per The Athletic, Sanchez has an opt-out clause that will allow him to leave the Giants organization on May 1 if he’s not on the active roster. As of now, the Giants roster includes a trio of catchers in Joey Bart, Roberto Perez, and Blake Sabol.

Sabol, acquired by San Francisco from the Reds in December, made the Giants roster after an impressive spring, in which he hit .348/.475/.630 over 20 Cactus League games. Former Gold Glover Roberto Perez is a defensive specialist, while ex-top prospect Joey Bart will look for a major rebound after a difficult 2022. Bart had the fifth-highest Whiff% (38%) in baseball last year and posted a .660 OPS for the Giants in his first full campaign.

Given that group, it’s not hard to see why the Giants would want a catcher that could provide a bit more punch in the lineup. But, can Sanchez be a reliable catcher behind the plate for a a staff that includes Logan Webb and Ross Stripling? Sanchez has never been an average presence behind the plate, something to watch as the 30-year-old attempts to make it backs to the Majors.