MLB Player News

Perez (shoulder) signed a minor-league contract with the Red Sox on Wednesday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Perez made the Giants' Opening Day roster out of spring training last year, but he tore his right rotator cuff in early April and underwent season-ending surgery. The veteran catcher is a career .207/.298/.358 hitter in 1,769 plate appearances at the major-league level and turns 35 years old later this month.

Hedges agreed to a one-year, $4 million contract with the Guardians on Sunday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Hedges split last season between Pittsburgh and Texas but will make a 2024 return to Cleveland, where he made 199 appearances from 2020 to 2022. The veteran backstop brings little offensively with a .478 OPS over the past two years but provides strong defense. Hedges should fill the backup job at catcher behind youngster Bo Naylor for the Guardians.

Atlanta traded Stassi (hip/personal) and cash considerations to the White Sox on Saturday in exchange for a player to be named later or cash.

Stassi was traded from the Angels to Atlanta on Friday, but it was assumed Atlanta would quickly send Stassi elsewhere given the presence of Sean Murphy and Travis d'Arnaud. Stassi slashed .180/.267/.303 in 375 plate appearances in 2022, and he failed to appear in a game last season due to a hip injury and a serious family medical issue. Stassi's extended time away from baseball means he will have to compete for a spot on the White Sox's Opening Day roster, but a weak catcher room in Chicago keeps him in the running for the starting job.

Bemboom signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers on Friday and received an invitation to major-league spring training, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Bemboom entered free agency in the offseason after two seasons with Baltimore, where he slashed .127/.225/.206 across 72 total plate appearances. Given Bemboom's poor major-league history, he likely won't offer the Tigers much more than organizational depth behind the dish.

Caratini signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Astros on Tuesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Caratini spent two seasons as Milwaukee's backup catcher, and he seems primed to take on the same role behind Yainer Diaz in Houston. The switch-hitting Caratini slashed .259/.327/.383 with seven homers and 25 RBI across 226 plate appearances last season, and his reputation as an excellent framer should help him earn occasional starts behind the dish.

The Mariners acquired Zavala from the Diamondbacks on Wednesday along with Carlos Vargas in exchange for Eugenio Suarez, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Zavala was a waiver claim by the Diamondbacks in September but made just four starts during his three and a half weeks with the team. The 30-year-old catcher has a career .622 OPS over parts of four major-league seasons spent mostly with the White Sox. He could open 2024 as Cal Raleigh's backup.

The Rays re-signed Jackson (shoulder) to a minor-league contract Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The deal presumably includes an invitation to spring training. Jackson hit four homers in 14 games with Triple-A Durham this season after being acquired from the Brewers but missed the last several weeks of the season with a right shoulder injury. If healthy, he gives the Rays an option to pair with Rene Pinto at catcher.

Gallagher was designated for assignment by the Guardians on Monday.

Gallagher somehow was given 149 plate appearances in 2023 even as he slashed an embarrassing .126/.154/.168. He'll go through the waiver process.

The Guardians claimed Bethancourt off waivers from the Rays on Monday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Bethancourt spent a large portion of the 2023 season as the Rays' No. 1 catcher and put up decent counting statistics over his 332 plate appearances (11 home runs, 49 runs, 33 RBI and one stolen base), but an ugly .225/.254/.381 slash line (74 wRC+) made his less useful at the plate from a real-life standpoint. Still, the 32-year-old graded out as a capable defender behind the dish and wasn't a complete zero with the bat, so he should at least make for a dependable backup option and short-side platoon mate in Cleveland for No. 1 backstop Bo Naylor.

The Tigers plan to exercise Kelly's $3.5 million team option for 2024, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

After getting released by Arizona in mid-August, Kelly caught on with the Tigers shortly thereafter on a prorated one-year, $720,000 deal that included the club option for 2024. Over 19 games with the Tigers, Kelly hit just .173 and got on base at a .271 clip, but the organization was evidently satisfied enough with how the 29-year-old handled the pitching staff and acquitted himself defensively to justify bringing him back for 2024. Kelly will likely head into Opening Day as the Tigers' No. 2 catcher behind Jake Rogers.