The White Sox added another catching option Wednesday, signing Eric Haase to a minor league contract and sending him to Triple-A Charlotte, where the Knights announced the move.
Haase arrives after being released by the Giants last week. He had spent the previous three months on San Francisco’s MLB roster after signing a minor league deal in the offseason and going to camp with the club. He didn’t break camp with the Giants, but he got his chance by mid-April when injuries created an opening behind the plate.
The 33-year-old played in 29 games for San Francisco and filled a depth role. In 84 plate appearances, he hit .162/.235/.365 with four home runs and struck out in a third of his trips.
That line fits the profile Haase has carried through parts of nine MLB seasons: plenty of power, plenty of swing-and-miss, and a career slash line of .224/.276/.394. He also brings a strong arm, though he is not considered a polished receiver.
For Chicago, the move adds to a catching group that has been in flux since Kyle Teel went down with a high ankle sprain. Haase won’t remove the White Sox from the market, but he does give them another veteran depth piece alongside Korey Lee in Triple-A, with Edgar Quero now back with the big club because of Teel’s injury.
Even with Haase in the fold, the White Sox are still expected to keep searching for short-term help. Jonah Heim, Tyler Stephenson and Joey Bart could be available, and Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported last night that the Sox were among the teams interested in Mets backup catcher Luis Torrens.
Whether New York would actually move Torrens is unclear after the club signed him to a two-year extension in May. He brings a light bat, but he is widely regarded as one of the best defensive catchers in the game, especially for his framing and his ability to throw out baserunners.
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