The Giants are turning to Zach Morgan for tonight’s game against Houston, giving the catcher his first major league call. Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle first reported the move this evening.
To make room, San Francisco will place Daniel Susac on the 10-day injured list with a left patella fracture. The club already had an opening on the 40-man roster, so Morgan’s addition opens an active roster spot as well.
Morgan was a seventh-round pick out of Fresno State in 2022, when the Giants brought him into the system. He was never a big-name prospect, but he fit the profile of a steady organizational depth catcher and ranked among the better senior signees from that draft class. A right-handed hitter, he has spent most of his minor league career putting the ball in play without much impact.
Across a little more than 1,000 professional plate appearances, Morgan has hit .237/.337/.349 with an 18% strikeout rate. This season, he has posted a .269/.369/.370 line with two homers in 131 trips between the top two minor league levels. Behind the plate, he has thrown out 2 of 16 attempted basestealers and has one passed ball in 165 innings at Triple-A.
For now, he’ll back up Drew Cavanaugh, at least tonight. But the stay may not last long. Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reported that the Giants are still searching for a more experienced backup for the stretch run, while Cavanaugh is expected to handle most of the playing time the rest of the way.
If San Francisco wants to keep shopping for catching help, there are a few routes available. Former Giants Chadwick Tromp and Andrew Knizner are free agents.
The club could also put in a claim on Willie MacIver after the Blue Jays place him on waivers this week following his designation for assignment this afternoon. San Francisco holds the fifth-highest priority on the waiver wire.
Another possibility is the trade market for a player who has not been on a 40-man roster this season, such as Washington’s Riley Adams or Korey Lee.
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