David

Freitas

Mazeika and Freitas were in camp this spring as non-roster invitees after signing minor league contracts. They’ll open the regular season as emergency catching depth behind Will Smith and Austin Barnes back at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Freitas spent the first half of the 2022 season with the Triple-A affiliate of the Yankees in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before getting released in mid-July. The 33-year-old catcher has appeared in only 59 total games at the MLB level and will operate as minor league depth for Los Angeles leading into 2023.

Freitas signed a minor league deal with the Yankees back in December and has been jettisoned by New York after hitting .239/.310/.345 with two homers in 127 plate appearances over 36 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 33-year-old backstop last appeared in the majors back in 2019.

No real surprises among this batch of cuts for the Yankees. Miller, 31, appeared in just one Grapefruit League contest, recording one strikeouts and allowing one hit in his long inning of work. He’ll function as additional pitching depth at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to begin the season.

Rortvedt has been sidelined by a minor oblique strain this spring and appears extremely unlikely to be ready in time for Opening Day next week. That means Kyle Higashioka, who has homered five times this spring, will likely be behind the plate to open the season with either Rob Brantly, David Freitas or Max McDowell as his caddy.

Freitas played in 43 games with the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization before being released and landing a minor-league deal with the Rays last July. The 32-year-old backstop last appeared in the majors with the Brewers and Mariners back in 2019. He’ll provide the Yankees with some organizational catching depth next season.

Freitas signed a one-year deal with the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korean Baseball Organization during the offseason, but has returned stateside to give the Rays some additional catching depth for the final two months of the 2021 regular season.

Freitas, 31, saw spot duty in the majors with three different clubs from 2017-19, producing just a .556 OPS across 143 plate appearances. With an opportunity at regular playing time as well as a raise, it’s no surprise that he’s decided to head overseas. Freitas had been on the Brewers’ 40-man roster, so they now have another spot to play with.

Freitas has never really been known for his bat, but he should have been in the running for PCL MVP this season while hitting .381/.461/.561 with 12 homers and 81 RBI in 91 games for Tacoma and San Antonio. He’ll function as the Brewers’ third catcher this month.

Freitas will give the Brewers some organizational catching depth. He’s a career .214/.270/.313 hitter in the majors.