Martin

Maldonado

Maldonado was designated for assignment and went unclaimed, and he won’t report to Triple-A Charlotte. The 37-year-old could be of interest to those teams in contention looking for a backup backstop, but it obviously won’t increase his fantasy value.

Maldonado remains one of the better defensive catchers in baseball, despite his advanced age, but that doesn’t really matter for fantasy purposes where he’s been a complete non-factor for years. The 37-year-old backstop figures to have some appeal for a contender as a backup option given his defensive prowess, but he’s not going to have any sort of impact for fantasy managers, regardless of where he winds up next. According to Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times, it’ll be Chuckie Robinson coming up from Triple-A Charlotte to take his roster spot following the All-Star break.

Maldonado connected on a 95.6 mph heater from Guardians reliever Tim Herrin in the eighth inning, sneaking it just inside the left-field foul pole for his first deep fly since April 26. He also chipped in a run-scoring single off Cleveland starter Gavin Williams back in the fourth inning as part of Chicago’s four-run outburst in the frame. The 37-year-old backstop has been a complete non-factor at the dish for several years at this juncture, but his defensive abilities are enough to keep him hanging around at least a bit longer.

Maldonado really opened up the game with his unlikely 401-foot (105.4 mph EV) three-run blast off of Zach Eflin in the sixth inning — increasing the White Sox’ lead to 5-0. He also singled and scored a run in the eighth inning, finishing the night 2-for-4. On the season, the 37-year-old catcher is now hitting an abysmal .087/.125/.174 with just the one home run and three RBI.

Stassi had a down year offensively with the Angels in 2022, hitting just .180/.267/.303 with nine homers and 30 RBI in 375 plate appearances and missed all of last season while tending to medical issues involving his newborn son. He was traded to the Braves and then from the Braves to the White Sox and looked to be on the verge of competing for a starting job before the hip injury. It now appears the White Sox will split at-bats between two former Astros catchers in Korey Lee and Martin Maldonado; however, Stassi is eligible to be reinstated from the injured list on April 4.

As previously reported, the deal also includes a club option for the 2025 season. The 37-year-old backstop remains one of the top defensive catchers in the business and he’ll be a major asset for the White Sox’ young pitching staff. Fantasy managers still shouldn’t expect much from an offensive standpoint.

That’s what Maldonado is used to, as he averaged about $4 million per year during his time with the Astros. Of course, he’s a worse bet than ever at age 37, but the White Sox think his ability to work with pitchers will make him worth having around.

Robert Murray of FanSided was the first to report that the two sides were close to an agreement. No word yet on the financials, but the deal is expected to include an option for the 2025 season. The 37-year-old backstop’s value lies almost entirely in his defense, game calling and the way that he manages a pitching staff — as he slashed a woeful .191/.258/.348 slash line with 15 long balls and 36 RBI across 407 plate appearances with the Astros in 2023. He’ll share the load behind the dish with the newly-acquired Max Stassi.

Robert Murray of FanSided adds that it will be a two-year pact. No word yet on the financial details, but this likely signifies that Martin Maldonado will sign elsewhere. Caratini, 30, hit .259/.327/.383 with seven homers and 25 RBI over 226 plate appearances with the Brewers during the 2023 campaign. Expect him to share the load behind the plate with Yainer Diaz.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com had noted in November that at least 4-5 teams had already touched base with Maldonado, with the Astros expressing their desire to retain the glove-first catcher. The 37-year-old flailed to a .191/.258/.348 slash line with 15 long balls and 36 RBI across 407 plate appearances with the Astros in 2023.