Angels Sign Former Red Sox, Twins Catcher to Minor League Deal
Angels pitchers and catchers are scheduled to hold their first workout at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Feb. 14. That invites a logistical reality more true at this time of year than most: catchers are in high demand.
Since there will never be as many pitchers in camp as there are at the outset of spring training, it's only sensible that teams will need more catchers than usual, too.
Enter Caleb Hamilton. Essentially the Boston Red Sox's fourth-string backstop in 2023, he signed a minor league free agent contract with the Angels this week.
Hamilton's bat was not his calling card. He is a career .199/.308/.369 hitter at the Triple-A level with the Red Sox and Minnesota Twins organizations.
In two cups of coffee at the major league level in Minnesota (2022) and Boston (2023), Hamilton has hit .212 with one home run in 32 games.
Both anecdotally and according to Statcast, framing seems to be what got him to the big leagues. Baseball Prospectus also offers plus grades for Hamilton's framing and blocking in the majors and minors.
Whether Hamilton sticks at catcher in the Angels' organization long-term seems to be up for debate.
Hamilton is listed on the team's official transactions log as a center fielder. That isn't a position Hamilton has played since 2016, when he was playing for the Twins' Rookie-ball affiliate. The Angels, somewhat famously, already have a cromulent major league center fielder.
For his part, Hamilton's track record suggests he might be more than just a warm body who can squat and hold up a catcher's mitt at the beginning of camp.
Hamilton has seen time at all nine positions in the minor leagues, including a scoreless inning of work for the low-A Cedar Rapids Kernels in 2017. Perhaps the Angels envision more versatility than he's shown at the major league level.
The Halos have reportedly been linked to free agent utility player Enrique Hernandez this offseason. Until or unless they reach an agreement with him, the Angels might just count Hamilton as their most versatile fielder in the organization.
It's also worth noting that the Angels only have two catchers (Logan O'Hoppe and Matt Thaiss) on their 40-man roster. Francisco Mejía and Chad Wallach have signed minor league deals this offseason, and Hamilton adds to that depth.
It is unknown whether Hamilton's contract includes an invitation to major league camp.
