Former Seattle Mariners Catcher Curt Casali Signs With Atlanta Braves
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The Seattle Mariners are still looking to put the finishing touches on an offseason that's been unusually slow for the organization and President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto.
Over the course of the offseason, several former Mariners players have found new teams and that trend continued on Jan. 18.
The Atlanta Braves signed backup catcher Curt Casali to a minor league deal. It will be the 11th organization Casali has played for since getting drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 10th round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt.
Casali played for Seattle for 16 games during the club's playoff drought-breaking season in 2022. He hit .125 with a home run and three RBIs during his limited action with the team. He was acquired by the organization in a trade on Aug. 2, 2022 from the San Francisco Giants. Casali elected free agency after the season and signed with the Cincinnati Reds on Dec. 22, 2022.
Curt Casali - Seattle Mariners (5)
— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) October 4, 2022
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Recently, Casali played his second stint with San Francisco in 2024.
Casaili appeared in 41 games for the Giants as the team's backup catcher. He hit .194 with a home run and eight RBIs. On defense, Casali caught nine out of 55 runners stealing.
The Braves have two catchers on the 40-man roster already with Sean Murphy and Chadwick Tromp. But Casali's veteran experience likely guarantees a role as at least a third-string/emergency catcher with Atlanta.
The Mariners' shored up their catching depth this past week when they acquired Blake Hunt in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles. He'll likely be the third-string catcher behind starter Cal Raleigh and backup Mitch Garver.
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