Danny Jansen Gives Rangers Veteran Catching Partner for Kyle Higashioka

The Texas Rangers have agreed to terms with veteran catcher Danny Jansen, but which Jansen is the Rangers getting?

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There was a time that Danny Jansen was the future of catching for the Toronto Blue Jays. These days, he’s become a journeyman behind the plate.

On Friday, the Texas Rangers became his fifth team since the start of the 2024 season when they agreed to terms on a two-year deal, per FanSided’s Robert Murray. The reported commitment to Jansen —$14.5 million, with bonuses to push it to $15.5 million — is similar to what the Rangers signed Kyle Higashioka to last offseason.

With that deal, Texas has a veteran catching tandem for 2025 and a future beyond Higashioka, whose contract ends after the 2026 season. It also gives catching prospect Malcolm Moore, their 2024 first-round pick, more time to get on track and be the future at the position. It will make Willie MacIver’s chances of making the opening-day roster remote.

But why has Jansen bounced around so much after three straight seasons of 10 or more home runs from 2021-23 with the Blue Jays? Contenders have seen him as a solution at the trade deadline.

Danny Jansen’s Recent Past

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Jansen started 2024 with the Blue Jays, who made him their 16th round pick in 2013 and where he made his MLB debut in 2018. By then, Alejandro Kirk had emerged as an All-Star caliber catcher. Jansen has proved himself to be a solid producer at the plate. But he was only batting .212 with the Blue Jays in 62 games when they shipped him to Boston in a deadline trade. The bat didn’t bounce back in Boston, where he batted .188.

The Red Sox chose not to re-sign him, and he landed with Tampa Bay to start the 2025 season. He played 73 games with Tampa, but he only batted .204. He did hit 11 home runs. The Milwaukee Brewers needed catching depth as they made a push to win the NL Central Division and shipped a prospect to get Jansen at the deadline. In a short sample — 25 games — he batted .254.

Is that a sign that Jansen’s bat is getting back to his production in 2022? That season he slashed .260/.339/.516 with 15 home runs and 44 RBI. That’s his best season in terms of slash and power. He also played 72 games that season.

Higashioka is coming off a 2025 in which he slashed .241/.291/.403 with 11 home runs and 47 RBI. Pairing the right-handers together should give the Rangers enough offense behind the plate to keep from having to carry more than two catchers in 2026. Jansen won’t help much against left-handers. He has a career .203 average against southpaws. Higashioka isn’t much better (.225), so he may get those matchups.

One area Jansen excels at behind the plate is blocks above average, where he ranked in the 98th percentile per Baseball Savant. But he was well below average in other categories.

Higashioka will be the opening-day starter. Jansen will be the complement. That much is clear. If the Jansen from 2022 shows up, he’ll be a great complement to Higashioka.