Giants Sign ex-Yankees Catcher Gary Sanchez to Minor League Deal

He's baaack - well sorta.

The San Francisco Giants have signed ex-Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez to a minor league deal.

Free-agent catcher Gary Sánchez in agreement with Giants on minor-league contract, pending physical, source tells @TheAthletic. Will report initially to team’s spring-training home in Scottsdale, then join a minor-league affiliate. Can opt out if not promoted to majors by May 1.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 31, 2023

The plan is for Sanchez to report to the Giants' Spring Training facility in Scottsdale, Arizona, before joining a minor league affiliate.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic was the first report on this news.

Sanchez spent last season with the Minnesota Twins, slashing .205/.282/.377 with a .659 OPS, 16 home runs and 61 RBIs. He was worth 0.9 bWAR in 2022.

Last offseason, the Yankees traded Sanchez and Gio Urshela to the Twins in exchange for Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and catching prospect Ben Rortvedt.

Sanchez was a former top prospect of the Yankees, and played for the Bronx Bombers from 2015-2021.

Sanchez was a two-time All-Star with the Yankees, but he never fully lived up to his potential beyond 2016-2017 and 2019.

He was also abysmal defensively behind the plate, which is another reason why the Yankees ultimately decided to move on from him after back-to-back disappointing campaigns in 2020 and 2021.

In seven seasons with the Yankees, Sanchez slashed .230/.318/.487 with a .804 OPS, 138 home runs and 340 RBIs.

Having gone unsigned in the offseason, Sanchez, 30, will now get another shot at redemption in the Giants' organization.

Fun fact: Sanchez hit his first career grand slam against the Giants back in 2019.

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