How often does a player suit up for a team, without most of the public knowing he signed a contract?
Rarely is the answer. However, on Wednesday, the San Francisco Giants made a sneaky move to sign a veteran catcher to a minor league deal.
“The Giants have apparently re-signed catcher Eric Haase to a minor league contract. The Warner Sports Management client is in the lineup tonight for Triple-A Sacramento,” Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors wrote yesterday.” Haase had been released from his previous minor league deal at the end of Spring Training.”
MORE: Terrance Gore’s son honors dad with perfect first pitch
Haase is an eight-year veteran and will now try to impress enough at Triple-A to earn a backup role behind Patrick Bailey. The 33-year-old hit .229/.289/.357 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 77 trips to the plate last season with the Milwaukee Brewers.
He made his Major League debut with the Cleveland Guardians in 2018, spending parts of three seasons there before four years with the Detroit Tigers. Haase’s 22 home runs in 2021 with the AL Central club are a career high.
“Haase has always been a bat-first option who probably profiles best in the third catcher role he’ll play now that he’s back with San Francisco,” Franco added.
San Francisco is currently using Daniel Susac as its backup catcher.
More MLB news: