The Red Sox have been scouring the market for catching depth all winter. With just over 10 days to go before pitchers and catchers report to spring training, they’ve added a veteran on a non-roster deal.

Boston has agreed to sign Matt Thaiss to a minor league deal with an invite to big-league camp, a source confirmed Saturday. SoxProspects’ Andrew Parker was first on the agreement.

Thaiss, a former first-round pick who has appeared in 305 major league games since debuting in 2019, could theoretically push Connor Wong for the backup catcher spot behind Carlos Narváez with a strong spring training, though Wong (despite having minor league options remaining) has the clear inside track to that job. For now, Thaiss is the third catcher on the depth chart, joining Jason Delay as veteran free agent options who have signed non-roster deals this offseason.

Thaiss has hit just .210 with a .652 OPS in parts of seven major league seasons but had a pretty good defensive year in 2025, posting three defensive runs saved in 411 â…” innings catching for the White Sox and Rays. A career-long backup who has never played in more than 95 games in a season, Thaiss appeared in 60 games for those two teams and hit .218 with one homer, six doubles, 16 RBIs and a combined .638 OPS. Thaiss spent the first two months of the season with the White Sox before being traded to the Rays on May 27. He was designated for assignment at the trade deadline and spent the final two months of the year at Triple-A Durham.

Thaiss spent the first six years of his career with the Angels from 2019 to 2024. The University of Virginia product has always been selective at the plate, as evidenced by a 13.1% career walk rate, and has posted good blocking numbers on defense (80th percentile in 2025, per Statcast). He has seen major league time at both corner infield positions, too, including three total MLB innings at first base last year. As a rookie in 2019, he played 43 games at third base for the Halos.

Of the 22 players announced as non-roster invitees to Red Sox camp, five are catchers. Behind Narváez and Wong, who are the only two backstops on the 40-man roster, Boston will have Thaiss, Delay, Ronald Rosario and recent trade addition Nate Baez in camp, which starts Feb. 10 in Fort Myers.