The former top prospect will join a crowded depth chart behind Logan O’Hoppe.
The Angels haven’t made any big or exciting moves in free agency this offseason, but they have made a number of moves around the edges of their 40-man roster looking for an upgrade.
One report claims that their most recent such move was to sign switch-hitting catcher Francisco Mejia to a minor league contract.
Mejia moves to Anaheim to join a depth chart that already features Matt Thaiss and Logan O’Hoppe, who shared most of the catching responsibilities the previous season. Additionally, veteran backup Chad Wallach was recently re-signed by the Angels to a minor league contract.
Every team needs depth at the position of catcher, especially during spring training when it’s necessary for someone else to squat behind home plate and hold up a glove in order to get a “long look” at the organization’s pitchers.
Mejia may be more diverse than that. Although O’Hoppe, who turns 24 next season, has never played a full season in the major leagues, the Angels see him as their catcher of the future.
While O’Hoppe recovered from a torn shoulder labrum last season, Thaiss, a former first-round draft pick, was poised to make a breakthrough. On May 29, Thaiss had an OPS of.823 and a batting average of.300.
After that, in 204 plate appearances, Thaiss hit.169 with a.574 OPS and just eight extra-base hits. He occasionally had trouble with his glove as well.
Thaiss, a left-handed hitter, may need to establish his roster spot with a strong spring training. He has no more minor league options at age 28.
Let Mejia in. He’s a career and was once ranked among baseball’s top-20 prospects.239/.284/.394 hitter with Tampa Bay, Cleveland, and San Diego for portions of seven seasons. Mejia, who is 28 years old and a free agent for the first time, will sign with his fourth team in Southern California.
It’s said that switch-hitters develop more slowly than most batters. The defensive demands of their position also mean that catchers have a longer learning curve when it comes to playing in the batter’s box. In an optimistic sense, Mejia could be ready for a breakthrough.
Mejia has had plenty of chances, but he has never lived up to the potential that earned him three selections to the Futures Game (2016–18) and a spot on every major top–100 prospect list (2017–19).
After Mejia hit.227 with five home runs in 50 major league games the previous season, Tampa Bay decided not to re-sign him. He also had a.326/.359/.593 slash line in 20 games at Durham, Triple-A.
Mejia missed time last summer due to a sprained MCL in his left knee. Mejia was designated for assignment instead when he was cleared to rejoin the Rays roster in August.
Along with Wallach, outfielders Willie Calhoun and Jake Marisnick, and other veterans the Angels have signed to minor league contracts this winter, Mejia is the newest addition to this group.
AUTHOR J.P. HOORNSTRA
J.P. Hoornstra is the author of “The 50 Greatest Dodger Games Of All Time” and writes and edits content related to Major League Baseball for Halos Today. On one album, he recorded a keyboard solo alongside two of the original Doors members.
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