After a week of reiterating the Pirates need a catcher at Major League Baseball's Winter Meetings, Ben Cherington has found a backstop to complement Jacob Stallings.
The Pirates are in agreement with free agent catcher Luke Maile for a one-year major league contract for the 2020 season.
Maile was considered one of the best backup catchers in 2018, combining a .700 OPS with great pitch framing skills to be worth 2.1 fWAR in 68 games played for the Blue Jays.
However, his bat took a significant turn for the worse in 2019. Maile slashed .151/.205/.235 for a .440 OPS in 129 plate appearances last season with two home runs and nine RBIs. His WAR dropped to -0.3.
He was non-tendered by the Blue Jays on Dec. 2. He will turn 29 in February.
Mailee had 12 caught stealings in 30 attempts last season (40%) and was worth 3 defensive runs saved.
At the MLB Winter Meetings last week, Cherington said he was looking for a good defensive catcher who manages a pitching staff well and excels at game planning. Having a catcher who would contribute offensively would have been a plus, but it was a secondary concern.
With Stallings and Maile, the Pirates would have one of the best defensive batteries in baseball.
Cherington and new assistant GM Steve Sanders were both with the Blue Jays front office the past three seasons, so they are familiar with Maile.
Maile is eligible for arbitration in 2021 and 2022 and has one option year remaining. That option year could signal the Pirates are not done looking for catching for 2020.
The Pirates' 40-man roster is now full.
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