According to the team’s official transaction record, the Chicago Cubs have signed veteran catcher Curt Casali to a minor league contract, just one day after suffering a loss to the Texas Rangers in their opening game of the season and shortly after parting ways with depth backstop Jorge Alfaro.
The Miami Marlins used Casali, 35, for spring training. He was released from the team earlier this week after not being included on the Opening Day roster.
The seasoned backstop, who has played for the Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds, and San Francisco Giants, has participated in MLB games in each of the last ten seasons.
Casali, a career hitter who hit.220/.314/.380, played in 40 games for the Reds in 2023. In those games, he went 14-for-80 with two doubles, six RBI, and eleven walks. In nine Marlins spring training games, Casali was just 1-for-17.
Despite being largely unimpressive at the plate for the majority of his career, Casali has recorded 4.2 defensive WAR in 502 games, providing the North Siders with strong defensive depth in back of Yan Gomes and Miguel Amaya.
Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register reports that Casali will begin the season with the Iowa Cubs and report to Triple-A Iowa.
On Saturday night, the Cubs will play the Texas Rangers in Arlington. Texas starter Cody Bradford will oppose Kyle Hendricks on the mound for the Cubs. There will be a first pitch at 6:05 p.m.