Angels catcher Max Stassi was unable to play during the 2023 season because of a serious family issue. He and his wife Gabrielle were overwhelmed when their son Jackson Turner Stassi was born more than 3 month premature in April.

Instead of putting on his Angels uniform and catching during the 2023 regular season, Stassi and Gabrielle attended to the needs of their tiny son, who was born weighing 1.5 pounds.

Gabrielle Stassi delivered a report on her Instagram detailing Jackson's multiple health issues. The couple's young child has battled pneumonias, blood infections, a brain bleed, collapsing lungs, cracked ribs, bone disease, airway scarring and other issues as well.

The tone of her Instagram post did not indicate that Jackson was out of trouble and that his health problems were behind him. However, the report did have a somewhat optimistic tone to it by saying that Jackson is “playful” and that the couple looks forward to the day they can bring Jackson home.

Stassi sat out the full season after playing in a career-high 102 games for the Angels during the 2022 season. He struggled with the bat that season as he slashed .180/.267/.303 for Los Angeles while hitting 9 home runs and driving in 30 runs.

He had a better offensive season in 2021 when he hit 13 home runs and drove in 35 runs while batting .241/.326/.426.

Stassi has been with the Angels for 4 years. He had played 7 seasons with the Houston Astros before moving on to Los Angeles.

The report did not indicate if Max Stassi would resume his Major League Baseball career in 2024.