Former Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado appears to have found a new home, with MLB insider Jon Heyman reporting Tuesday night that the veteran has agreed to play for the Chicago White Sox.
“Martin Maldonado to the White Sox. 1 year plus option. @ByRobertMurray reported close White Sox continue to improve the defense.”
Maldonado will bring experience to the White Sox, who were last in the big leagues in the 2023 MLB season in terms of catchers batting average (.196) and second-worst in catchers wRC+ (54). That being said, it's difficult to expect much out of Maldonado's bat, considering how he fared last season with the Astros during which he slashed only .191/.258/.348 with 15 home runs and 36 RBIs through 116 games and 407 plate appearances. He also posted just a 66 OPS+.
White Sox adds Martin Maldonado to catchers room
Maldonado will be joining Chicago's catcher room which features Carlos Perez, Max Stassi, and his former Astros teammate Korey Lee. Chicago mostly used Yasmani Grandal as their catcher in the 2023 campaign but the White Sox don't seem to have an interest in bringing him back, as he remains a free agent amid the Maldonado transaction.
Known more for his defense than his ability with the bat, Maldonado is coming off a season in which he was among the worst among qualified catchers in terms of framing, per Statcast. In Chicago, Maldonado will be hoping to show there's still gas left in his tank even though he's only posted a 68 OPS+ over the last four seasons — all with the Astros.
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