Pitcher Roddery Muñoz also claimed off waivers from Washington
The Pittsburgh Pirates today signed catcher Ali Sanchez to a one-year contract for the 2024 season.
Sanchez spent the entire 2023 season with Triple-A Reno in the Diamondbacks organization, where he hit .311 (74-for-238) with 10 doubles, 11 home runs, 43 RBI, .375 OBP, .492 slugging percentage and .867 OPS in 67 games.
Sanchez, who made just one error in 460 total chances in 427.2 innings behind the plate, also threw out 22 runners attempting to steal against him in 2023 with Reno, which ranked third among all
backstops in the Pacific Coast League.
The 26-year-old Sanchez made his big league debut in 2020, playing in a total of five games with the New York Mets that season. He also appeared in two games with St. Louis in 2021.
The Pirates have also claimed right-handed pitcher Roddery Muñoz off waivers from the Washington Nationals.
The 23-year-old Muñoz entered the 2023 season rated as Atlanta’s No. 8 prospect according to FanGraphs (No. 22 by Baseball America).
Muñoz, who was claimed off waivers by Washington from Atlanta on July 17, went a combined 4-6 with a 5.42 ERA (78.0ip/47er) and 81 strikeouts in 34 appearances (14 starts) in 2023 between Double-A Mississippi, Triple-A Gwinnett, Florida Complex League Braves, and Triple-A Rochester.
During the 2022 campaign, the righthander ranked 10th among all Braves minor leaguers in strikeouts (119) while making a combined 22 starts between High-A Rome and Mississippi.
Right-handed pitcher Thomas Hatch has also cleared outright waivers and has been released for the purpose of signing with a team in Japan.
There are now 38 players on Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster.
