The Pittsburgh Pirates today signed catcher Yasmani Grandal (pronounced yahz-MAHN-ee GRAHN-dahl ) to a one-year contract for the 2024 season.
The 35-year-old Grandal spent each of the last four seasons playing for the Chicago White Sox. The switch-hitting Grandal hit .234 (85-for-363) with 14 doubles, eight home runs and 33 RBI in 118 games last season while making 92 appearances (79 starts) behind the plate. His .995 fielding percentage (four errors in 764 total chances) ranked fifth among American League backstops in 2023.
Grandal ranks fifth in games caught (1043) among all backstops in MLB since 2012 when he made his big league debut as a member of the San Diego Padres. The only four Major League catchers to play in more games during that time are Yadier Molina (1256), Salvador Perez (1161), Martin Maldonado (1057) and J.T. Realmuto (1047).
Since the beginning of the 2016 season, Grandal ranks fourth in home runs as a catcher with 134, trailing only Gary Sanchez (145), Salvador Perez (138) and J.T. Realmuto (136).
The Cuban-born Grandal was originally selected 12th overall in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft by the Cincinnati Reds. He was named to the National League All-Star team in 2015 as a member of the Dodgers and again in 2019 with Milwaukee.
Grandal has hit a combined .237 (928-for-3923) with 173 doubles, seven triples, 185 home runs and 565 RBI in 1235 games in the big leagues with San Diego (2012-14), Los Angeles Dodgers (2015-18), Milwaukee (2019) and Chicago White Sox (2020-23).
