SAN DIEGO – The Chicago White Sox are creating a logjam at the catching position, adding a fifth to their 40-man roster Monday when they claimed Rob Brantly off waivers from the Miami Marlins.
Tyler Flowers, Adrian Nieto, Josh Phegley and Kevan Smith are also on the 40-man roster. While Flowers has started the most games over the past two seasons, the position isn’t as solidified as when A.J. Pierzynski was the club’s catcher for eight seasons, a run that ended after the 2012 season.
Despite what is perceived as lackluster play behind the plate, the White Sox did have the fourth best slugging percentage from their catchers in the American League this past season with a .395 mark. Their OPS was sixth at .688.
Brantly, 25, batted .255 with four home runs and 37 RBIs in 101 games with Triple-A New Orleans in 2014. The left-handed hitter has 98 games of experience at the major league level with the Marlins from 2012-13, batting a combined .235 with four home runs and 26 RBIs. He was the Marlins’ Opening Day catcher in 2013.
He is a former third-round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers in 2010 out of UC Riverside.
