In a surprising turn of events, the Oakland Athletics have struck a deal with seasoned catcher Chad Wallach for a minor league contract, as reported by the MiLB.com transaction log. This agreement likely includes a non-roster invitation for Wallach to participate in Spring Training, and he is expected to kick off the season with the Triple-A team in Las Vegas.
At 34 years old, Wallach has predominantly spent the last four years within the Los Angeles Angels organization, serving primarily as their third or fourth catcher on the depth chart. Last September, he was called up by the Angels due to injuries affecting key players Travis d'Arnaud and Logan O’Hoppe. During this brief stint, Wallach appeared in just one game, where he caught for two innings in a game against Seattle that ended in a loss. Following O'Hoppe's return from injury, Wallach was designated for assignment and cleared from the roster.
This marked Wallach's sole experience in Major League Baseball since 2023. Over his career, he has played in parts of eight seasons at the big league level, but he saw his most significant playing time three years ago when he appeared in 65 games and registered 172 plate appearances with the Angels. Throughout his MLB journey, he has maintained a batting line of .198/.263/.328 across 443 plate appearances. In the previous year, Wallach showcased an improved performance in Triple-A, hitting .248/.319/.430 while splitting his time between the Angels and the Rangers organizations.
For the upcoming season, Shea Langeliers is positioned to be the primary catcher for the Athletics, assuming he remains healthy, with Austin Wynns stepping in as his backup. Currently, they are the only two catchers listed on the team's 40-man roster. Wallach, now added as a non-roster option, brings considerable experience to the table, joining fellow depth players Brian Serven and Bryan Lavastida, both of whom also have MLB experience.
What do you think about the Athletics' decision to bring in Wallach? Could this move provide the team with much-needed depth, or do you believe they should have sought a different player? Let us know your thoughts!
