Rangers sign Kyle Higashioka to a two-year deal

The Rangers announced the signing of Catcher Kyle Higashioka on a two-year contract with a mutual option until 2027. Texas did not disclose financial details. Higashioka is represented by the Beverly Hills Sports Council. The Rangers now have 39 players on their 40-man roster.

Higashioka was one of the best catchers in a weak free agent class. He was a free agent for the first time, even though he turns 35 in April. Higashioka was drafted by the Yankees out of high school in 2008 and spent nine seasons in the minors before being called up to the big leagues for the first time. He moved back to the MLB squad for another three years. Only after exhausting his minor league opportunities did he get a permanent big league job in 2020.

New York never viewed Higashioka as a legitimate starting catcher. He spent more than four seasons in a backup role while working as Gerrit Coles personal catcher. The Yankees sent him to the Padres last winter Juan Soto Blockbusters. While San Diego was looking for an experienced replacement to work behind it Luis CampusanoHigashioka was widely viewed as the final piece of their five-player Soto return.

The Huntington Beach native was a surprising contributor to San Diego’s 93-win team. Campusano struggled on both sides of the ball and eventually played his way out of the big league roster. Higashioka, on the other hand, had the best season of his career. In 84 games he hit a personal record of 17 home runs. The long ball made him a good offensive player despite poor marks on base. Higashioka ran a bizarre .220/.263/.476 batting line over 267 trips to the plate.

Only 21 batters (at least 200 plate appearances) had a lower on-base percentage. Still, Higashioka is the only player to finish in the bottom 30 in MLB in OBP and still be rated as an overall above-average hitter in wRC+, a testament to his prowess. By the end of the year, Higashioka had overtaken Campusano as Mike Shildt’s starting catcher. He hit three more home runs in seven postseason games.

Higashioka has earned a good reputation as a defensive player. Statcast has given his pitch-framing skills a positive review, while he is generally regarded for his ability to work with a pitching staff. However, Higashioka has struggled as a blocker in consecutive seasons. He was charged with nine passed balls in 665 2/3 innings this year. Only Francisco Alvarez (11) was charged with more. Korey Lee And Patrick Bailey Higashioka was tied with nine passed balls, but both caught more than 150 more innings than him. Statcast ranked him in the bottom third of qualified catchers in terms of average pop time, although his 20% steal catch rate was in line with the MLB average.

The on-base deficiencies and possible concerns about his arm strength have kept Higashioka from getting a full-time job. He has never made 300 plate appearances in an MLB season. Teams viewed him as more of a quality backup than a true No. 1 catcher.

Texas has 2023 All-Star Jonah Heim as their primary option behind the plate. Heim had a disappointing ’24 season in which he fell to a .220/.267/.336 rating in 491 plate appearances. Heim has played 125 games in three consecutive seasons. He appeared in 148 contests in 2023 between the regular season and playoffs. Higashioka likely won’t replace him as the starting catcher, but the veteran’s presence could allow manager Bruce Bochy to reduce Heim’s workload by 15 to 20 games.

Texas got almost nothing out of the backup catcher Andrew Knizner for the first few months of the season. The Rangers have taken over Carson Kelly at the deadline, but he stumbled to a .235/.291/.343 batting average in 31 games. When Kelly hit free agency, GM Chris Young and his staff targeted Higashioka to hopefully solidify the catching corps.

Financial details remain undisclosed. RosterResource estimates the Rangers’ payroll at about $180 million, while they have about $188 million in luxury tax liabilities. Texas reportedly intends to stay below the tax threshold in 2025. They still have about $53 million of wiggle room before they reach that mark, although it’s unclear exactly where ownership will draw the line as the Rangers try to arrange a new lineup for their home-market local broadcasting. In any case, Higashioka’s deal shouldn’t break the bank. MLBTR predicted he would receive a two-year, $15 million contract.

Four free agent catchers have come off the board in the first few weeks of the offseason. Higashioka joins in Travis d’Arnaud as a recipient of multi-year contracts, while Jacob Stallings And Austin Hedges each signed for a guaranteed season. Next to Kelly, Danny Jansen is considered a top free agent for teams looking for help behind the bowl.

The Padres are one of those clubs. Higashioka’s departure leaves the Padres with an obvious need behind the plate. Campusano and Brett Sullivan are the only catchers on their 40-man roster. Neither appears to be a viable starter for a team with postseason aspirations. Top view Ethan Salas is hopefully the long-term solution, but it’s unlikely the teenager will break into the MLB until next season.

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi first reported that the Rangers and Higashioka were making progress toward an agreement. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News confirmed the deal went through. Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.