The Phillies lost out on re-signing catcher A.J. Ellis, who reunited with former manager Don Mattingly in Miami. With Cameron Rupp holding down the starting catching job, and prospects Andrew Knapp or Jorge Alfaro potentially serving as a backup catcher, the Phillies needed veteran catching depth behind him. The Phillies added some today in a minor league deal.
According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN, the Phillies have agreed to terms with veteran catcher Bryan Holaday:
Bryan Holaday has agreed to a minor-league deal with the #Phillies. Non-roster invite. Will compete for backup catcher job.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) December 17, 2016
Holaday has spent parts of the last five seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, and Boston Red Sox.
The Phillies have a lot to figure out regarding the catching position. What the Phillies do will be determined by how ready prospects Knapp and Alfaro are to play in the big leagues. Rupp could conceivably be trade bait, or maybe the Phillies would be okay with one of the youngsters joining him in the majors in 2016.
Since the deal is a minor league deal, Holaday will not need a 40-man roster spot until the Phillies are ready to promote him. That gives the Phillies time to assess the catching situation before making a decision. Extra catching is always needed in Spring Training, so the Phillies could add another catcher.
At the plate, Holaday is a .245 career hitter in 376 at bats.
