The Phillies added more depth at the catching position on Wednesday afternoon. With Cameron Rupp in the fold and youngsters Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp possibly making the club, the Phillies already added veteran catcher Bryan Holaday to the mix for a potential bench job. Competing with all of them now will be catcher Ryan Hanigan, who has signed a minor league deal with the Phillies that includes an invitation to Spring Training.
Hanigan is best known for his years with the Cincinnati Reds. Hanigan’s best season came in 2012, when he batted .274 as the team’s primary catcher. After a down 2013, Hanigan played with the Tampa Bay Rays (2014), and Boston Red Sox (2015-2016).
Hanigan is now 36 years old. The Phillies will use Hanigan as depth during Spring Training, when several catchers are needed, and as a potential backup to Rupp. While both Alfaro and Knapp are on the 40-man roster, the Phillies will want them to earn a job on the Major League roster. Hanigan and Holaday could either make the club or serve as insurance at Triple-A Lehigh Valley for the catching position.
The Phillies avoided disabled list stints to their two catchers Cameron Rupp and Carlos Ruiz in 2015 and 2016, but such an occurrence is an exception rather than the rule.
Hanigan is a lifetime .250 hitter in 647 games.
