The San Francisco Giants have yet to finalize the Justin Verlander deal, but they made a roster move on Wednesday. The team claimed former top catching prospect Sam Huff from the Texas Rangers and designated Austin Warren for assignment, according to the team’s transaction log.
SF Giants bolster catching depth by claiming former top-100 prospect
Backup catcher is generally not a top priority for teams during the offseason. However, the San Francisco Giants are looking to address their lack of depth at the position to avoid a repeat of last season, when they had to bring in players from outside the organization.
Patrick Bailey is firmly established as the starter, and Sam Huff joins Tom Murphy and Max Stassi in the competition for the backup role. Although Blake Sabol is still listed as a catcher, the coaching staff seems less committed to continuing that experiment.
Stassi has played only five rehab games in the last two seasons due to personal and injury setbacks, while Murphy had just 38 plate appearances before suffering a season-ending knee injury. The addition of Huff should bring extra competition to spring training.
Huff was drafted by the Rangers in the seventh round of the 2016 draft out of Arcadia High School in Phoenix, Arizona. He has steadily climbed through the minors over eight seasons, slashing .263/.334/.480 and hitting double-digit home runs in six of those years. Once regarded as one of the top prospects in baseball, he was ranked as high as No. 74 by MLB.com before the 2020 season.
Since his debut with the Rangers in 2020, Huff has appeared in parts of four seasons, posting a .258/.313/.455 line with a 7.5 percent walk rate, a 33.6 percent strikeout rate, and a .197 ISO.
The 26-year-old catcher brings significant experience behind the plate and has been solid defensively in the majors, which is typically sufficient for a backup catcher. Offensively, he strikes out frequently but also hits a few home runs and generates plenty of loud contact.
On the flip side, the Giants placed Austin Warren on waivers. Warren posted a 1.69 ERA in six appearances last season.
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