The Texas Rangers added another established catcher on Friday when they agreed to terms with free agent Danny Jansen. The agreement is worth $14.5 million over the next two seasons. In addition, the Rangers have also agreed to one-year contracts with relievers Alexis Díaz and Tyler Alexander, a source told MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry. The club has not confirmed the signings.
Recent String Of Backstops
The 2025 offseason marks the second straight offseason in which the Rangers added a free agent catcher. The club signed Kyle Higashioka to a $13.5 million deal last winter. Danny Jansen has agreed to a nearly identical contract to split the playing time in 2026. The Rangers needed a catcher after non-tendering Jonah Heim on the heels of a second straight year of struggles.
Neither Higashioka or Jansen has huge platoon splits over the course of their careers. That will allow new manager Skip Schumaker to divide their playing time based on comfort with each day’s starting pitcher. Both catchers are similar players overall, though the latter is more patient at the plate. That provides a slightly higher floor from an on-base perspective even if neither player is likely to hit for a high average.
Prone to Injuries
Jansen, who turns 31 in April, was an underrated all-around catcher early in the early stages of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays. He performed well in limited playing time but struggled to stay healthy for a full season. Jansen has avoided injuries over the past two years except for a small wrist fracture that cost him the first couple weeks of the 2024 season.
His production on both sides of the ball dropped that year, though, leaving him to take an $8.5 million pillow contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. The signing of Jansen is more of a solution behind the plate rather than at the plate, but any hitting production will be a bonus for this club over the next two years.
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