Previously with the Houston Astros, Martin Maldonado sealed a one-year contract for $1 million with the Chicago White Sox, as reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Maldonado, a key figure at catcher for the Astros since 2019 with two separate tenures, was a constant presence on the field. Despite facing significant challenges at bat during his Houston stint, he proved a dependable asset for the team in his role behind the plate.
Earlier in the offseason, Dana Brown explicitly stated that Yainer Diaz would be the starting catcher, referring to him as ‘the guy’ slated to begin in that position.
Diaz significantly outperforms, with his blocks above average in the 90th percentile, a caught stealing (CS) rate in the 81st percentile, and a pop time in the 86th percentile, according to Baseball Savant. While his framing occasionally faltered, ranking in the 21st percentile, it was still markedly superior to Maldonado’s, which was at the lowest possible ranking.
The 37-year-old has been limited in terms of offensive impact, managing only a .207 average with 111 homers over 3,314 at-bats. In contrast, 25-year-old Diaz shone in 2023, batting .282 with 23 home runs. His standout performance made the team’s decision to move on from Martin straightforward.
As the Astros continue to evolve, Diaz is poised to become one of their main guys. His impressive performance last season solidified his position among key players such as Kyle Tucker, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez, and others.