Pirates A to Z: After short stay last year, Ali Sanchez returns to add depth at catcher

During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z, an alphabetical, player-by-player look at the 40-man roster.

Player: Ali Sanchez

Position: Catcher

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

Age: 26

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 200 pounds

2023 MLB statistics: None.

Contract: Not yet eligible for arbitration.

Acquired: Signed as a free agent to a one-year contract on Dec. 1.

This past season: Ali Sanchez was in the Pirates’ catching conversation last offseason, for about six weeks, anyway.

With Zack Collins, Jason Delay and Tyler Heineman on their 40-man roster and Roberto Perez about to become eligible for free agency, the Pirates claimed Sanchez on waivers from Detroit on Oct. 18, 2022.

When the Pirates signed free-agent first baseman Carlos Santana in late November, it came at the expense of Sanchez’s 40-man roster spot. They tried to sneak him through waivers but the Diamondbacks claimed Sanchez on Dec. 2.

After a pair of short stints in the majors — five games with the New York Mets in 2020 and two games with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021 — Sanchez spent a second consecutive season in the minors. (He split the 2022 season between Triple-A Memphis and Toledo).

The Diamondbacks assigned him to their Triple-A affiliate, the Reno Aces, where he was teammates with former Pirates infielders Diego Castillo and Phillip Evans and newly acquired first baseman Seth Beer, who was selected by the Pirates in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft on Wednesday.

The defense-first Venezuelan had a breakthrough season at the plate, as Sanchez batted .311/.375/.492 with 10 doubles, 11 home runs and 43 RBIs in 67 games and had a 15.7% strikeout rate, with only 42 in 267 plate appearances. He also thrived behind the plate, with a 34% caught stealing rate while throwing out 22 baserunners and committing only one error in 460 chances and two passed balls in 427 2/3 innings.

Sanchez shined in a game against the Oklahoma City Dodgers on July 23, going 3 for 4 with a double and a 473-foot home run to finish with four RBIs.

The call on the field stands, @Aces win!

After an unsuccessful challenge of the final pitch by the visitors, @Dbacks catcher Ali Sanchez works a walk-off walk. pic.twitter.com/svzY9MmCG0

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 13, 2023

Perhaps his most memorable game came against the Salt Lake Bees on Aug. 13. Sanchez doubled off the left field wall in the sixth inning, as the Aces rallied from a 3-0 deficit. Reno tied the game in the bottom of the 10th, then loaded the bases for Sanchez.

That’s where a minor league rule under consideration by MLB came into effect. Where Triple-A games on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays use the automated ball-strike system, a challenge system is in place on the weekend games. Umpires call balls and strikes but teams can challenge the calls for review with Hawk-Eye technology.

Bees pitcher Kolton Ingram’s first two pitches missed wildly and his third was a fastball inside. When his fourth pitch was ruled a ball, the Bees challenged the call. It went to review and was upheld, giving Sanchez and the Aces a walk-off win by walk after winning a challenge.

Ali Sanchez celebrates Taco Tuesday in style ????

Sanchez's oppo taco home run ties the ballgame. pic.twitter.com/UoFjQxlRhq

— Reno Aces (@Aces) August 23, 2023

Sanchez wasn’t an everyday catcher, however, but his numbers stayed strong as his playing time increased. He slashed .345/.429/.621 with two homers and seven RBIs in 10 games in June and .324/.343/.618 with three homers and six RBIs in nine games in July but batted .328/.397/.469 with two homers and 12 RBIs in 17 games in August. And it didn’t come at the expense of his defense.

After bouncing from the Mets to the Cardinals to the Tigers to the Pirates to the Diamondbacks, where NL Gold Glove winner Gabriel Moreno is blocking his path to the majors, Sanchez bet on himself this offseason by electing free agency. The Pirates signed him to a one-year contract on Dec. 1, adding another catcher to their mix.

Ali Sanchez making a heads-up play in AAA last season pic.twitter.com/I8k06yI3lR

— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) December 2, 2023

The future: Sanchez’s arrival is interesting, given that the Pirates return three catchers with more major league experience than he does.

Although Henry Davis played primarily in right field and designated hitter and only two innings behind the plate, the Pirates instructed him to concentrate on catching this offseason and to report to spring training with the pitchers and catchers.

Rodriguez played 57 games last season, taking over the starting duties upon his major league debut in mid-July, and is considered the Pirates’ catcher of the future. Delay played 57 games in 2022 and 70 last season, where he solidified himself as the backup.

Davis is regarded by talent evaluators as raw behind the plate, and Pirates general manager Ben Cherington admitted last summer that they brought him to the majors because of his bat, not his defense.

Considering their $6.5 million investment in Davis as the signing bonus for the No. 1 overall pick of the 2021 MLB Draft, the Pirates are giving him an opportunity to play his natural position.

Where does Sanchez fit in?

At worst, he provides an upgrade at the position at Triple-A Indianapolis and provides depth with major league experience, in case of an emergency. At best, his addition allows the Pirates to possibly deal one of their catchers in a trade for starting pitching, a first baseman or center fielder. Whatever the case, the Pirates are deeper at the position with Sanchez this year than they were in his short stay with them last year.