Dodgers Sign Undrafted Free Agent Catcher to Minor League Deal

Maren Angus-Coombs | Jul 23, 2024

Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Gio Cueto inked a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers after going undrafted in the MLB Draft earlier this week.

Cueto recently finished his final collegiate season with the Stetson Hatters, playing in 62 of Stetson’s 63 games, as it claimed the ASUN title and went to the NCAA Tournament. He played his first two college seasons at Wake Forest.

East Coast to West Coast! Congratulations to Gio Cueto on signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers!#GoHatters | @StetsonHatters pic.twitter.com/j0qu82Y5UG

— Stetson Baseball (@StetsonBaseball) July 19, 2024

As a Hatter, Cueto hit .283 with three home runs and ranked second on the team with 45 runs batted in. His on-base percentage sat at .411. Defensively, he finished with a .988 fielding percentage and six errors.

With the Demon Deacons, Cueto appeared in 53 games across the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He appeared in 20 games and started two behind the plate as a freshman.

In 2024, Cueto appeared in 32 games, making 22 starts as the catcher. Wake Forest reached the College World Series during his sophomore campaign.

Cueto's transfer to Stetson might seem like a step backward for some but for Cueto, he propelled himself forward. His framing skills probably earned the Dodgers' favor, too:

Big time win for Stetson who took down top-seeded Austin Peay 5-3 to eliminate the Governors for the Conference Tournament. Lorenzo Meola had 2 RBIs, Isaiah Barkett hit an RBI single, and Gio Cueto hit an RBI double. pic.twitter.com/vtFkFQf5yX

— Peter Flaherty III (@PeterGFlaherty) May 23, 2024

Cueto went from a sporadic starter to an everyday starter. His experience paid off, recording a hit and an RBI in all four of their ASUN Tournament contests. He went 2-for-10 in the NCAA Tournament.