SF Giants claim Meibrys Viloria and Drew Strotman off waivers from Texas Rangers

The SF Giants filled out the 40-man roster by claiming catcher Meibrys Viloria and pitcher Drew Strotman off waivers from the Texas Rangers.

The SF Giants have never let openings on the 40-man roster last for long under president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, and indeed, they claimed a pair of players off waivers to fill out the roster on Thursday. The Giants acquired catcher Meibrys Viloria and right-handed pitcher Drew Strotman off waivers from the Texas Rangers.

Recent SF Giants waiver claim Meibrys Viloria slides into second base during his tenure with the Texas Rangers. (2022) / Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports

Viloria is the second catcher the Giants have claimed off waivers this week after they acquired Dom Núñez from the Rockies. Like Núñez, Viloria is a left-handed hitter who has appeared in multiple big-league seasons and could be a viable backup.

A native of Columbia, Viloria was signed as an amateur by the Kansas City Royals. He first emerged as a prospect in 2016 when he hit .376/.436/.606 as a teenager in the Pioneer League. However, as Viloria moved up the Royals farm system, he was never able to hit for power.

Injuries and minimal organizational catching depth led the Royals to call Viloria up to the majors directly from High-A in 2018 for a brief period. Unsurprisingly, he struggled in 29 plate appearances.

Viloria appeared in each of the next two MLB seasons with the Royals but hit just .215/.266/.287 with one home run in 201 plate appearances. Skeptical of his offensive potential, the Royals designated him for assignment, and he was claimed by the Rangers.

Viloria appeared in 26 games with Texas this season and recorded an abysmal .159/.280/.270 triple-slash. However, he had his most productive minor-league season since 2016, hitting .280/.422/.440 at Triple-A.

Still only 25, Viloria still has some enticing potential. He has always been an above-average defender with an excellent arm, but also has a quality plate approach and has even flashed power potential. If the Giants can help Viloria use that power more often, he could solidify himself as a big-league catcher.

Strotman was a St. Mary's College product, who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 draft by the Rays. Primarily a reliever in college, the Rays moved Strotman to the rotation, and he struggled with injuries in his first full minor league season. In 2021, though, impressed the player development staff enough to start the season at Triple-A.

Strotman had a 3.39 ERA in 13 Triple-A appearances before he was traded by the Rays to the Twins in the package for Nelson Cruz. However, Strotman's ERA soared as soon as he joined Minnesota.

This season, the Twins shifted Strotman back to the bullpen hoping to take advantage of his high-octane stuff. His inconsistent control, though, prevented him from limiting damage. With a 6.44 ERA in 39 appearances at Triple-A, the Twins designated him for assignment, and he was claimed by the Rangers. He made just three appearances before the season ended. Overall, he finished 2022 with 63 strikeouts in 52.2 innings pitched with 36 walks and a 6.32 ERA in 42 appearances at Triple-A.

As with every SF Giants roster move, it's hard to know how committed the organization is to Drew Strotman or Meibrys Viloria. Both could be set to compete for spots on the big-league roster next season. However, they could also be set to be designated for assignment as soon as the Giants need more space on the 40-man roster.