Former Padres Catcher Signs With Struggling NL Team

Maren Angus-Coombs | Jul 7, 2024

Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Former San Diego Padres catcher Christian Bethancourt and the Chicago Cubs agreed to a minor league deal on Friday, per the Major League Baseball transaction log. He was immediately assigned to Triple-A Iowa.

The journeyman backstop was released by the Miami Marlins on June 27 after designating him for assignment five days earlier.

Chicago marks Bethancourt's ninth MLB organization since marking his big league debut with the Atlanta Braves in 2013. He spent his first five years appearing in 161 games between the Braves and the Padres slashing .222/.252/.316.

Bethancourt didn't play in the majors from 2018-21, bouncing between the Milwaukee Brewers, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Pittsburgh Pirates organizations, with a brief stopover in Korea during the 2019 season. He finally returned to the big leagues in 2022, appearing in 56 games for the Oakland Athletics, and was dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays ahead of the trade deadline.

The Chicago Cubs signed C Christian Bethancourt to a minor league contract. pic.twitter.com/BKfWHHGw4J

— MLB Roster Moves (@Roster_Moves) July 5, 2024

The Rays had him on their 2023 Opening Day roster and he played 102 games as the primary backstop. His game declined on both sides of the ball and the Rays flipped him to Miami in the offseason where his offensive struggles only got worse. He slashed .159/.198/.268 over 38 games in Miami this season before he was designated for assignment.

Chicago's catchers are second-to-last in terms of production with Miami being the only team worse than the Cubs. Perhaps, the Cubs are hoping Bethancourt can find his footing on the farm and become the next chapter behind the dish this season.