Rangers 40-Man Roster Wraps: Jonah Heim

Jonah Heim got the chance to be the full-time catcher in 2022 and put together the best numbers of his young career.

InsidetheRangers.com will review each of the players on the Texas Rangers 40-man roster at the conclusion of the 2022 season.

C Jonah Heim

Statistics for 2022: Heim batted .227/.298/.399/.697 in 127 games (92-for-406). He scored 51 runs and 162 total bases. He had 20 doubles, one triple, 16 home runs and 48 RBI. He walked 41 times and struck out 87 times. He stole two bases. He played 111 games at catcher and was charged with just three errors.

Season Transactions: Heim made the Opening Day roster and spent April 28-May 1 on the paternity list.

Season Summary: This was Heim’s breakthrough season. He became the front-line catcher after Mitch Garver’s injury and proved he could do the job. He set career highs in just about every offensive category. That included his batting average, where he had a previous high of .211 in 13 games with the Oakland Athletics in 2020. At one point, Heim was hitting .250 as late as Aug. 23. But given that it was his first full season as a front-line catcher, it was natural that his batting average tailed off somewhat down the stretch. He hit .141 in August and .155 in September before hitting .273 in his final four games in October.

Contract Status: Heim is entering his final non-arbitration season in 2023.

What’s next: Heim has earned the right to be considered the starter at catcher entering the 2023 season. He’ll have competition with Sam Huff, Mitch Garver, Meibrys Viloria and Kevin Plawecki, the last of which is a free agent but could be re-signed. But Heim’s defense, his command of the staff and his ability to switch-hit — a relative rarity these days in baseball, much less at catcher — makes him the incumbent with little chance of losing playing time.

2022 Texas Rangers 40-Man Roster Wraps:

Ezequiel Duran | A.J. Alexy | Josh Smith | Tyson Miller | Corey Seager | Joe Barlow | Leody Taveras | Brad Miller | Drew Strotman | Josh Jung | Jon Gray | Taylor Hearn | Mitch Garver | Kevin Plawecki | Mark Mathias | John King | Charlie Culberson | Adolis García | Andy Ibáñez | Cole Ragans | Kole Calhoun | Brett Martin | Jose Leclerc | Marcus Semien | Matt Moore | Glenn Otto | Eli White | Jesus Tinoco | Sam Huff |

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