Texas Rangers Fill Top Non-Pitching Need, Sign Veteran Catcher In Case Jonah Heim Struggles Again

Catcher Kyle Higashioka signed a two-year deal with the Texas Rangers for what the club hopes is a backup role behind former All-Star Jonah Heim.

Oct 6, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Kyle Higashioka (20) runs after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the ninth inning during game two of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers have very few non-pitching needs to address this offseason and they took care of the biggest one on Monday.

The club signed catcher Kyle Higashioka to a two-year, $13.5 million contract through the 2026 season with a mutual option for 2027.

Higashioka will earn $5.75 million in 2025, $6.75 in 2026, and have a $7 million mutual option for 2027, with a $1 million buyout.

Higashioka, who turns 35 in April, batted .220/.263/.476/.739 (54-246) and set career highs in home runs (17), RBI (45), and runs (29) over 84 games for the San Diego Padres in 2024.

Jonah Heim, an All-Star 2023, struggled for much of 2024, batting .220 with 13 homers, 12 doubles and 59 RBI, all down from the previous season. The starting job remains Heim's to lose, but Higashioka gives the Rangers some experienced insurance if Heim struggles in 2025. Andrew Knizner, signed as Heim's backup before the 2024 season, struggled and was designated for assignment in early August.

He threw out 13 of 65 attempted base stealers for a 20.0% caught stealing percentage, 4th-best among National League catchers with at least 75 starts.

Before his one season with San Diego, Higashioka spent 16 years in the New York Yankees organization. He made his MLB debut in 2017 after 10 seasons in the minors, tied for the longest tenure from draft to debut by a Yankees player. Higashioka was traded to the Padres in December 2023 in a deal that sent Juan Soto to New York.

The right-handed batter is from Huntington Beach, Calif., and was a seventh round pick in the 2008 MLB Draft out of Edison High School.

In limited action, he's had at least 10 home runs and 29 RBI in each of the past four seasons. He caught Domingo Germán's perfect game in 2023 and Corey Kluber's no-hitter in 2021 at Globe Life Field. He's the 13th catcher in MLB history to catch a perfect game and no-hitter.

Higashioka owns a career .212/.255/.412/.668 (234-1104) slash line with 57 homers in 398 career games over eight MLB seasons. According to Fangraphs, his 28.4 catcher framing runs since 2019 are the seventh most in MLB in that span.

Texas has 39 players on the club’s 40-man roster.

You can follow Stefan Stevenson on X @StefanVersusTex.

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