Guardians Take Chance On Ex-Red Sox Catcher Looking To Work His Way Back To Big Leagues

One former member of the Red Sox found a new home in Cleveland

The Cleveland Guardians made a depth move Saturday afternoon as they took a chance on a former member of the Boston Red Sox. 

Former Red Sox catcher Sandy Leon officially agreed to a minor league contract with the Guardians on Saturday afternoon to rejoin the organization after three other stints with the club, according to the MLB transaction log.

Leon has been a journeyman throughout his professional career. The 34-year-old began his big league career with the Washington Nationals in 2012 and since then has seen time in the majors with the Red Sox, Guardians, Miami Marlins, Minnesota Twins, and most recently the Texas Rangers. 

The backstop spent four seasons in Boston and helped the club as it won the 2018 World Series. Leon has appeared in 554 games in his big league career and is slashing .208/.276/.311 to go along with 31 home runs and 149 while playing dependable defense. Leon appeared in 83 games for the Marlins in 2021 and since then has appeared in just 54 big league games while also spending time in the minor leagues. 

Leon likely will join the Triple-A Columbus Clippers as he looks to work his way back to the big leagues once again. The 34-year-old was solid in a small sample size in the minor leagues for the Rangers this season slashing .273/.467/.273 in four games, but struggled after being called up to the big leagues and has just a .146 batting average in 22 games. 

There's no way for sure to know if Leon will make his way back up to the big leagues, but hopefully, he's able to find his footing in Cleveland. At the very least, he will provide cheap veteran depth in the minor leagues, or if injuries pop up, he may find himself back up in the majors in 2023. 

More MLB: Ex-Red Sox Catcher Designated For Assignment; Reunion Makes Sense