Giants Sign Max Stassi to Minor League Contract

The San Francisco Giants have reached an agreement on a minor league contract with catcher Max Stassi, as initially reported by Aram Leighton of Just Baseball and subsequently confirmed on Stassi'sMLB.comtransaction log. The deal is expected to include a non-roster invitation to big league camp.

Stassi, who hasn't played in the majors since 2022, began the 2023 season on the injured list due to a left hip issue. His situation became more complicated when he was transferred to the restricted list to address a family matter. The Stassi family announced that their son was born prematurely and required extensive care in the NICU.

The past offseason saw Stassi traded twice—first from the Los Angeles Angels to the Atlanta Braves, and then to the Chicago White Sox in a series of salary-driven transactions. The White Sox planned to use him as their backup catcher, but he reaggravated his hip injury, leading to season-ending surgery in June. The White Sox ultimately opted for a $500,000 buyout instead of a $7.5 million option, ending Stassi's tenure with the team without him playing a single game.

Stassi's last fully healthy season in 2022 was disappointing, as he posted a .180/.267/.303 slash line over 375 plate appearances. This was a stark contrast to his impressive performance in 2020-21, when he hit .250/.333/.452 and was considered an above-average defensive catcher. His strong showing during those years earned him a $17.5 million extension from the Angels in Spring Training 2022, but his performance declined soon after.

​Now aiming for a fresh start with the Giants, Stassi will look to prove he can return to his form from a few years ago and contribute to the team's catching depth.