Rangers Sign Chad Wallach To Minors Contract

The Rangers have signed catcher Chad Wallach to a minor league split contract, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports.  Wallach will receive an invitation to Texas’ big league Spring Training camp.

The veteran backstop spent the last three seasons in the Angels organization, re-signing with the Halos in each of the last two winters.  After seeing some action in every MLB campaign from 2017-23, Wallach didn’t get any time in the Show last year, as he hit .247/.337/.430 over 335 plate appearances with Triple-A Salt Lake.  Logan O’Hoppe and Matt Thaiss stayed healthy and handled all of the catching duties for Los Angeles last season, so there was never any reason for Wallach to receive a call-up.

As he enters his age-34 season, Wallach now heads into a new environment with the Rangers, though his path to playing time isn’t much clearer.  Jonah Heim and Kyle Higashioka are set to be the Rangers’ top catching duo, and Tucker Barnhart was also inked to a minor league contract.  It could be that Texas simply wants as many backstops in camp as possible, but should Barnhart opt out of his deal to pursue another opportunity elsewhere, Wallach might be viewed as the likelier candidate to actually stay in the organization as an experienced catcher for the Triple-A affiliate.

Wallach has hit .198/.263/.328 with five home runs over 443 career plate appearances during his seven MLB seasons.  A backup for much of his career with the Reds, Marlins, and Angels, he received his most playing time in 2023, when a spate of injuries to the Halos’ catching corps allowed Wallach to amass 172 PA over 65 games.