The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have signed catcher Christian Vázquez to a three-year contract worth $30 million.
Vázquez, 32, split last season between the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros, combining to hit .274 (109-for-398) with 23 doubles, nine home runs, 52 RBI, 41 runs scored, 22 walks and a .315 on-base percentage in 119 games, while slashing .304/.343/.480 vs. left-handed pitching. The 5-foot-9, 205-pound backstop caught 870.0 total innings last season, finishing tied for first in the American League in catcher caught stealings (16) and tied for fourth among all major league catchers with 11 defensive runs saved (per FanGraphs).
Since 2019, the right-handed batter ranks second among all catchers in total bases (566), hits (371) and doubles (74), ranks third in RBI (176) and fifth in walks (93). In that same span, he has caught 401 games (359 starts), second most in baseball, trailing only Philadelphia’s J.T. Realmuto (420). Since 2014, he is also tied for fifth among all catchers with 51 defensive runs saved (per FanGraphs).
The Bayamón, Puerto Rico native was originally selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy in Gurabo, Puerto Rico. Over eight major league seasons with the Red Sox and Astros, the two-time World Series champion has hit .261 (636-for-2433) with 127 doubles, five triples, 55 home runs, 276 RBI, 283 runs scored, 163 walks and a .310 on-base percentage in 733 career games.
