A familiar backstop is returning to the South Side.
The White Sox announced on Friday that they have agreed to terms with catcher Omar Narvaez on a minor league contract. The deal also includes an invite to Spring Training.
Narvaez, who turns 33 next month, rejoins the White Sox organization after debuting with the team in 2016. During his three previous seasons in Chicago, the catcher was known for his bat as he hit .274/.366/.379 with 12 homers and 54 RBI over 221 games. His poor defense behind the plate led to just a 1.9 fWAR in that span, though he made improvements and eventually became better defensively than offensively throughout his career.
Since being traded by the Sox during the 2018 offseason, Narvaez has made stops with the Mariners (2019), Brewers (2020-22), and most recently the Mets (2023-24). With both sides of his game on the decline as of late, Narvaez’s two-year, $15 million deal heading into the 2023 campaign has turned into a disaster for the team in Queens. Last season, he spent the majority of his time with New York’s Triple-A affiliate, where he hit .254/.370/.412 across 96 minor league contests. Those numbers only got worse in his brief major-league stint, slashing just .154/.191/.185 over 28 games. His prior track record is a big reason why the White Sox are taking a flier and hoping to get a backup option at the major league level in a best-case scenario.
Beyond Narvaez, the future of the catcher position for the White Sox appears to be in good hands between top 100 prospects Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel. Both players figure to make their major league debuts at some point in 2025, though each could first benefit from some more time in Triple-A after combining for just 54 games at the level last season. In the short term, the Sox seem ready to turn to Korey Lee and Matt Thaiss, who was acquired from the Cubs this offseason. The two catchers are the only ones on the 40-man roster and figure to split the bulk of catching duties until Quero and/or Teel arrive.
We will be keeping a close eye on Narvaez and all of the organization’s catchers as Spring Training gets underway in just over a month. Until then, follow us on social media @SoxOn35th for more White Sox news, rumors, and updates.
Featured Photo: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
