Mets Sign Ex-Yankee Catcher Gary Sanchez to Minor League Deal

Once a fearsome presence on the field, Gary Sanchez has found his way back to New York, signing a minor league contract with the Mets on Tuesday. The 30-year-old former Yankees catcher had previously exercised his May 1 opt-out with the San Francisco Giants after they chose not to include him in their 40-man roster. Sanchez's performance at Triple-A Sacramento this season has been lackluster, with a disappointing .164/.319/.182 in 16 games.

Hailing from the Dominican Republic, the two-time All-Star has struggled to maintain the explosive debut he had with the Yankees in 2016, when he hit 20 homers in just 53 games. Since then, his seven-year career in pinstripes has been characterized by a rocky .230/.318/.487 slashline. Nevertheless, Sanchez was a key contributor during the Yankees' 2017 and 2019 runs to the ALCS, which culminated in losses to the Houston Astros.

During his All-Star years, Sanchez's defensive issues were largely overlooked due to his prowess at the plate. His 18 passed balls in 2018 placed him atop Major League Baseball, despite playing only 76 games behind the plate. However, once his batting performance began to falter, hitting a .618 OPS in 2020 and .731 OPS in 2021, the Yankees moved on.

In March 2022, Sanchez was traded to the Twins along with Gio Urshela in a deal that brought Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Josh Donaldson, and Ben Rortvedt to the Bombers. With a disappointing .205/.282/.377 slash and 16 homers in 128 games during his single season in Minnesota, Sanchez is now facing an uphill battle as he vies to break through with the Mets. With MLB Pipeline's No. 1 prospect Francisco Alvarez also competing for the catcher position, displaying a .220/.264/.320 in 18 games this season, Sanchez will need to find his stride if he hopes to reclaim his former glory.