All-Star Catcher Returns To The White Sox

Chris Getz and the White Sox have been very busy since the new year, as they have made a number of moves. That has continued, as it was announced the White Sox have singed another player to a minor league contract. This time it is a familiar face, Omar Narvaez.

The Chicago White Sox have agreed to terms with C Omar Narváez on a minor-league contract with an invite to Spring Training.

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) January 10, 2025

Narvaez played with the White Sox from 2016-2018, where he would put up three very solid years as a part-time catcher. In those three seasons, Narvaez hit a very respectable .274 with a .366 OBP. These were some of the best years of his career, and the White Sox capitalized on that, as they traded him to the Seattle Mariners in the 2018 offseason for reliever Alex Colome.

After departing the White Sox, he would spend one year in Seattle where he would hit .278 with a .353 OBP, adding 22 homeruns and 55 RBIs. Those power numbers were a bit out of the ordinary for Narvaez, but 2019 was the year of the juiced ball.

The Mariners also decided to capitalize on a successful season by Narvaez, as they shipped him off to the Milwaukee Brewers. Narvaez would go on to play three years with the Brewers from 2020-2022. 2020 wasn’t a great year for Naravez, but he followed it up with an all-star campaign in 2021.

In his all-star campaign, Naravez hit .266 with a .342 OBP. He added 11 homeruns and 49 RBIs in 123 games. Additionally, he graded out in the 100th percentile in framing and in the 76th percentile in caught stealing above average according to Baseball Savant.

Since that all-star season, Narvaez hasn’t put up the same kind of numbers at or behind the plate in Milwaukee or when he signed with the Mets in 2023. The Mets designated him for assignment last summer, and he hasn’t played in a major league game since.

This is a solid move for the White Sox, as it adds another body to the catching competition in Spring Training. As of right now, the White Sox have Korey Lee, Matt Thaiss, and then two prospects, Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel.

Chris Getz has made it very clear that he wants to add as much competition as possible, so no starting spot is given to prospects or any incumbent on the team. This is a nice buy low signing, as Narvaez has shown that he is a very capable backup catcher and can provide a veteran presence to the rookies.

Since this is only a minor league deal, the White Sox lose nothing by giving him a shot. If Chris Getz continues to give out minor league contracts at this rate, the White Sox will likely have 60+ guys in Spring Training, similar to last year.