Twins Reportedly Signing Former Tigers Catcher Alex Avila
By Michael Luciano
One of the best veteran catchers in what has a pretty barren market this offseason has signed with a championship contender.
Alex Avila's tour of the AL Central continues as he'll sign with his third team in the division. Avila inked a one-year deal with the Minnesota Twins, where he will back up 2019 breakout star Mitch Garver.
Catcher Alex Avila and the Minnesota Twins are in agreement on a one-year, $4.25 million deal, sources tell ESPN. The catching market continues to move quickly, and the veteran left-handed hitter will join the Bomba Squad.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 6, 2019
Avila, the son of Tigers GM Al Avila, is best remembered for his eight-year stint in Detroit in which he made an All-Star team and contributed to a Tigers squad that won the pennant in 2012. After a year with the Chicago White Sox, Avila went back to Detroit, where he was traded by his father to the Chicago Cubs.
Avila has spent the last two seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he hit .184 with 16 home runs over that span.
His offensive production has gone in the tank, but Avila has continued to serve as one of the best defensive catchers and pitch framers in the game.
alex avila had a 6.29 framing runs above average rate in 2019.
— Parker Hageman (@ParkerHageman) December 6, 2019
by comparison:
- garver 4.40
- castro 3.98
- astudillo 0.94
After Garver went from seven home runs in 2018 to 31 in 2019, maybe Avila can rediscover his power stroke in Minnesota and earn some extra playing time.