Fansided

Reds sign former Rays catcher after atrocious 2024 season

By Mason Stacy |
Tampa Bay Rays v Houston Astros
Tampa Bay Rays v Houston Astros / Jack Gorman/GettyImages

The Cincinnati Reds have signed free agent catcher, Alex Jackson to a minor league contract with a probable invite to Spring Training. The former Rays backstop was designated for assignment in September of 2024 and elected free agency on October 1st. His only season in Tampa Bay was an objectively dreadful one as the 28-year old finished with a .201 OBP in 58 games.

In addition to his dismal offensive numbers, Jackson was a below average defensive catcher. The San Diego native was 40th best in caught stealing percentage with a 17% mark in 2024. He threw out only four opposing runners on 24 total attempts.

Aug 21, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Tampa Bay Rays catcher Alex Jackson (28) before the game against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Aug 21, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Tampa Bay Rays catcher Alex Jackson (28) before the game against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Also, Jackson completed the year ranked #46 in the league with a 2.01 seconds pop time. The pop time for an MLB catcher is calculated as the time the ball reaches the catcher's glove to it landing in the middle infielder's mitt. In 2024, the top catcher in the majors in this category was JT Realmuto, as he recorded a 1.84 seconds pop time.

The Rays originally acquired Alex Jackson in August of 2023 via a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. The former 1st round pick spent the 2023 season with the Durham Bulls. The Rays had high hopes of exploiting his potential in the big leagues the next season.

On May 3rd, 2024, Jackson was called up to the Tampa Bay Rays to aid in the roster's catcher dilemma. Rene Pinto was optioned to Triple-A Durham on the exact same day as the front office clearly made a firm decision on which tandem would suit up behind the plate for the remainder of the season.

Ben Rortvedt still appeared in the bulk of the Rays games, but Jackson was definitely seen as the backup for a period of time. This experiment wasn't prosperous, to say the least, as Jackson put together one of the worst offensive seasons in franchise history.

Jul 30, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays catcher Ben Rortvedt (30) hist a two-RBI single against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Jul 30, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays catcher Ben Rortvedt (30) hist a two-RBI single against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

According to Baseball Reference, the former Brewer has the lowest offensive stats of any Rays player that accrued at least 100 ABs as he recorded a .122 AVG. The second worst offensive campaign was Hunter Renfroe's 2020 season where he hit .156 in 42 contests.

Despite his lack of success in a Rays uniform, we hold no grudges against the newly acquired Cincinnati Red. We wish him the best and hope he's able to turn his game around for the better.

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