Brewers agree to contract with former Phillies Marlins catcher
The Milwaukee Brewers just signed catcher Jorge Alfaro to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training. Alfaro is now 31 years old and has been in the majors for eight seasons, but lately his career has been on a roll. The Chicago Cubs released him in 2024 during spring training, and he did not play in the majors that year, complicating his future in baseball.
Throughout his career, Alfaro has always been known for his power potential. He hit 48 home runs and posted a .253/.302/.393 batting line in 1,710 games in 496 major league games. Those numbers aren’t bad, but his discipline has been an issue. He walked just 4.2% of the time and struck out 34%, both of which are much worse than league average. His on-base and slugging percentages were nothing to write home about either, leading to a vRC+ of 86.
Defensively, Alfaro’s reputation is all over the place. He was decent as a framer and got some good reviews for his ability to handle the run game, but his blocking skills, well, left a lot to be desired. Statcast has rated his framing and blocking quite poorlyalthough his defensive work with the running game stands out a bit.
Related Milwaukee Brewers NewsThe article continues below
Alfaro’s offensive potential has always been his strongest suit, but he has struggled with consistency at the plate, which has kept him in limbo. His defensive numbers are below average for a catcher, making it difficult for him to stick in the majors despite his raw power.
The Brewers, however, are known for player development, especially with catchers. They have a track record of helping catchers improve their defense, which could help Alfaro as he looks to make a name for himself in Milwaukee. Currently, the Brewers have three catchers on their 40-man roster, William Contreras, who is pretty much locked in as the starterEric Haase, who adds some depth, and top prospect Jefferson Cuero, who isn’t quite ready for the majors yet.
Alfaro played winter ball this offseason with Tigres del Liceo in the Dominican Republic, and looked pretty good, hitting .303/.361/.455 in 12 games. His performance this winter could give him a chance to compete for a roster spot this spring. Unfortunately, Jorge Alfaro has no other options. He is in a position to improve this spring if he wants to make the Brewers’ major league roster in 2025.
2025-01-17 04:33:00
