Diamondbacks sign catcher Caleb Joseph to 1-year deal
Feb 13, 2019, 7:51 AM | Updated: 8:05 am
Baltimore Orioles catcher, Caleb Joseph, left, and pitcher Zach Britton celebrate their win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
(AP Photo/Gail Burton)
The Arizona Diamondbacks announced Wednesday they signed catcher Caleb Joseph, the former Baltimore Oriole, to a one-year contract.
To make room on the 40-man roster, Arizona placed right-hand pitcher Taijuan Walker on the 60-day injured list as he continues working back from Tommy John surgery.
Joseph joins catchers Alex Avila, John Ryan Murphy and Carson Kelly in camp, creating competition for at least one roster spot this spring.
The 32-year-old Joseph has spent his five MLB seasons with Baltimore and earned Gold Glove Award votes in 2015 and 2017. He is ninth among active pitchers in caught-stealing percentage (29.4).
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Last year, Joseph played in 82 games and threw out 32.2 percent of base-stealers. He was tied atop MLB with 11 double plays as a catcher.
Joseph batted .219 with a .575 OPS last season, tallying 14 doubles, 17 RBIs and three home runs.
As a batter, his most productive season came in 2015, when over 100 games played he hit 16 doubles and 11 home runs, both career highs.
Walker suffered a torn UCL in his right arm on April 14, 2018 and underwent surgery on April 25.
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