McCann will receive a contract in the big league after settling for a contract in the Minor League last time. The former All-Star signed a non-roster deal with the Braves and spent the first few months of the season with their top affiliate in Gwinnett. McCann’s deal included an automatic cut if a team was willing to add him to the big league roster. That opportunity then presented itself Gabriel Moreno broke his right index finger in mid-June.
The Snakes initially signed McCann as a backup Jose Herrera while Moreno was on the shelf. It didn’t take long for him to surpass the lightweight Herrera on the depth chart. McCann recorded nine hits (including a pair of home runs) and six walks through his first nine games with the Diamondbacks. From there, his production dropped, hitting .232/.267/.364 in his last 106 trips to the plate. The early hot streak was still enough to finish with a respectable .260/.324/.431 batting line in 42 games.
Moreno returned in August. The Diamondbacks jettisoned Herrera in place of McCann, leaving the veteran as Moreno’s backup for the final five weeks. He will have the opportunity to reprise that role for a full season. Adrian Del Castillo was the only other named catcher on the 40-man roster. He’s more of an emergency/third option than a true backup, as his bat is always well ahead of his glove. McCann has never been rated as an excellent defender, but he is a capable receiver with an acceptable arm who has long been highly regarded for his work with throwers.
The D-Backs have a full 40-man roster, but likely won’t finalize the contract until after tonight’s non-tender deadline. Each of Kevin Ginkel, Jake McCarthy, Ryan Thompson or rehabilitation AJ Puk could be removed from the list. The signing of McCann increases their projected payroll (courtesy Grid source) up to $145 million pending these arbitration decisions.
Image courtesy of Mark J. Reblias, Imagn Images.
#Diamondbacks #resign #James #McCann