How Jeff Mathis’ Signing Affects the Texas Rangers Moving Forward

The Texas Rangers made their first big move in the free agent market on Thursday signing veteran catcher, Jeff Mathis, to a contract.

The Texas Rangers have seemingly found their replacement for Robinson Chirinos in 36-year old, veteran catcher, Jeff Mathis. The deal was announced Thursday evening first reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. A two-year agreement, Texas made the move early into free agency in a catcher class that was admittedly very weak.

Who Is Jeff Mathis?

Texas Rangers’ fans probably will recognize Jeff Mathis’ name as the 36-year old broke into the league with the Angels in 2005 and going on to play for the club through the 2011 season. Somewhat a journeyman, the Rangers marks Mathis’ fifth team in his now 15-year career including stints with the Blue Jays, Marlins and Diamondbacks along with the aforementioned Angels.

Mathis is well known as one of the top defensive catchers in the league and has been for the majority of his career. Texas fans shouldn’t expect much from the vet at the plate. A career .198 hitter, Mathis has never posted a season with an on-base percentage above .300 nor has his OPS crossed the .650 threshold throughout his lengthy time in the Majors.

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Last season, as a part of the Diamondbacks, Mathis appeared in 69 games and posted a .200 average with a .544 OPS and a .272 on-base percentage. A right handed hitter, Mathis will help maintain some balance in what is a lefty heavy lineup for the Rangers.

Mathis was taken 33rd overall in the 2001 MLB Amateur Draft by the Angels out of Marianna High School in Florida.

So Who Is The Starting Catcher?

If there’s anything this signals for the Texas Rangers and their 2019 season, it’s that Isiah Kiner-Falefa likely could end up the primary catcher moving forward. Mathis hasn’t been played more than 75 games in a season since 2011, his last year with the Angels, where he played in 93 games. Even then, Mathis has never played in 100 games or more in the span of a season. Last year, he played in 69 for the Diamondbacks and in 2017 he played in just 60 games.

Clearly, at 36 years old, we’re not going to see Mathis start in half the games next year considering it’s a feat he’s only accomplished three times in his career. Rather, Mathis represents a cheap, veteran option that will fill a role for the Rangers over the course of the next two seasons until they’re in a competitive place that it makes sense for them to invest heavily behind the dish.

Why Did Texas Make This Move?

While Robinson Chirinos will always be a fan favorite for Rangers supporters, Texas felt they needed to improve defensively at the position. Chirinos, while being a competent hitter and a legit power threat, was never the defensive catcher they needed which is why his 2019 team option was declined. This year’s catching market was also extremely top heavy and thin. While Yasmani Grandal would’ve been a lovely addition and J.T. Realmuto is available on the trade market, the Rangers had slim choices when it came to middle of the road, cheaper options.

We can safely assume that this signing was made in part as a benefit to Isiah Kiner-Falefa as well. Kiner-Falefa got some work behind the plate last season in the majors after working on the position in years past as a minor leaguer. Naturally an infielder, Kiner-Falefa showed promise at the position but was clearly still raw. Enter Jeff Mathis, one of the better defensive catchers in the game.

This move was as much about getting a savvy, defensive minded player to help mentor and grow Kiner-Falefa as a catcher as anything else. If Texas feels that Kiner-Falefa has the tools to be their catcher of the future, bringing in Jeff Mathis to teach him the nuances of the position is a great move in my opinion. Clearly Kiner-Falefa can get it done at the plate, hitting .261 with a .682 OPS through 111 games in his first Major League season. Now he can polish up defensively and become an all-around primary catcher that the Rangers can build around moving forward.

Grading This Signing

If the goal of this move was to bring in a cheap backup option that can help Isiah Kiner-Falefa grow as a catcher, then it’s a great move. Mathis can bridge the gap of this rebuild and hopefully turn Kiner-Falefa into an above-average catcher that will hold down the position for years to come.

Grade: A