The Boston Red Sox added to their catching depth Wednesday by acquiring the catcher from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for international bonus pool space. To make room on the 40-man roster, pitcher Chase Shugart was designated for assignment.
With this move, the Red Sox now have three catchers on their 40-man roster—Connor Wong, Carlos Narvaez, and Sabol—just weeks before spring training.
Blake Sabol, the 27-year-old left-handed hitter, has played 121 major league games over the past two seasons with the Giants. In 2023, he slashed .235/.301/.394 with 13 home runs, 10 doubles, 36 runs, 44 RBIs, 24 walks, and 117 strikeouts in 344 plate appearances across 110 games.
Last season, Sabol also impressed in a small sample size, going 10-for-32 (.313) with a .421 on-base percentage in 11 games. However, his defense has room for improvement, as he has thrown out just 12.7% of attempted base stealers in the majors (7-for-55). His minor league caught stealing rate of 24% suggests potential for growth.
In the minors, Sabol showcased strong offensive production, slashing .272/.362/.454 across 346 games.
This marks Boston’s second catcher acquisition this offseason, following their December trade for Carlos Narvaez from the Yankees. Sabol and Narvaez are expected to compete in spring training for the backup role behind Connor Wong.
