Royals sign catcher Jakson Reetz to a minor league contract

The Royals have finally made a transaction, signing catcher Jakson Reetz to a minor league contract, according to Fansided reporter Robert Murray. Reetz played 21 games with Omaha last year after the Brewers designated him for assignment in July. He hit 30 home runs overall, playing mostly in Double-A with Biloxi, with a line of .264/.359./575 between Double-A and Triple-A. He did play well after joining the Storm Chasers, hitting .257/.342/.514 with five home runs. He has appeared in two big league games, going 1-for-2 with the Nationals in 2021.

Reetz is a 26-year-old catcher who has experience playing some outfield. He was originally a third-round pick by the Nationals in 2014 out of high school in Firth, Nebraska. He had never really hit for power in the minors before this year, with 13 home runs being his previous single-season high and the only time he had finished in double digits. He has a solid 10.7 percent walk rate in the minors with a decent strikeout rate of 24.4 percent.

Reetz received an invite to spring training and will likely serve as organizational depth, most likely at Omaha again. On the depth chart, he would be behind Salvador Perez, MJ Melendez, and Freddy Fermín, who as added to the 40-man roster this off-season. The Royals are also said to be looking for a veteran backup catcher who has good experience working with pitchers.