The Atlanta Braves have just signed a catcher that fans of the Houston Astros are quite familiar with—a decision that raises eyebrows given what the Astros could have done. MLB.com reporter Mark Bowman has reported that former Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim is now part of the Braves' spring training camp (https://x.com/mlbbowman/status/2021219971519467630). He will be vying for a position on their Opening Day roster as a backup to Drake Baldwin, particularly since Sean Murphy is expected to start the season on the injured list.
This signing is a minor-league contract accompanied by a non-roster invite to spring training (https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/braves-jonah-heim-signs-with-atlanta-as-nri/). This means that Heim doesn’t have a guaranteed spot on the team. While the deal likely includes financial incentives should he make the final roster, it’s a move that the Astros could have matched or even improved upon.
Although the Braves successfully brought Heim on board, the Astros missed an opportunity to secure him for their squad. Following the conclusion of the 2025 season, Astros General Manager Dana Brown emphasized the necessity of re-signing veteran catcher Victor Caratini (https://climbingtalshill.com/astros-quietly-lose-key-depth-piece-as-twins-beat-them-to-priority-free-agent-01kf4f7ykcjf). However, this priority turned out to be less critical than initially presented, as Caratini ended up joining the Minnesota Twins last month.
Now, as they approach spring training, the Astros are left with only two catchers on their 40-man roster: Yainer Diaz and César Salazar. While Diaz shows promise as an All-Star caliber player, Salazar’s experience is limited to just 36 Major League games, and he has gained more notoriety for an error with former pitcher Framber Valdez than for his performance behind the plate.
In addition to Diaz and Salazar, the Astros are inviting six other catchers to their training camp in West Palm Beach. The lone player among them with any Major League experience is Carlos Perez, who hasn’t played in the majors since 2023 and holds a career OPS of merely .592. The other invitees include Will Bush, John Garcia, Garrett Guillemette, Collin Price, and top prospect Walker Janek.
There's still a window for the Astros to rectify this situation and bolster one of the notable gaps in their roster. Free agents such as Mitch Garver, Elias Diaz, and Christian Vazquez are still available for the taking (https://climbingtalshill.com/astros-continued-interest-christian-vasquez-shows-dire-state-catching-market).
However, passing on Heim was undoubtedly a misstep (https://climbingtalshill.com/astros-sneaky-roster-need-could-be-fixed-by-longtime-rival). Despite struggling last season while with the Rangers, from 2022 through 2024, Heim showcased an OPS close to .700 and provided Gold Glove-caliber defense behind the plate. For the 2026 season, Heim would have been a solid choice as a backup catcher for the Astros.
