Marlins Sign Catcher Francisco Cervelli From The Braves

Aug 24, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli (29) stands in first base during the third inning against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Marlins found a  catcher for the 2019 Major League Baseball regular season on Monday as they signed Francisco Cervelli of Valencia, Venezuela to a one year contract worth $2 million. The Marlins will become Cervelli’s fourth Major League Baseball team. He has also caught for the New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves.

In 2019, Cervelli played with the Pirates and Braves. In 141 at-bats, he batted .213 with three home runs and 12 runs batted in. During his 48 games, Cervelli had 15 runs, 30 hits, eight doubles, one triple, one stolen base, 13 walks, 49 total bases and one sacrifice bunt. He had an on-base percentage of .302 and a slugging percentage of .348.

Cervelli was much more effective with the Braves than with the Pirates in 2019. In 32 at-bats with Atlanta, Cervelli batted .281 and in 109 at-bats with the Pirates, Cervelli hit below the Mendoza Line at .193.

Despite not having a plate appearance in the 2009 World Series, Cervelli did win a World Series with the New York Yankees just over a decade ago. He did see some postseason action that year with the Bronx Bombers as he played one game for the Yankees in the 2009 American League Divisional Series against the Minnesota Twins and then another game for the Yankees on the 2009 American League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Angels.

While with the Yankees from 2008 to 2014, Cervelli hit for a respectable average of .278. He has always been considered more of a contact hitter than a hitter with power. Only once in Cervelli’s career has he reached double digits in home runs and that was in 2018 when he had 12 dingers with the Pirates.

Expect Cervelli to have more of a veteran backup role as catcher for the Marlins in 2020. That is because Jorge Alfaro of Sincelejo, Colombia put up solid numbers for Miami in 2019. He batted .262 with 18 home runs and 57 runs batted in.