OC Register: Angels agree with catcher Kurt Suzuki on busy day for deals

[AngelsWin.com]

The Angels reportedly agreed with veteran catcher Kurt Suzuki on a one-year, $1.5-million deal on Friday, providing another option with Max Stassi rehabbing from hip surgery.

The Angels have not announced the deal, which was reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

It was part of a busy day for the Angels, who also settled with three of their arbitration-eligible players and opened the international signing period by inking at least two players.

Suzuki, 37, spent the past two years with the Washington Nationals, hitting .270 with a .745 OPS in 2020.

A veteran of 14 big-league seasons, Suzuki has a career .708 OPS, including an All-Star season in 2014. He was a member of the Atlanta Braves in 2018, the first year Angels GM Perry Minasian worked in the Braves front office.

A native of Hawaii, Suzuki attended Cal State Fullerton and began his big-league career with the Oakland A’s in 2007.

The Angels now figure to have their catching duties in 2021 split between Suzuki and Stassi, who had an offensive breakout in a shortened 2020. Stassi, who had been primarily known for his defense, hit .278 with seven homers and an .886 OPS in 31 games in 2020.

Stassi, though, underwent hip surgery just after the season, and may not be ready by Opening Day. If Stassi isn’t ready when the season starts, Anthony Bemboom would be the leading candidate to share the job with Suzuki.

Stassi was also one of three Angels arbitration-eligible players to agree to a salary Friday, which was the deadline for teams and players to settle before exchanging figures.

Stassi agreed to a $1.6 million deal.

Andrew Heaney ($6.75 million) and Mike Mayers ($1.2 million) also agreed to deals, while Dylan Bundy and Shohei Ohtani have not.

Teams are permitted to continue negotiating with players up until the start of their hearing, which would be scheduled for sometime in February, although in recent years many teams have stopped negotiating once figures are exchanged.

The Angels went to a hearing last year with Brian Goodwin, marking the first time the team had a hearing since Jered Weaver in 2011.

Friday also marked the opening of the international signing period, which was moved from July 2 because of the pandemic.

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The top international player the Angels signed Friday was Dominican shortstop Denzer Guzman, who reportedly agreed to a $2 million bonus.

Guzman is 6-foot-2 and 178 pounds and, according to Baseball America, has potential for above average power. Guzman could be more likely to move to second or third base as he advances in professional baseball.

The Angels also signed Venezuelan catcher Eiver Betancourt.

More to come on this story.

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