Twins sign C Christian Vazquez to 3-year, $30M deal

The Minnesota Twins signed free agent catcher Christian Vazquez to a three-year, $30 million contract on Friday. Vazquez, 32, opened last season with the Boston Red Sox and was sent to the Houston Astros on Aug. 1 for a pair of minor leaguers. Between the two clubs in 2022, he hit .274 with 23 doubles, nine home runs, 52 RBIs and a .315 on-base percentage in 119 games. The 5-foot-9, 205-pound catcher caught 870 total innings last season. A two-time World Series champion, Vazquez ranks second among catchers, since 2019, with 566 total bases, 271 hits and 74 doubles. He ranks third in RBIs with 176 in the same span. The Red Sox selected the Puerto Rico native in the ninth round of the 2008 draft, and he made his major league debut in 2014. In 733 career games, he has a .261 batting average with 55 home runs and 276 RBIs. --Field Level Media