Astros Sign Vázquez to Minor League Deal

The Houston Astros signed veteran catcher Christian Vázquez to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training on Saturday, reuniting the team with a key contributor from its 2022 World Series championship squad as it seeks to bolster depth behind the plate.

Vázquez, a 35-year-old native of Puerto Rico, brings over a decade of big-league experience, including World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox in 2018 and the Astros in 2022. The deal comes at a low financial cost for Houston and positions the catcher to compete for a roster spot once his international commitments end. He is currently representing Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, where he has appeared in the team's first two games of Pool A play in San Juan. Puerto Rico opened the tournament with a 2-0 record, highlighted by a walk-off home run in its latest victory at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.

The Astros' move addresses a need created by the departure of Victor Caratini, who signed with the Minnesota Twins in free agency this offseason. With Yainer Díaz established as the starting catcher, Houston had turned to internal options like César Salazar and Carlos Pérez for the backup role....