Tampa Bay Rays sign C Curt Casali to minor league deal

The Tampa Bay Rays have signed catcher, Curt Casali to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.

Casali returns to the Rays after an interesting off-season, in which he was outrighted off the Rays 40-man roster in November. Instead of accepting his minor league assignment, Casali chose to become a free agent.

He signed with the Los Angeles Angels in November, but after LA went out signed another former Rays catcher in Rene Rivera, Casali requested and was granted his release.

He would later sign with the Texas Rangers, but was released earlier this morning.

Now, Casali is back with the Rays, the team with whom he has spent all of his time in the majors with from 2014 to 2017 after being acquired from the Detroit Tigers during spring training in 2013. An exciting power hitting catching prospect, Casali has flashed signed of greatness in the majors, but injuries have hurt him the past few seasons, dwindling his offensive production.

He is slated to resume his role as the Durham Bulls starting catcher in Triple-A, with whom he played 85 games with during the 2017 season. Casali joins Adam Moore as the only other catching non-roster invite still in major league camp with the Rays.