Jacob Stallings signs 1-year deal with Rockies

The Miami Marlins remain open to adding another catcher before Opening Day, but we now know for certain that they won't be reuniting with Jacob Stallings. On Friday, the 34-year-old free agent signed with the Colorado Rockies.

Coming off a sub-replacement-level season, Stallings predictably had to settle for a pay cut. He gets $1.5M guaranteed for 2024 plus a mutual option with a $500k buyout that can escalate to $1M, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Last season in Miami, Stallings made a $3.35M salary. He was projected for a slight raise before the Marlins non-tendered him on November 17.

When the Marlins traded a package of young players for Stallings, they envisioned him being their primary backstop for the next three seasons (his remaining club-controlled years). Unfortunately, his tenure in Miami was an unequivocal bust, only lasting two campaigns. He disappointed both offensively (63 wRC+) and defensively (-8 DRS). Nick Fortes overtook Stallings as the main Marlins catcher in 2023 despite having his own struggles.

Stallings' top highlights as a Marlin were homering on Opening Day 2022, catching every pitch of Sandy Alcantara's Cy Young-winning season and setting a modern MLB record for most consecutive games caught without allowing a passed ball.

In Colorado, Stallings will be the backup to All-Star Elías Díaz. Coincidentally, that's the same relationship they had as teammates with the 2019 Pirates.

For what it's worth, Stallings owns a career .899 OPS at Coors Field in nine career games there, his best mark at any National League venue.

Stallings joins Dylan Floro (Nationals), Garrett Hampson (Royals), Jorge López (Mets) and Joey Wendle (Mets) as 2023 Marlins players who've signed major league deals this offseason. This is your periodic reminder that the Marlins have not signed any free agents to major league deals themselves.

Barely a month away from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training, the two backstops on the Marlins 40-man roster are Fortes and Christian Bethancourt. Will Banfield and Paul McIntosh are likely to be at big league camp as non-roster invitees.

Photo by Jesus Sanchez/Fish On First