Texas Rangers Reportedly Sign Catcher Elias Diaz Amid Roster Constraints
Reports indicate the Texas Rangers have agreed to terms with free agent Elias Diaz, a move driven by a shortage of viable catching options and potential injury concerns for Danny Jansen.
The Texas Rangers are reportedly in the process of signing free agent catcher Elias Diaz, according to multiple reports from Yahoo Sports and MLB Rumors. The 35-year-old catcher was recently released by the Kansas City Royals earlier this week, ending a brief stint that began with hopes of providing depth behind Salvador Perez.
The acquisition addresses an immediate structural need on the Rangers’ 40-man roster. An open spot became available yesterday after the club designated Sam Haggerty for assignment. With the roster spot now vacant, the Rangers have moved to secure Diaz, who spent the majority of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies before joining the San Diego Padres in 2025.
Diaz’s recent performance history presents a mixed profile for the organisation. During the 2025 season with the Padres, he recorded a slash line of .204/.270/.337 across 283 plate appearances in 106 games. His subsequent time with the Royals in 2025 was even shorter; after starting the year in the minor leagues, he appeared in 10 major league games, accumulating 23 plate appearances with a .591 slugging percentage before being dropped in late May in favour of Tyler Tolbert.
The signing appears to be a reactive measure to a thin catching department. Currently, only Danny Jansen and Kyle Higashioka remain on the 40-man roster. Speculation suggests Jansen may be heading to the injured list, which would leave the Rangers with a single viable backup option. Furthermore, the club lacks a ready-made replacement from its Triple-A affiliate, with no catchers deemed comfortable enough for a regular big-league backup role.
Diaz was initially added to the Royals’ major league roster to serve as a third catcher due to health concerns regarding Perez. However, with the Rangers facing a similar depth issue, the club has opted to bring in the veteran to stabilise the position while internal options are evaluated. The reports describe the signing as being based on media speculation rather than an official club announcement at the time of writing.
