The Pirates signed catcher Joe Hudson to a minor-league contract on Monday, offering an invitation to their big league camp.
The 29-year-old Hudson, a sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame by the Cincinnati Reds in 2012, has a .167 batting average in 18 major league games over the past three seasons. He played nine games last season with the Seattle Mariners after playing for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2019 and the Los Angeles Angels in 2018. Hudson was a two-time All-Star in the minors, where he had a .991 fielding percentage and threw out 53% of baserunners.
Hudson joins a group of catchers for spring training that includes Gold Glove finalist Jacob Stallings, Michael Perez — who was claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay — and Andrew Susac, who started the season finale at Cleveland.
