Jorge Alfaro of the Boston Red Sox fields during the game against the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum on July 18, 2023 in Oakland, California. The Athletics defeated the Red Sox 3-0. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)
By Conor Liguori
World Baseball Network
The Miami Marlins have signed catcher Jorge Alfaro to a minor league contract, reports Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. The 30-year-old will report to Triple-A Jacksonville.
The Marlins are the third organization Alfaro has signed with since the start of the 2023 season. He signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox during the offseason, but was not called up and opted out of his deal with Boston in June. He then signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies shortly thereafter and played 10 games with the big league club. Alfaro had five hits in 32 plate appearances with the Rockies. He was released due to his poor performance.
Alfaro returned to the Boston Red Sox on a Major League contract, but was unable to find success at the plate. Alfaro had two hits in 20 plate appearances over eight games with Boston before being designated for assignment.
Alfaro was born in Sincelejo, Colombia, and signed with the Texas Rangers as a 16-year-old international free agent for $1.3 million. In 2013, Alfaro was the No. 88 ranked prospect in baseball by MLB.Com, and the No. 54 ranked prospect by Baseball America. In 2015, he was traded from the Texas Rangers to the Philadelphia Phillies in a deal that sent starting pitcher Cole Hamels to Texas. Alfaro made his MLB debut with the Philadelphia Phillies on September 12, 2016.
This will be Alfaro’s second stint in the Miami Marlins organization after playing with the team from 2019-21. He had the best statistical season of his career in 2019, hitting .262 with 18 home runs in a career-high 130 games. Throughout his eight years in MLB, Alfaro owns a .253 batting average, has hit 48 home runs, and has a .695 OPS. Outside of the Miami Marlins, Boston Red Sox, and Colorado Rockies, Alfaro has played with the Philadelphia Phillies (2016-18) and San Diego Padres (2022).
Alfaro will join the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp this week, the Marlins’ Triple-A affiliate. His services may be needed by the Miami Marlins if they are unable to get an increase in offensive production from the catcher position. Starting catcher Nick Fortes is hitting .221 with five home runs, and backup catcher Jacob Stallings is hitting .188 with one home run.
The Marlins (63-57) are currently in third place in the National League East, 14 games back from the Atlanta Braves. They hold a one-game lead over the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds for the third NL Wild Card spot. Miami has a 51 percent chance to make the postseason according to BaseballReference.Com.
The Marlins will play the middle game of a three-game set against the Houston Astros (68-52) on Tuesday, August 15 at 6:40 p.m. EDT at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida. Cristian Javier will make his 23rd start for the Houston Astros, and Johnny Cueto will make his sixth start for the Miami Marlins.