As the Boston Red Sox roster picture becomes clearer with Opening Day on the horizon, a former first-round pick may depart the organization if he fails to make the team.
Catcher Matt Thaiss has an upward mobility clause in his contract, reports Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. If the veteran doesn’t land a big-league roster spot, he can seek a job with the rest of the league. Boston could retain Thaiss by adding him to its 40-man roster if he were to find a suitor. The deadline for Thaiss’ clause is five days before Opening Day, per Cotillo.
Thaiss will make $1.3 million if he makes the Red Sox, adds Cotillo. If he fails to break camp and no other team offers him a gig, he’ll head to Triple-A.
Red Sox Roster Update: Matt Thaiss Has an Upward Mobility Clause That Triggers Soon
Boston added the 30-year-old Thaiss on a minor-league agreement in early February. He’s competing for a spot on a Red Sox roster that includes incumbent catcher Carlos Narvaez and backup Connor Wong. Thaiss split last season between the Chicago White Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays. He slashed .218/.349/.288 over 60 games.
Thaiss was selected in the first round of the 2016 draft by the Los Angeles Angels. He made his debut with the club in 2019. Thaiss spent parts of six big-league seasons with the Halos. He typically operated in a backup role, but earned semi-regular playing time in 2023. The backstop popped nine home runs in 95 games that season, finishing with an 85 wRC+. He struck out at an elevated 27.0% rate, but also walked at a solid 11.7% clip.
There was a time when Thaiss was a well-known prospect. He entered his rookie year ranked No. 9 in the Angels system, per FanGraphs. The lefty swinger has struggled to produce consistently at the big-league level. Thaiss has a .210 batting average with a 28.3% strikeout rate across 961 plate appearances in the majors. A solid 40.8% hard-hit rate and a slightly-above average 7.6% barrel rate suggest there’s some power upside, but Thaiss has never managed double-digit home runs as a big leaguer.
Will Matt Thaiss Secure the Backup Catcher Job?
Boston opened the 2025 season with an uncertain catching situation. The club had used Wong, Danny Jansen, and Reese McGuire at the position in 2024. Jansen and McGuire departed, leaving Wong as the lone known choice. The veteran broke a finger just a couple of weeks into the year, opening the door for Narvaez.
The rookie was scooped up from the division-rival New York Yankees in a trade last offseason. Narvaez appeared in a handful of games with New York before getting moved. He performed well in his first full taste of the big leagues, delivering a .241/.306/.419 slash line across 118 games. Narvaez hit 15 home runs and reached 50 runs and RBI. He also graded out excellently with the mitt. Narvaez was credited with 10 Defensive Runs Saved last season.
With Narvaez handling the bulk of the work, Wong and Thaiss are battling for the backup gig. The former posted a pitiful 39 wRC+ in 2025. He’s at -12 DRS for his career, so Wong needs to provide value at the plate if he’s going to stick in the role. Thaiss being a left-handed hitter provides an extra boost.
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