The Philadelphia Philies are in the market for a new starting catcher. Whether it's reuniting with J.T. Realmuto or adding someone else by trade or free agency, the Phillies need to bolster their catcher room.
Rafael Marchan and Garrett Stubbs aren't good enough to be the starting catchers in 2026, so the Phillies are fully prepared to add to their room this offseason.
One day after Christmas, the Phillies did just that. According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Phillies are signing a former Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles catcher to a free agent contract as some insurance for Realmuto.
Phillies sign former Orioles, Reds catcher to free agent deal
"Catcher Mark Kolozsvary has agreed to a minor league deal with the Phillies that includes an invite to major league spring training, league sources said," Sammon reports.
This isn't the final move the Phillies will make in their catcher room this offseason, as another move to add a starter likely is on the horizon.
But Kolozsvary is a 30-year-old catcher who's spent time in the Major Leagues and is, if nothing else, an interesting depth signing for the Phillies.
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With the Reds in 2022, Kolozsvary appeared in 10 games, making 20 at-bats with four hits, three runs scored, two doubles, one home run, three RBIs, one walk, and nine strikeouts. His.688 OPS wasn't great, nor was it terrible.
The next season, he made just one appearance for the Orioles, but he didn't record any at-bats or plate appearances. Since then, he's spent time with the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox for the next few seasons.
In the minor leagues in 2025, Kolozsvary hit.253 with an.831 OPSin 30 games in Double-A and Triple-A. The new Phillies catcher will be some minor league depth, and potentially, an MLB option if he impresses during Spring Training this upcoming season.
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