The Texas Rangers had been trying to trade their 2023 Gold Glove Award-winning catcher, Jonah Heim, ahead of Friday's non-tender deadline. Those plans didn't pan out, as Heim is projected to make nearly $6 million in his final year of arbitration. With no trade in place, the Rangers decided not to tender Heim a contract, per Jeff Passan, making him a free agent.
The Texas Rangers non-tendered catcher Jonah Heim, sources tell ESPN. He is now a free agent.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 21, 2025
The switch-hitter may have a tough time finding a new home, as both his defensive skills (-7 DRS) and his offensive production (.602 OPS and 69 wRC+) have regressed over the last two seasons, but his postseason experience could be valuable to a team in need of a backup backstop. His best bet may be to find a team with a young catcher whose pitching staff could use an experienced pitch-caller, or a backup role where could also platoon as a designated hitter.
Top 3 landing spots for free-agent catcher Jonah Heim
1. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates make the most sense to add Heim. They are rumored to be surprise spenders this offseason, and when the best pitcher of this generation, 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes, then why wouldn't you want to put a team around him that could win now? Behind the plate last season were Joey Bart and Henry Davis, who split time.
Bart (.696 OPS and 101 wRC+ in 332 plate appearances) far exceeded Davis (.512 OPS and 41 wRC+ in 283 plate appearances) offensively; however, Davis was better behind the plate with 8 DRS compared to Bart's -6. The Pirates will have a young pitching staff that could use the experience Heim has to take them to the next level... Not that Skenes needs any help.
2. Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies currently have Rafael Marchán and Garrett Stubbs on their roster. Both are projected to make around $975,000 next season in arbitration years, but neither has the experience that Heim possesses. Marchán has had 239 plate appearances combined over four MLB seasons, and Stubbs has 521 combined over seven MLB seasons (he had only one appearance in 2025).
Marchán's.587 OPS and 65 wRC+ were slightly worse than Heim's this past season, although the Phillies catcher accrued 3 DRS. Given the inexperience behind the plate and Heim's postseason pedigree, the former Ranger will be an enticing option to a team with World Series aspirations.
3. Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays aren't known to be big spenders, but Heim shouldn't cost much in free agency. The Rays have one of the best and youngest starting pitching staffs in MLB. The only catcher the Rays have on the roster right now, though, is Nick Fortes, who came over from the Miami Marlins at the trade deadline. Fortes is a defense-first catcher, though, backed by his 4 DRS this season.
At the plate, the catcher had a.644 OPS and 80 wRC+, slightly besting Heim, although Fortes had 191 fewer plate appearances. The backup option for the Rays is Hunter Feduccia, who has been in the minor leagues since 2018 and has had only 119 plate appearances in the major leagues combined over the last two seasons. Defensively, he had -1 DRS in 233.1 innings this past season. Heim would be a better backup option, though the Rays may be more inclined to get a starter at a $6 million price tag.