Chad Wallach

Chad Wallach
Wallach with the Salt Lake Bees in 2022
Free agent
Catcher
Born: (1991-11-04) November 4, 1991 (age 33)
Yorba Linda, California, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 27, 2017, for the Cincinnati Reds
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.198
Home runs11
Runs batted in39
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Chad Arthur Wallach (born November 4, 1991) is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Angels. He was drafted by the Marlins in the fifth round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft.

Early life and college

Wallach grew up in Orange, California, and attended Calvary Chapel High School in Santa Ana, California. He was selected in the 43rd round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, but opted not to sign in order to play college baseball at Cal State Fullerton. Wallach played three seasons with the Titans, hitting .272 in 102 games.[1] As a junior, Wallach batted .309 with 24 runs scored, 14 doubles, two home runs and 32 RBIs and was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the fifth round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft.[2][3]

Professional career

Miami Marlins

Wallach signed with the Marlins and received a $343,900 bonus and began his professional career with the Low-A Batavia Muckdogs, where he hit .226/.294/.267 in 43 games and 146 at bats. He began the 2014 season with the Single–A Greensboro Grasshoppers (for whom he was a mid-season South Atlantic League All Star)[4] and was eventually promoted to the High–A Jupiter Hammerheads, batting .322/.431/.457 between the two teams.[1]

Cincinnati Reds

On December 11, 2014, the Marlins traded Wallach and Anthony DeSclafani to the Cincinnati Reds for Mat Latos.[5] In 2016 for Pensacola he batted .240/.363/.410.

The Reds promoted Wallach to the major leagues for the first time on August 25, 2017.[6] He made his Major League debut on August 27, 2017, in a 5–2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, starting at catcher and going 0–4 with two strikeouts.[7] Wallach got his first career hit on September 20, 2017, as a pinch hitter.[8] During the 2017 season, Wallach played in six games for the Reds and hit .091 (1 for 11). Playing for Louisville, he batted .226/.280/.398.

Second stint with Marlins

Wallach (right) arguing with umpire Ramon De Jesus while a member of the New Orleans Baby Cakes in 2018

He was claimed off waivers by the Miami Marlins on November 3, 2017.[9] He began the 2018 season with the Marlins on the Opening Day roster as their backup catcher but was ultimately sent down to the Triple-A New Orleans Baby Cakes after appearing in nine games when J. T. Realmuto was activated off the disabled list. He hit .224 in 147 at bats with three home runs and 16 RBIs in 44 games, as well as .357/.438/.429 in 14 at bats for the GCL Marlins, before being called back up to the Marlins on September 1, 2018. On September 23, he hit his first career home run. He finished the season batting .178/.275/.267 with one home run and five RBIs in 15 games with the Marlins.[1]

Wallach made the Marlins opening day roster as the team's only backup catcher to start the 2019 season.[10] In 2019 with the Marlins he batted .250/.333/.375 in 48 at bats. Playing for two minor league teams, he was 1-for-10. In 2020 for Miami, Wallach appeared in 15 regular season games, slashing .277/.364/.640 with 1 home run and 6 RBI in 44 at-bats.[11] Wallach also played in five playoff games for the Marlins, where he lodged his first career postseason hit.[12]

Wallach made the Marlins opening day roster again in 2021.[13] Wallach was designated for assignment by Miami on July 24, 2021, after hitting .200/.242/.267 with no home runs in 22 games.[14]

Wallach catching for the Miami Marlins in 2021

Los Angeles Dodgers

On July 30, 2021, Wallach was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Dodgers and assigned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers.[15] He played in 1 game for Oklahoma City, going 0-for-3 with a walk.[16]

Los Angeles Angels

On August 7, 2021, Wallach was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Angels. He was assigned to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees.[17] Wallach played in 39 games for the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees, hitting .223/.322/.432, and did not appear in a big league game for the Angels. He was outrighted off the 40-man roster following the season on November 19, 2021.[18] In 2022, he was a non-roster invitee to Angels spring training camp in Tempe, Arizona.[19]

Wallach was selected to the 40-man roster on May 7, 2022.[20] Three days later on May 10, he caught Reid Detmers' no-hitter, and also hit a 3-run homerun.[21] Spending the remainder of the year on the 40-man roster, Wallach spent most of his time with Salt Lake. In 12 games for the Angels, Wallach hit .143/.231/.257 with one home run and 4 RBI. On November 3, 2022, after being sent outright to Triple-A,[22] Wallach elected free agency.[23]

On November 23, 2022, Wallach re-signed with the Angels on a minor league contract.[24] Wallach began the 2023 season with Triple-A Salt Lake, and got off to a torrid start, hitting .361/.442/.556 with 2 home runs and 8 RBI in his first 11 games. On April 21, 2023, Wallach had his contract selected to the active roster.[25] In 58 games for the Angels, he hit .209/.279/.403 with 7 home runs and 13 RBI. On August 18, Wallach was designated for assignment following the promotion of Nolan Schanuel.[26] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple–A Salt Lake on August 22.[27] On August 25, Wallach was selected back to the active roster.[28] In 65 total games for the Angels, he batted .197/.259/.376 and set new career–highs in home runs (7) and RBI (15). Following the season on October 16, Wallach was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to Triple–A Salt Lake.[29] He elected free agency the next day.[30]

On December 23, 2023, Wallach again re-signed with the Angels on a minor league contract.[31] On November 6, he elected free agency.[32]

Personal life

His father, Tim Wallach, was a five-time MLB All-Star during his seventeen seasons in MLB for the Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Dodgers and California Angels.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Kraczkowski, Kevin (October 3, 2018). "Miami Marlins Season in Review: Chad Wallach's 2018 Report Card". MarlinManiac.com. FanSided. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  2. ^ "29-Chad Wallach". FullertonTitans.com. Cal State Fullerton Titans Athletics Department. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  3. ^ Rodriguez, Juan (June 7, 2013). "Marlins pluck a pair of Cal State Fullerton products". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  4. ^ "Chad Wallach Stats, Fantasy & News". MiLB.com.
  5. ^ Michael, Arron (December 13, 2014). "Reds Trade Evaluation: Chad Wallach, C". RedsReporter.com. SB Nation. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  6. ^ Schmetzer, Mark (August 25, 2017). "Wallach gets the call as Reds experience baby boom". Dayton Daily News.
  7. ^ Call, Andy (August 27, 2017). "Batter(y) up: Mahle, Wallach make MLB debuts". MLB.com. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  8. ^ "ST. LOUIS CARDINALS VS CINCINNATI REDS SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 BOX SCORE". Baseball Almanac.
  9. ^ Adams, Steven (November 3, 2017). "Marlins Decline Ichiro's Option, Claim Chad Wallach From Reds". MLB Trade Rumors.
  10. ^ McPherson, Jordan (March 27, 2019). "A look at the Marlins' Opening Day roster as they begin Season 2 of their rebuild". Miami Herald. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  11. ^ Sussman, Ely (November 9, 2020). "2020 Marlins Season Review: Chad Wallach". Fish Stripes.
  12. ^ "Chad Wallach". ESPN.
  13. ^ RotoWire Staff (April 2, 2021). "Marlins' Chad Wallach: Lands No. 2 catching job". CBS Fantasy. CBS Sports.
  14. ^ "Marlins' Chad Wallach: DFA'd Saturday". CBSSports.com. July 24, 2021.
  15. ^ Moreno, Matthew (July 30, 2021). "Dodgers Roster: Chad Wallach Claimed Off Waivers From Marlins". Dodger Blue. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  16. ^ "2021 Dodgers in review: Chad Wallach". truebluela.com. December 18, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  17. ^ "Angels Claim Chad Wallach Off Waivers From Dodgers". MLB Trade Rumors. August 7, 2021.
  18. ^ "Angels' Chad Wallach: Cast off 40-man roster". CBS Sports. Paramount Global. November 19, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  19. ^ "Angels announce 2022 Spring Training non-roster invitees". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. March 11, 2022. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  20. ^ Polishuk, Mark (May 7, 2022). "Angels Place Kurt Suzuki On Injured List; Select Chad Wallach, Kyle Barraclough". MLB Trade Rumors.
  21. ^ DiGiovanna, Mike (May 11, 2022). "Angels' Reid Detmers throws no-hitter in Angels' 12-0 win over Rays". Los Angeles Times.
  22. ^ "Angels' Chad Wallach: Removed from 40-man roster". cbssports.com. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  23. ^ "Chad Wallach: Hits open market". cbssports.com. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  24. ^ "Angels news: Chad Wallach returns, state of the Angels roster, MLB news, more". halohangout.com. November 24, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  25. ^ "Angels' Chad Wallach: Promoted, starting Friday". cbssports.com. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  26. ^ "Angels News: Logan O'Hoppe Returns, CJ Cron Heads to IL Amid Series of Roster Moves". si.com. August 18, 2023. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  27. ^ "Angels' Chad Wallach: Outrighted to Triple-A". cbssports.com. August 20, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  28. ^ "Angels' Chad Wallach: Selected from Triple-A". cbssports.com. August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  29. ^ "Jared Walsh among six players outrighted off Angels' roster". ocregister.com. October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  30. ^ "Transactions".
  31. ^ "Angels Sign Chad Wallach to Minor League Deal". December 23, 2023.
  32. ^ Eddy, Matt (November 6, 2024). "Minor League Free Agents 2024". Baseball America. Retrieved November 6, 2024.