Astros sign catcher Drew Butera to Minor League deal

HOUSTON, TX – The Astros signed veteran catcher Drew Butera to a minor league contract today. Butera will most likely join the Triple A Sugar Land Skeeters later this week.

Butera, who is known as a solid defender, has played in parts of 12 seasons in the Major Leagues (2010-21), most recently with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2021 where he appeared in 12 games (all starts, in May). He spent most of this season with the Angels Triple A affiliate, the Salt Lake Bees, where he appeared in 49 games, hitting .222 with seven doubles, a triple, four home runs and 11 RBI.

Butera has appeared in 521 Major League games at catcher (390 starts) and in 556 games overall. He also has playoff experience as he saw limited action as a member of the 2015 World Series Champion Kansas City Royals team and was a member of the 2018 Colorado Rockies club that defeated the Cubs in the 2018 NL Wild Card Game. Butera has also caught two no-hitters in his Major League career.

In his career, Butera has had ML stints with the Twins (2010-13), Dodgers (2013-14), Angels (2015 & 2021), Royals (2015-18) and Rockies (2018-20). Career ML stats: .196, 556 G, 123 H, 59 2B, 5 3B, 19 HR, 123 RBI.