Report: Giants agree to minor-league deal with Gold Glove 2B Sanchez
The San Francisco Giants bolstered their defense on Tuesday by agreeing to a minor-league contract with Gold Glove second baseman Yolmer Sanchez, sources told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Sanchez turned down a pair of guaranteed major-league deals from other teams that would have guaranteed him a roster spot in order to compete for the Giants' second base job, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The identities of those teams aren't known.
The 27-year-old spent the previous six seasons with the Chicago White Sox, where he was often used as a utility infielder before settling in at the keystone in 2019. Last year, Sanchez won his first Gold Glove after collecting 11 defensive runs saved and 16 total zone runs, both of which led all AL second basemen.
However, despite his elite fielding, Sanchez's continued offensive struggles led the White Sox to release him in November. Over 149 games last year, Sanchez posted a .252/.318/.321 slash line with two homers, 26 extra-base hits, 43 RBIs, and 117 strikeouts, while his 79 wRC+ was tied for second-worst among all qualified hitters.
Sanchez's primary competition for the Giants' second base job will likely be prospect Mauricio Dubon.