Meet Newest Diamondback Blake Lalli

Blake Lalli signed a Minor League deal with the D’backs with an invitation to Spring Training.Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

 The Arizona Diamondbacks made their first official, non-waiver transaction of the offseason. The team announced they have signed catcher/first baseman Blake Lalli to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training. The 30-year old Lalli spent 2013 in the Milwaukee Brewers’ organization after he spent most of the previous seven seasons in the system of the Chicago Cubs. Toward the end of 2012, he was in the Oakland A’s organization.

Lalli signed with the Cubs as an amateur free agent in 2006. He has had only a total of 39 Major League at-bats, 15 with the Cubs in 2012 and 39 last season. On April 17th, he provided the game-winning hit in Milwaukee’s 4-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants, the second time in club history a player whose first hit with the team resulted in a walk-off victory. Unfortunately, his last game with the Brewers was May 14th.  Lalli spent much of 2013 at Triple A Nashville and put together a solid season. In 284 at-bats, he hit 11 home runs and drove in 35 with a slash line of .282/.334./.447.

Lalli’s signing probably means the end of Wil Nieves in Arizona. It appears that Tuffy Gosewisch and Lalli will battle it out for the right to back up Miguel Montero behind the plate.

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