Red Sox to bring back catcher Mark Kolozsvary on minor-league deal

The Red Sox are bringing back catcher Mark Kolozsvary on a minor-league contract, according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel. The deal, which is presumably pending a physical, includes an invitation to major-league spring training.

Kolozsvary, 29, spent all of last season at Triple-A Worcester after signing a similar minors pact with Boston in December 2023. Serving as upper-level catching depth, the right-handed hitter batted .185/.349/.354 with two doubles, three home runs, 10 RBIs, 12 runs scored, two stolen bases, 11 walks, and 26 strikeouts in 27 games (83 plate appearances) for the WooSox. He was placed on the development list seven separate times.

On the other side of the ball, Kolozsvary unsurprisingly saw most of his playing time last year come at catcher. The 5-foot-7, 185-pound backstop logged 164 2/3 innings behind the plate while splitting reps throughout the season with Tyler Heineman, Nathan Hickey, Mickey Gasper, Kyle Teel, Reese McGuire, and Elih Marrero. He allowed just one passed ball and threw out six of 33 potential base stealers in that sample.

A former seventh-round draft selection out of Florida in 2017, Kolozsvary has 11 games of big-league experience under his belt with the Reds and Orioles. The ex-Gator debuted and appeared in 10 games for Cincinnati in 2022, going 4-for-20 (.200) with two doubles, one home run, three RBIs, three runs scored, one walk, and nine strikeouts. He did not register a plate appearance in the lone game he played for Baltimore in 2023. Between those two stops, he gunned down one of five possible base stealers.

Kolozsvary, who does not turn 30 until September, is well-regarded for his defensive prowess, game-calling skills, and ability to handle a pitching staff. He is slated to join Seby Zavala as the second catcher to sign a minor-league deal with and receive a non-roster invite to spring training from the Red Sox this winter.

Alongside Nathan Hickey, Kolozsvary and Zavala figure to provide Boston with experienced catching depth at Worcester to open the 2025 season. As currently constructed, the Red Sox have three catchers on their 40-man roster in Connor Wong, Carlos Narvaez, and Blake Sabol.