Seattle claimed minor-league catcher David Freitas off waivers, and reinstated relief pitcher Rob Whalen to the team’s 40-man roster Friday, which is back at full strength.
Freitas, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound right-handed hitting catcher, is joining his sixth different organization. Last season, he saw his first action in the big leagues with Atlanta, playing in six games with the Braves, batting .235.
The 28-year-old California native is a career .272 hitter in the minors, but has a sparkling defensive track record. Last year with Triple-A Gwinnett, he threw out 30.2 percent of attempted basestealers.
Originally picked by the Washington Nationals in the 15th round of the 2010 major league draft out of Hawaii, Freitas has also spent tie with Oakland (2012-13), Baltimore (2014-15), the Chicago Cubs (2016) and last year with Atlanta.