On Tuesday, the Toronto Blue Jays officially announced the acquisition of catcher Brian Serven off waivers from the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs had designated Serven for assignment on January 11, a mere six days after claiming him off waivers from the Colorado Rockies. Serven’s departure from the Cubs followed the team’s signing of Japanese left-hander Shota Imanaga and the completion of a two-for-two trade involving prospects with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Toronto Blue Jays’ 40-man roster is now full with the addition of catcher Brian Serven claimed off waivers from the Chicago Cubs.
ROSTER MOVE: We've claimed C Brian Serven off waivers from the Cubs. pic.twitter.com/HxSkYAejyu
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) January 16, 2024
Serven, originally selected by the Rockies in the fifth round of the 2016 MLB Draft, earned his big league debut in 2022. During that season, he posted a .203 batting average with six home runs, 16 RBIs, a .593 OPS, and a -0.1 WAR across 62 games.
Serven began the 2023 season as a part-time starter for the Colorado Rockies but encountered early struggles, leading to a demotion to the minors in early May. His MLB appearances were limited for the remainder of the season, culminating in a .130 batting average, one RBI, a .304 OPS, and a -0.4 WAR.
Throughout his career, spanning 548.0 innings behind the plate, Serven has recorded seven errors, permitted 23 wild pitches, conceded two passed balls, and successfully caught 15 of 63 potential base-stealers.
Serven finds himself in contention for an Opening Day roster spot with the Toronto Blue Jays. In the event that the 28-year-old doesn’t secure a position, it’s anticipated that he would spend time in Triple-A, ready to step in as an injury replacement.
The starting catcher role is projected to be filled by Alejandro Kirk, who held the position towards the end of the 2023 season. Danny Jansen is expected to log innings behind the dish when he’s not serving as the designated hitter. Tyler Heineman, last year’s late-season backup, was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets in December.
