Dodgers Rumor Round Up: Relief Market, Free Agent, Trade

DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 07: Adam Ottavino #0 of the Colorado Rockies pitches in the seventh inning of Game Three of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field on October 7, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 07: Adam Ottavino #0 of the Colorado Rockies pitches in the seventh inning of Game Three of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field on October 7, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 15: New York Yankee’s trainer Steve Donohue checks out home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt as catcher Josh Thole #22 of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on during the second inning of a game at Yankee Stadium on August 15, 2016, in the Bronx borough of New York City. Wendelstedt left the game at the end of the inning. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

The Dodgers signed catcher Josh Thole to a minor league contract on Wednesday, Jan. 17. Thole, 32, will enter his 13th professional season although he has not appeared in a major league game since 2016.

Thole is an interesting signing. The 32-year-old backstop was R.A. Dickey’s personal catcher in Toronto from 2013-’16 and served as the Mets’ catcher in the four seasons before that.

In his major league career, Thole owns a .242/.313/.306 slash line with 9 home runs and 111 RBIs.

The signing should ultimately prove insignificant as the Dodgers will likely put both Keibert Ruiz and Will Smith, their two best catching prospects, in Triple-A to begin the season and I would assume that they would be called up before Thole in an emergency situation. Triple-A Oklahoma City also has Rocky Gale on the roster so Thole should make a huge impact in 2019 outside of the minor leagues.