The Texas Rangers addressed the biggest non-pitching hole on the roster on Monday, agreeing to a deal with catcher Kyle Higashioka to share the workload with Jonah Heim. The deal is a two-year contract with a mutual option until 2027.

Higashioka, who turns 35 next April, is coming off a season in which he hit a career-high 17 home runs for San Diego. It was his fourth consecutive season with at least 10 home runs, although he never had more than 263 plate appearances in a season. Heim’s switch-hit gives the Rangers right-handed power behind the plate. Higashioka had an OPS of .742 against lefties in 2024; Heim had an OPS of .680.

Heim, 29, had a disappointing 2024 season after reaching the All-Star Game in 2023 and winning a Gold Glove. Heim, who averaged 113 starts behind the plate over the past two seasons, slashed just .220/.267/.336/. .602 in 2024 and his defensive numbers also declined. The Rangers began the 2024 season with Andrew Knizner as Heim’s replacement behind the plate, but Knizner struggled offensively and since Heim’s season never got off the ground, the Rangers ended up trading for Carson Kelly. In the final two months of the season, playing time was much more evenly divided: Heim made 31 starts at catcher, Kelly made 23.

The Rangers’ catching unit ranked 27th out of 30 MLB teams in offensive production. According to Fangraphs, the unit ranked 26th in WAR.

Kelly became a free agent at the end of the season, but Higashioka’s strength proved to be the more desirable tool. Higashioka averaged a home run every 14.5 at-bats in 2024; Kelly one every 31.2 at-bats. Defensively, they performed similarly in terms of pitch framing, with Kelly having a slightly stronger arm but Higashioka having one of the fastest conversion rates among catchers, according to Baseball Savant.

A backup or platoon catcher may have been the Rangers’ primary need on the position player side of the roster, but it’s not the club’s biggest need this offseason. The Rangers need at least one starting pitcher and several relievers. President of Baseball Operations Chris Young has maintained since the start of the offseason that re-signing starter Nathan Eovaldi is a “high” priority for the club. The club has maintained regular contact with Eovaldi’s representation this winter, according to a person familiar with Rangers’ approach. Atlanta and Baltimore, teams that reached the postseason each of the last two seasons, have also reportedly expressed interest in Eovaldi.

Twitter/X: @Evan_P_Grant

Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

Click or tap here to sign up for our Rangers newsletter.