Ali Sanchez

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

2014
DSL:  303/406/394, 175 AB, 7 2B, 3 HR, 27 BB, 31 K, 6-12 SB

Sanchez debuted in the DSL and hit well.  He also threw out 51% of base stealers.  Baseball America ranked him 27th in the Mets’ system.

2015
R:  278/339/315, 162 AB, 6 2B, 12 BB, 26 K, 2-2 SB
R+:  182/182/182, 11 AB, 2 K

In rookie ball, Sanchez hit for average but little power, and his walk rate dropped.  BA moved him up to 15th in the system on the strength of rave reviews for his defense.

2016
A-:  216/260/275, 171 AB, 10 2B, 10 BB, 26 K, 2-2 SB

The Mets continued moving Sanchez very slowly, moving him up just to the New York-Penn League.  He struggled badly at the plate, leading BA to drop him to 27th in the system.

2017
A:  231/288/264, 182 AB, 3 2B, 1 HR, 13 BB, 26 K, 2-5 SB

Sanchez finally made it to full season ball, where he hit very much like the year before.  A broken hamate cost him the month of August.  BA ranked him 27th in the system again.

2018
A:  259/293/389, 193 AB, 11 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 10 BB, 23 K, 1-2 SB
A+:  274/296/385, 135 AB, 9 2B, 2 HR, 5 BB, 15 K, 1-2 SB

The Mets sent Sanchez back to low A, then promoted him at mid-season.  His hitting picked up some, mainly in the form of showing some power for the first time.  He walked very little, although he also struck out very little.  Oddly, BA dropped him off the Mets’ prospect list.

2019
AA:  278/337/337, 270 AB, 13 2B, 1 HR, 23 BB, 52 K, 1-1 SB
AAA:  179/277/250, 56 AB, 4 2B, 5 BB, 11 K, 0-1 SB

The Mets moved Sanchez up to AA and he hit reasonably well, although with no power.  BA moved him back to his accustomed spot at 27th on the Mets’ prospect list.  The Mets added him to the roster after the season.

2020
MLB:  111/200/111, 9 AB, 1 BB, 3 K

During the pandemic season, Sanchez made his major league debut.

2021
AAA:  275/322/363, 251 AB, 10 2B, 4 HR, 18 BB, 47 K, 0-2 SB
MLB:  500/500/1.000, 4 AB, 2 2B

Shortly before the season, the Mets designated Sanchez for assignment, then sent him to St. Louis for cash.  He spent the season in AAA, except for two games in the majors.  He made some progress at the plate, hitting for a little power.

2022
AAA (StL):  255/333/409, 110 AB, 5 2B, 4 HR, 13 BB, 29 K, 1-1 SB
AAA (Det):  268/369/373, 142 AB, 9 2B, 2 HR, 22 BB, 48 K, 1-1 SB

The Cards sent Sanchez back to AAA, then designated him for assignment.  The Tigers claimed him and he spent the rest of the season with their AAA affiliate.  He continued to hit better, showing decent power and increasing his walk rate.  His K rate increased sharply.  Detroit waived him after the season and the Pirates claimed him.

The Pirates dropped Jose Godoy when they acquired Sanchez.  Along with Jason Delay and Tyler Heineman, the move boosted their 40-man roster from three AAA-level depth catchers and no others to . . . three AAA-level depth catchers and no others.  Sanchez can’t be sent to AAA because he has no options left.  The Pirates later got Delay through waivers and released Heineman, so they seem fairly likely to hang onto Sanchez for now.