Another team has emerged in the sweepstakes for free-agent catcher James McCann at zero hour.
The New York Mets were close to reaching an agreement with McCann on Wednesday afternoon, sources told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
But the Los Angeles Angels are apparently still in the mix, and what appeared to be an imminent deal is no longer a sure thing, Rosenthal reports.
If McCann joins the Mets, he's expected to ink a four-year contract, according to Rosenthal. While the sides are close and the Mets are open to giving McCann the four-year deal he wants, they're still hammering out final details, sources told Andy Martino of SNY.
The sides have been in talks about a deal for the past week, with the Mets apparently emerging from a crowded field of five teams. It was reported last week that New York preferred McCann over J.T. Realmuto, the other top catcher on the market.
McCann, 30, spent the last two seasons with the Chicago White Sox and was an All-Star in 2019. While he wasn't the White Sox No. 1 catcher in 2020 after they signed Yasmani Grandal last offseason, McCann still slashed a career-best .289/.360/.536 with seven homers and 15 RBIs over 31 games. He also provided excellent defense, tallying five defensive runs saved.
The seven-year veteran owns a career .249/.300/.394 slash line with 516 hits, 65 homers, and 252 RBIs. Though a weaker hitter early in his career, McCann improved considerably in Chicago, collecting 4.9 of his 7.1 career WAR during his two seasons on the South Side, per Baseball-Reference.
McCann would upgrade a Mets catching corps that ranked 20th in total production last year, according to FanGraphs. Both Wilson Ramos, their primary catcher in 2020, and midseason acquisition Robinson Chirinos were allowed to become free agents after disappointing seasons.
Other catchers on the Mets' roster who would likely compete to be McCann's backup include Tomas Nido and Ali Sanchez.
The Angels, meanwhile, are projected to enter the season with Max Stassi and Anthony Bemboom as their primary catching options. Stassi is an excellent defender behind the plate and had a breakout with the bat in 2020, hitting .278/.352/.533 with seven home runs in 31 games.
