Angels re-sign veteran catcher Tyler Heineman to 1-year deal

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

ANAHEIM — The Los Angeles Angels have brought back veteran catcher Tyler Heineman for the 2027 season, signing him to a one-year deal worth $1,237,500 intended to avoid salary arbitration, the club announced Friday. The signing adds experienced depth behind the plate as the Angels continue shaping their roster for next season.

Heineman, 35, is expected to share catching duties with 23-year-old Moisés Ballesteros, according to the Angels’ plan described in the announcement. The club also has catcher Logan Porter on the 40-man roster, though the team could designate him for assignment later in the offseason after appearing in only two Major League games with the Angels last year.

Last season began with the Blue Jays before Heineman’s contract was purchased by the Angels on June 17. In 44 games with Anaheim, he hit .192/.238/.232 with two doubles, a triple and four runs batted in. The Angels noted that their pitching staff posted a 3.80 ERA in games when they were throwing to Heineman, and they also cited his performance on caught-stealing opportunities, where he ranked fifth among American League catchers with a 31.1 percent caught stealing rate (19-for-61).

The Angels further pointed to Heineman’s work receiving and game management, including a 21-for-36 mark (58.3%) on ABS challenges while he was with the club. Those figures were included as part of the rationale for bringing him back, framing him as a stabilizing presence for their staff behind the plate.

Heineman is a local product from Pacific Palisades and attended UCLA before being selected in the eighth round of the 2012 Draft by the Astros. He has played parts of seven Major League seasons with the Marlins, Giants, Blue Jays, Pirates, Red Sox and Angels, including five years with Toronto.

In 2025, Heineman delivered what the Angels described as a career year, batting .289/.361/.416 in 61 games and also appearing in the World Series with the Blue Jays that season. Over his career, the announcement lists him at .220/.293/.294 with five home runs and 45 RBI in 247 games.

With Heineman signed, the Angels now have 10 arbitration-eligible players on their roster. The group includes infielders Zach Neto, Nolan Schanuel and Oswald Peraza; outfielders José Siri and Josh Lowe; right-handers Grayson Rodriguez, Ben Joyce and Sam Bachman; and left-handers Reid Detmers and Tayler Saucedo. The announcement also states that Siri and Lowe are considered the most likely non-tender candidates ahead of the Nov. 20 deadline.

The Angels’ announcement referenced offseason decision-making at the top of the front office, noting that interim general manager John Mozeliak said at the GM Meetings this week that he would be open to tendering contracts to all of the team’s arbitration-eligible players.

Alongside the Heineman agreement, Anaheim also added bullpen depth by signing left-handed reliever Sammy Peralta to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Peralta posted a 6.20 ERA with 19 strikeouts and seven walks in 20 1/3 innings with the Angels last season before becoming a free agent, as detailed in the team’s announcement.

Peralta, 28, has logged parts of four Major League seasons with the White Sox, Rockies and Angels, with the announcement listing a career 5.64 ERA, 60 strikeouts and 33 walks across 68 2/3 innings.