Kansas City Royals sign former Blue Jays catcher

Maile, who played three seasons with the Blue Jays from 2017-2019, projects to be a depth piece for the Royals behind their major league catching tandem of Salvador Perez and Freddy Fermin.

Those two, along with Brian O'Keefe are the only catchers on the Royals roster who have played in the majors, so Maile's nine years of experience will come in handy.

The Kentucky native's calling card has always been his defence, though that dipped in 2024, with Maile having a -5 DRS as well as a -4 SCD.

Drafted by the eighth by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2012, he made his debut in 2015, spending two years with the club before being claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays in early 2017.

Never known for his offensive prowess, Maile slashed .193/.257/.293 with seven home runs and 43 RBIs across his three seasons with the Jays. They are, arguably, the best seasons of his career.

He later played for the Brewers and Guardians before signing with his hometown Reds prior to the 2023 season.

While Maile has far more big league experience than either Fermin or O'Keefe, he might struggle to find a place on the roster.

He could start the year in Triple-A for the Royals, where he would act as insurance in case of injury. He could also opt-out towards the end of Spring Training should another opportunity arise.

For his career, Maile is a .208 hitter, with 21 home runs and 113 RBIs.