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Mathis signed a minor-league deal with the Phillies on Tuesday which will pay him $1.8 million if he earns a big-league job, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.
Mathis' path to a roster spot would involve him beating out Andrew Knapp for the backup catcher job, unless the Phillies for some reason decide the heavily-used J.T. Realmuto requires two backstops behind him on the depth chart. Mathis has a strong reputation as someone who can call a game and manage a pitching staff, but he offers next to nothing at the plate, hitting .194/.253/.300 over the course of his 16-year big-league career. Not even hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park is likely to salvage that kind of bat should Mathis wind up with unexpected playing time.
