Jarrod Scott Saltalamacchia (; born May 2, 1985) is an American former professional baseball catcher. Between 2007 and 2018, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, Miami Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, and Toronto Blue Jays. In August 2025, he was named the Director of Program Development for the Miami Hurricanes baseball program.
Raised in West Palm Beach, Florida, Saltalamacchia attended Royal Palm Beach High School. His performance on the institution's baseball team drew the attention of scouts, and the Braves selected him in the first round of the 2003 MLB draft. He spent four years in the Braves' farm system, but in 2007, injuries to both of Atlanta's regular catchers forced them to call him up to the major leagues. Saltalamacchia was prevented from becoming a regular catcher for the Braves by the presence of Brian McCann, and so he became the centerpiece of a trading deadline deal with the Rangers in 2007. Shortly after becoming the team's starting catcher in 2009, a bout of thoracic outlet syndrome forced Saltalamacchia to undergo season-ending rib removal surgery, and lingering issues from the surgery caused him to suffer from the "yips" in 2010.
The Rangers traded Saltalamacchia to the Red Sox in 2010, and he continued to suffer from health issues that limited his play. Under the mentorship of Jason Varitek, however, Saltalamacchia began to improve, and he succeeded Varitek as the team's starting catcher in 2012. While Saltalamacchia had a breakout season in 2013, he was benched for the final stretch of the 2013 World Series after a missed play caused the Red Sox to lose Game 3. The following year, he signed with the Marlins as a free agent, but his production declined, and he was released from the team in May 2015.
Saltalamacchia batted just .171 with the Tigers in 2016. Most of his time with Toronto and Detroit over the next two seasons was spent with their Triple-A affiliates, where he helped mentor pitching and catching prospects like Grayson Greiner. Saltalamacchia announced his retirement from baseball in January 2019, citing a desire to spend more time with his family. Since then, he has served as a baseball coach for The King's Academy in Florida and has filled in as a sports analyst for the New England Sports Network.
Early life Saltalamacchia was born on May 2, 1985, in West Palm Beach, Florida. He attended Royal Palm Beach High School, where he caught for his friend and future Major League Baseball (MLB) teammate Kason Gabbard. In 2000, they helped the Royal Palm team reach the state tournament. His father wanted Saltalamacchia to play football, but he was singularly focused on baseball. By his junior year, he was drawing interest from MLB scouts.
Professional career Draft and minor leagues The Atlanta Braves selected Saltalamacchia in the supplemental first round, 36th overall, of the 2003 MLB draft. On June 3, 2003, he agreed to a contract with the team for a signing bonus of $950,000, and he spent his first season of professional baseball with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League (GCL) Braves. At the time, he had committed to play college baseball for the Florida State Seminoles, but college coach Mike Martin told him, "If you go first round, take your money and go." In 46 games, Saltalamacchia batted .239 with two home runs and 14 runs batted in (RBIs) in 134 at-bats. After helping take the team to a GCL championship title, Saltalamacchia was promoted to the Class A Rome Braves for the 2004 season. In 91 games there, Saltalamacchia batted .272, recording 10 home runs and 51 RBIs in 323 at-bats.
2005 proved to be a breakout year for Saltalamacchia, who was named the Myrtle Beach Pelicans' Most Valuable Player, as well as the top prospect in the Class A-Advanced Carolina League, by batting .314, hitting 19 home runs, and setting a club single-season record with 81 RBIs. After the conclusion of the regular Minor League Baseball season, Saltalamacchia was one of two Pelicans selected to play for the Phoenix Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League, alongside outfielder Josh Burrus. In an additional 21 fall league games, Saltalamacchia batted .288, adding one home run and eight RBIs to his season totals.
Entering the 2006 season as one of Atlanta's top prospects, Saltalamacchia was assigned to the Double-A Mississippi Braves. He had what Braves manager Bobby Cox referred to as "an off year" in Mississippi: despite flashes of strong batting in July and August, his overall average for the year was only .230, with nine home runs and 39 RBIs. He stayed in Mississippi to begin the 2007 season, with the anticipation that he would be promoted to the Triple-A Richmond Braves at some point in the year. Saltalamacchia also made another Arizona Fall League appearance in 2006, going 13-for-23 in six games with the Peoria Javelinas.
Atlanta Braves (2007)
With both starting catcher Brian McCann and backup Brayan Peña injured during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Saltalamacchia was called up to Atlanta on May 2, 2007, his 22nd birthday. He made his MLB debut that same night, getting on base twice with a walk and a hit by pitch. Four days later, Saltalamacchia recorded both his first major league hit and RBI in a 6–4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The latter hit, which came off of a pitch from Saltalamacchia's childhood friend Chad Billingsley, helped bring home Andruw Jones to give the Braves the lead. His first home run came on May 27, with a solo shot off of the Phillies' Cole Hamels. Exactly one month later, while filling in at first base to make room for McCann behind the plate, Saltalamacchia recorded his first multi-home run game, with third- and fifth-inning solo shots against Mike Bacsik of the Washington Nationals. In 47 major league games with Atlanta, Saltalamacchia batted .284 with four home runs and 12 RBIs in 141 at-bats.
Texas Rangers (2007–10) Despite his strong performance in the minors, Saltalamacchia was essentially blocked from becoming an Atlanta staple by McCann, who received his second consecutive All-Star selection in 2007. This made Saltalamacchia an attractive piece for the MLB trading deadline. On July 31, 2007, Saltalamacchia was the centerpiece of a five-prospect deal with the Texas Rangers in exchange for Mark Teixeira. Alongside Saltalamacchia, Neftalí Feliz, Elvis Andrus, Matt Harrison, and Beau Jones were sent to Texas in order for Atlanta to receive Teixeira. Shortly after joining the team, Saltalamacchia contributed two home runs and seven RBIs in the Rangers' 30–3 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. It was the first time that a team had scored 30 or more runs in a game since the Chicago Colts defeated the Louisville Colonels on June 29, 1897. Saltalamacchia played in 46 games for the Rangers in 2007, batting .251 with 21 RBIs in 167 at-bats. Additionally, his seven home runs set a new single-season record for Texas rookie catchers.
After battling with Gerald Laird for the starting catcher job in spring training, Saltalamacchia was optioned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City RedHawks for the start of the 2008 season. His time in the minors was limited, however, as he was called up on April 25 to replace Adam Melhuse, who was released from his contract after breaking a bone in the back of his hand during a game against the Detroit Tigers. Saltalamacchia played in 61 games that season, batting .253 with three home runs and 26 RBIs. One of those home runs was Saltalamacchia's first career grand slam, which helped lift the Rangers to a 13–9 victory over the Cleveland Indians on May 23, 2008. Laird recalled later that Saltalamacchia struggled with the pressure placed on him both by himself and by the Rangers, and that "[s]ometimes you could see he wasn't being himself". His season came to an end on September 1, when an injured elbow forced the Rangers to shut him down. After the regular season ended, Saltalamacchia spent time with the Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Winter League, batting .364 with nine home runs and 21 RBIs in 20 games before returning home.
The Rangers traded Laird to the Tigers after the 2008 season, leaving the starting catcher role open for 2009. Saltalamacchia earned the position out of spring training after Taylor Teagarden showed poor pitch blocking and stamina and Max Ramírez suffered an injury. His time at the position was hindered, however, by tingling and numbness in Saltalamacchia's throwing arm and hand that got increasingly worse as the season went on. The symptoms worsened to the point that Saltalamacchia had to leave a game in the fourth inning, and he was placed on the 15-day disabled list on August 15. The symptoms were ultimately traced back to a car accident that Saltalamacchia had survived in June: the collision caused Saltalamacchia's top rib to pinch a nerve, a condition known as thoracic outlet syndrome, and he required surgery to remove the bone. Saltalamacchia was limited to only 84 games during the 2009 season, during which he batted .233 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs. He attempted to play once more in the Dominican Winter Leagues but had to be shut down after experiencing shoulder discomfort.
Saltalamacchia opened the 2010 MLB season with the fourth opening day walk-off win in Rangers history, driving in David Murphy with an RBI single to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 5–4. The back pain and shoulder inflammation that had bothered him during spring training, however, had returned in full by the second game of the season, and Saltalamacchia was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 8 with upper back stiffness. After returning from the injury, Saltalamacchia showed difficulties both batting and catching, and he was sent to the Triple-A Oklahoma City RedHawks to isolate and remedy the mechanical issues with his play. Saltalamacchia also struggled mentally, with a bout of the "yips" preventing him from making accurate throws back to the pitcher. He was frustrated with his inability to make what should be a simple throw, saying that it was "the only thing keeping [him] from being back in the big leagues". Saltalamacchia spent most of his time with the Rangers organization that season in Oklahoma City, where he batted .244 in 238 at-bats, with 11 home runs and 33 RBIs in 63 games.
Boston Red Sox (2010–13)
On July 31, 2010, the Rangers traded Saltalamacchia to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for prospects Román Méndez and Chris McGuinness, $350,000 in cash, and a player to be named later. After the trade was finalized, he was assigned to the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox as one of multiple potential replacements for the veteran Jason Varitek. When Kevin Cash was placed on the disabled list with a hamstring injury on August 11, Saltalamacchia was called up to start behind the plate, with regular catcher Víctor Martínez filling in for Cash at first base. His stint was short-lived, as Saltalamacchia was placed on the 15-day disabled list on August 19 after a sore leg turned out to be infected. He had only 13 at-bats after returning from the infection before going down with a torn ligament in his left thumb. The ligament required surgery and 4–6 weeks of recovery, and Saltalamacchia was shut down for the season on September 28, 2010. He appeared in only 10 games for the Red Sox that season, going 3-for-19 in the process, but manager Terry Francona said that he was "kind of excited about" the limited action that Saltalamacchia did see.