Editor's note: This story has been updated.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Rangers got a reminder about just how fragile the catching position can be Monday night, then announced the signing of Plano's Cameron Rupp to a minor league contract Tuesday.

Not that they needed the reminder.

The Rangers were already well down the road to finalizing a deal with Rupp, 29, when starting catcher Robinson Chirinos absorbed the brunt of a home plate collision with A's runner Jonathan Lucroy. But the Rangers also don't want to take any chances with a position that is thin on experience.

Chirinos, who once missed a full season because of concussion issues, has never started 90 games in a major league seasons. His backup, Juan Centeno, started a career-high 47 games in 2016 but has just 32 starts in parts of five other major league seasons.

Rupp played at Prestonwood Christian and the University of Texas before joining Philadelphia. He has started at least 70 games in each of the last three seasons.

"It's essential, really, to have somebody like [Rupp]," manager Jeff Banister said. "We know on any given night that one of these guys can do down, and you need to be able to replace them. We may not be able to replace the player, but we know we've got options who can and have played at the major league level."

Rupp hit just .217 with 14 home runs and a .716 OPS last year with Philadelphia. He had a .750 OPS for Philadelphia in 2016 in 389 at-bats. He was displaced in part by Jorge Alfaro, who Philadelphia got from the Rangers as part of the 2015 Cole Hamels trade.

"It's pretty special to come back to the organization you grew up," Rupp said. "Putting on the big league uniform for the first time is a special moment, but hopefully getting to put on a Rangers uniform, I think that's going to mean even more."

Rupp grew up a fan of the late 1990s Rangers teams and said, not surprisingly, that Ivan Rodriguez was his favorite player. But even after he left high school, he continued attending games when the schedule allowed. He was in the stands for the 2010 ALCS clincher against the New York Yankees and two of the 2011 home World Series games.

In a recent reader mailbag, we discussed Rupp and how he would fit with the Rangers, were they to make a move for him:

What Rupp, a product of Prestonwood Christian and the University of Texas, would give the Rangers is this: A guy proven to be capable of starting an upward of 70 games in a major league season; he's done it the past three years in a row. Given Robinson Chirinos' injury history and the fact he's never started 90 games behind the plate in a season, those are significant attributes. So are Rupp's power and his throwing ability. But the Rangers have come this far with Juan Centeno, who is a year younger, and may still have higher long-term upside than Rupp. Centeno is probably a bit more athletic and may be a better receiver.

One possibility, if Rupp is amenable: Sign him to a minor league contract with an early-ish (May 15 or so) opt-out date or with an agreement to let him go if he's got a major league opportunity elsewhere. It might give the Rangers the chance to take a look at Centeno, who is out of options, and still have Rupp on hand as important insurance.