Christian Bethancourt was supposed to be the Braves catcher of the future. Is that now a thing of the past? Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Christian Bethancourt was for two years or so the Atlanta Braves best everyday player prospect, but when it came time to take the wheel he ended up in a the ditch.
Catcher Gone Awry
The Braves put all their catching eggs in Christian Bethancourt’s basket this spring and hired A.J. Pierzynski to back him up. That lasted about a month before Pierzynski became the number one guy and Betti was back in the minors trying to find the form that made him such a prized prospect.
Braves fans expected Bethancourt to grow into their version of Yadier Molina….minus the hideous neck tattoos of course. His reputation was great defense with a bat that needed to mature. We all know what we saw last year, and that wasn’t it.
As much as John Hart and his soldiers say they haven’t given up on Betti, they tried this summer to grab Jonathan Lucroy from the Brewers. This move doesn’t exactly support the common understanding of their statement.
No Lucroy for you
Most fans dream of adding Lucroy in exchange for a firm handshake and thank you…but that won’t happen.
Lucroy was injured (toe) most of this season and in September was diagnosed with concussion. Together those injures held him to just over 1 fWAR. He is however considered a 3.5 fWAR player and a force on both sides of the ball.
The Brewers could very well trade him, but will certainly ask for two top ten prospects and at least one more player in return. Concussed catchers do recover, but every foul ball that slams into the mask makes the team trainer pop up and watch closely.
He turns 30-years-old next season and the potential cost in prospects makes a trade unlikely unless there are more pieces to it. Certainly I can dream of one up, but being a pragmatist I’ve looked elsewhere.
Oct 4, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters (32) stands at home plate during the eighth inning against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Orioles won 9-4. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
No Wieters either
I think signing Matt Wieters is a pipe dream. Although he had a down season it was a direct result of his TJ surgery limiting his ability to get in shape at the plate. Behind the plate Witers is a mixed bag. He threw out just over 30% of base runners this year and is pretty good at blocking the ball but Stat Corner is not a fan of his pitch framing abilities. Then there’s his size, at 6’5 and 230 pound he’s a monster sized catcher. Catchers that big end up as a DH or a first baseman and we have need for neither.
The Orioles will make a QO to Wieters and no one has yet accepted one of those but he could be the first. The $15.8M contract would be a big pillow and allow him to hit the market again next year without the QO hanging over him. He is a Scot Boras client however and the idea the Boras would recommend such a strategy is at best out of character. If he does reject it Boras will likely ask for and get a contract like Brian McCann’s but with a larger bottom line; something with an AAV of $17M in the neighborhood of five years at $85M or six years $102M. That sized contract is not in the Braves plans.
Mar 4, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez (78) hits a sacrifice RBI during the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at a spring training game at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Gary Sanchez
I’ve advocated for a trade with the Yankees to add Gary Sanchez several times this year. According to MLB Pipeline, Sanchez is the Yankees # 8 ranked prospect but he had some issues on and off the field that caused the Yanks some consternation. That seems to have passed according to various reports over the summer and he got a call up in September but it was simply a token as had only two plate appearances. Offensively Sanchez is a future middle of the order bat who doesn’t strike out as much as you might think given his profile.
In the past defense has been his biggest problem. He was always good at blocking balls in the dirt and throwing out runners but he had a tendency to be lazy now and then. All season long the Yankees have been saying to whoever would listen how much his defense was improving with each game. I’m notoriously suspicious of such pronouncements – remember Jesus Montero? – but it seems in this case to be genuine. He isn’t playing winter ball however they did send him to the AZL either to get him a chance to catch a couple of dozen more games or showcase his bat in order to trade him; take your pick.
Baseball America published a Scout’s View of Sanchez that’s available to all (yes free) that casts a favorable light on his defense as well as continuing to emphasize his bat. I encourage reading the whole report as there’simportant detail there and again, it’s free.
"(Sanchez’) swing is powerful and generates great bat speed. . . He still has some young hitter tendencies to swing at breaking balls out of the strike zone,. . . looks like a guy that will hit in the .260-.270 range. . .he could produce as many as 30 homers in his prime years. . .Sanchez is large physically . . . and provides a big target. . .He has soft hands and showed good blocking skills.. . .flashed a 60 arm in between innings . . . has good carry on his throws combined with a quick release. His pop times ranged from 1.9-2.0 range. . ."
A 22 year old right hand hitting power bat who is also at least a league average and maybe better defensive catcher is a valuable asset particularly with such individuals being in short supply. If the Yankees trade him as I suspect this whole thing is designed to set up, the price will be relatively high. Last season the Yankees refused to trade Sanchez as part of a deal for a front line starting pitcher – even a controllable pitcher – at the deadline. That indicates they would wants that and more for him, perhaps two top ten pitching prospects plus Bethancourt.
Jul 5, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Cleveland Indians catcher Roberto Perez (55) hits an RBI single against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the second inning in an inter-league game at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Roberto Perez
Perez was selected in the 33rd round of the 2008 draft by the Indians at the ripe old age of 19. He moved quickly up their minor league system (for a catcher selected in the 33rd round) and was ranked the best defensive catcher in the Indians organization from 2010 through 2012. After the 2013 season he was ranked the Indians #15 prospect by Baseball America (subscription required) and made his major league debut in 2014. After that season BA had this to say about Perez.
". . . Perez enjoyed a breakout year and served as Yan Gomes‘ understudy in Cleveland after being called up in July. Perez has long been known for his defense, but his offense took a major step forward. . (giving him) a chance to be more than just a defense-first backup. He shows outstanding bat-to-ball skills and takes short swings, allowing him to let the ball travel deep in the zone. . . (he) remains a standout defender. He calls a good game, receives the ball well and has an above-average throwing arm."
Once he arrived in Cleveland Perez flourished. Unfortunately for him the Indians had Yan Gomes as their starter and Perez was relegated to a backup role. When Gomes was injured this season Perez stepped in and the Indians didn’t miss a beat on defense and while his offense wasn’t eye watering he was on base consistently.
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/17/2015.
Ask about trading Perez Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer said he didn’t know what he would bring back if traded.
"The Indians really like Perez and Chris Antonetti and manager Terry Francona have said he’s talented enough to be a starter. He has some occasional power and a great throwing arm. He’s almost in the same spot that Yan Gomes was in when the Indians acquired him from Toronto.. . . I’m not sure what kind of return the Indians would get if they traded him. Would he fetch a hitter that would help their offense? I doubt that he’d do that in a one-for-one deal, but in a package perhaps."
The Indians may love Perez but they now have a healthy Yan Gomes and while having a backup capable of starting is always a good thing, he is almost certainly available. It might well be that Bethancourt and a second tier arm would be enough to land him.
Predicting the Braves off season moves isn’t easy but we can try. Graphic Created by Fred Owens for Tomahawk Take
That’s A Wrap
I still like Sanchez and I’m certain the Braves will check in on him as one of their first moves but the cost in prospects may well be too high for Hart and his crew. Perez doesn’t offer the middle of the order bat Sanchez would provide but he looks to be as good or better defensively with solid on base skills and at least a league average bat. The Braves could trade for either, the question is how much are they willing to pay?
There are other names out there of course. The Jays Dioner Navarro is a free agent and wants to catch but he’s not nearly as good a defensive catcher as Perez or Sanchez, will cost more money and is 32 years old.
Jordan Pacheco of the D’Backs is on the list as well along with several other backup type catchers but for me the choice is between Sanchez and Perez. I’d like to allocate my limited resources in other areas so if the cost for Sanchez is as high as I suspect, Perez would be my choice.