Cincinnati Reds have a mess behind the plate and on the mound
With no consistency in the catching situation, the Cincinnati Reds cannot move forward behind the plate or on the mound.
The Cincinnati Reds have a collection of part-time catchers. Devin Mesoraco is the high draft pick that is viewed as the heir apparent behind the plate. He has been injured every year that he has been a big league catcher. 2011 was the last time he missed no MLB games due to injury.
His primary understudy is switch-hitting Tucker Barnhart. Barnhart has played more games for Cincinnati each of the last three years. This year, he played more than 100 games behind the plate.
The other back-up is the switch-hitting Ramon Cabrera. He made his big league debut with the Reds last year and was Barnhart’s back-up this year. He has probably played himself onto someone’s 2017 roster.
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There is also Raffy Lopez. The former Chicago Cubs farmhand was hitless for the Reds during a September call-up. The Reds optioned him to Louisville in October. Lopez is the smallest of the three back-ups, but also maintains the highest upside.
This hodge podge of catchers doesn’t help the pitching staff any. Mesoraco is the very traditional Carlton Fisk type, big man catcher. Barnhart more closely resembles former Red Ryan Hanigan.
The Reds can look inside the organization, outside the organization, or hope for the health of Mesoraco.
In the outside world dependable catching tends to be expensive. There are not very many catchers that are on the market in the off-season. There is one possible solution for the Reds.
Minnesota Twins catcher Kurt Suzuki is about to enter his option year. He has been a starter for the Twins and the Nationals for the past several years. Now the Twins have youngster Juan Centeno, who appears ready to make the jump to full-time.
For the Reds side of things they have a reasonably young reliever in Blake Wood and, if necessary, an extra back-up catcher to offer the Twins. Cabrera and Wood would likely net Suzuki and potentially a low end prospect like Kennys Vargas has become, if the Reds take all of the salary.
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That makes leaving Barnhart as the presumed starter behind the plate an attractive option. He can shift to the back-up role at anytime, but cover the signal calling at the big league level. As a switch-hitter his only weakness is that he appears unable to maintain his offense throughout the season. Other than that, it’s hoping Mesoraco can stay healthy.
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