The regular season may be on pause for the All-Star break, but trade conversations continue over these four days, as does the Internet’s favorite pastime — rampant speculation! As we do each summer here at MLBTR, we’ll be running down the trade market on a position-by-position basis. Jeff Todd already kicked things off with a rundown of the market for starting pitchers, and catchers are up next.
While there may not be a large number of contending clubs on the hunt for an upgrade behind the plate, there are plenty of options available for the few that are. Those clubs could include the likes of the Indians, Rangers, Mets, Astros, White Sox and Red Sox, each of which is firmly in the playoff picture but has received little to no production from its backstops in 2016.
Rentals
Nick Hundley: A lot of people will credit Coors Field for Hundley’s spike in offensive production over the past two seasons, but he posted a .790 OPS on the road for the Rockies last year and has been better away from Denver in 2016 than when playing at his launching pad of a home park. He’s earning $3.15MM this season and is a free agent at season’s end.
A.J. Pierzynski: The 39-year-old had a terrific season in 2015 with Atlanta, but he’s off to a dreadful .205/.227/.250 start. His $3MM salary isn’t prohibitive, but Pierzynski has never been well-regarded from a defensive standpoint and isn’t hitting in 2016. It’s tough to see much interest, but the Braves probably wouldn’t mind saving the bit of money left on his deal.
Carlos Ruiz: At 37 years old, Ruiz’s bat isn’t what it once was, but he’s still getting on base at a .336 clip thanks to a keen eye. His overall .229/.336/.331 slash and $8.5MM salary won’t make him a hot commodity, but if the Phils are willing to eat some of his $8.5MM salary, his knack for getting on base and 30 percent caught-stealing rate in 2016 could lead to some interest as a backup. Ruiz could technically be listed in the section below (“Controllable Through 2017”), as he has a $4.5MM club option ($500K buyout) on his deal as well. There’d be some merit to a club picking that option up with a respectable finish to the season, but it’s not a lock right now.
Geovany Soto: The Halos aren’t going anywhere this season, and as a veteran on a cheap one-year deal, Soto is a logical trade candidate. He’s not the offensive force he once was, but he has a 103 OPS+ over the past four seasons combined and could be a useful backup piece.
Kurt Suzuki: Suzuki looked untradeable back in late May, but he’s hitting .382/.406/.598 over his past 106 plate appearances. He won’t continue at that pace, of course, but the recent surge and his consistently strong contact rate could make him a fairly appealing target to a club in need of an affordable option behind the plate. Of course, his vesting option for the 2017 season may cause some clubs to shy away from the notion of regular playing time.
Controllable Through 2017
Welington Castillo: D-backs GM Dave Stewart expressed that he didn’t necessarily feel compelled to sell at this season’s deadline, but he’s since moved closer Brad Ziegler to the Red Sox. Castillo is slated to hit free agency following the 2017 season and could be viewed as an expendable mid-term asset. The D-backs do have a somewhat intriguing alternative, as unheralded offseason pickup Chris Herrmann has been outstanding through 157 plate appearances. Of course, Herrmann has had plenty of good fortune on balls in play thus far and has never hit at the big league level, so the Snakes may not view him as an everyday option behind the dish.
Hank Conger: Conger’s 2015 throwing woes were well-documented — he caught just one of 43 attempted runners — but he’s righted the ship a bit in 2016, halting eight of 43 attempts. That’s still below the league average, but the bigger concern for Conger, who was optioned to Triple-A this week, has been a dismal .194/.265/.306 batting line. He’s a change of scenery candidate, and his offensive struggles make it unlikely that he’d go to a contender as a starter, he’s a terrific pitch-framer that a team could view as a backup option.
Jonathan Lucroy: Lucroy remains the top catching target on the market, and his brilliant .301/.361/.491 batting line this season makes GM David Stearns and his staff look quite wise for holding off on a trade this past offseason. Lucroy’s contract would fit onto any team’s payroll, and he’s controlled through 2017. Milwaukee has every right to ask for a king’s ransom.
Long-Term Options
Tucker Barnhart: The 25-year-old is hitting at a solid .269/.333/.385 clip over 229 plate appearances, and comes with plenty of cheap control. That probably makes him more valuable to the Reds — who are running out a low payroll and crossing their fingers that Devin Mesoraco can return to health — than he is as a trade chip, but nothing is bolted down in Cincinnati.
Chris Herrmann: It has been a breakout season for the 28-year-old, who has also seen action at every outfield position (yes, including center) and first base. Long a marginal hitter, Herrmann is suddenly mashing at a .291/.353/.511 clip with six home runs over 157 plate appearances. With that kind of production over a decent stretch, but without the background to support it, it’d be hard for Arizona to find a square deal — especially since the team still hopes to contend next year.
Derek Norris: His overall numbers don’t look great thanks to a disastrous month of April, but Norris is hitting .250/.321/.500 with 11 homers over his past 190 plate appearances. I might consider him the likeliest player in all of baseball to get traded, as the Padres need to clear room for Austin Hedges (if only so MLBTR’s Jason Martinez doesn’t have to change the title of his “Knocking Down the Door” series to “Have the Padres Called Up Hedges Yet?”). Hedges is hitting .419/.456/.886 with 14 homers in 28 games since being activated from the minor league DL in early June.
Josh Phegley: After two straight years of approximately league-average offensive production, Phegley has fallen back a bit with a .256/.314/.372 slash in just 86 plate appearances for the A’s. Much as with Barnhart, he probably makes better sense to stay in Oakland, but could be had if another organization is particularly enamored of him.
Cameron Rupp: The Phillies certainly don’t need to move Rupp, as he’s controlled for another four seasons beyond this year. However, the soon-to-be 28-year-old is in the midst of a strong (albeit BABIP-inflated) season and boasts a .287/.329/.507 batting line through 222 plate appearances. Jorge Alfaro is probably the catcher of the future in Philadelphia, and if someone feels compelled to make a nice offer for Rupp, the rebuilding Phillies could look to be opportunistic.
Stephen Vogt: General manager Billy Beane flatly said last May that he wasn’t going to trade Stephen Vogt (and stuck to his word), but Vogt is another season older, another season closer to free agency and, of course, the A’s are in the midst of another dreadful campaign. Vogt is controllable for another three years after this season, but he’ll turn 32 this winter and Oakland may be more open to a major sale in 2016 than it was in 2015.
Big Contracts
Brian McCann: McCann is in the midst of his most productive season with the Yankees, but he’s also 32 years old and is owed $17MM in both 2017 and 2018 (plus a $15MM vesting option for the 2019 season). The Yankees have increased their efforts to get younger in recent seasons — evidenced by the additions of Didi Gregorius, Starlin Castro and Nathan Eovaldi as well as a reluctance to part with prospects like Aaron Judge, Luis Severino and Greg Bird — and trading McCann would pave a road for Gary Sanchez to become the team’s regular backstop.
Miguel Montero: Montero has long been a starter, but considering his .201/.319/.345 line through 166 plate appearances this year, it doesn’t seem likely that he’d be acquired to fill that role. The emergence of Willson Contreras could make Montero expendable for the Cubs. He’s earning $14MM this season and next year, so Montero would almost certainly be a salary dump if he were able to be moved at all.
I think the Red Sox could move one of there catchers like Leon
Even though he’s hitting really well not sure there’s much of a market for Leon
Leon is swinging a hot stick right now, but even so he’s got zero trade value. If the Sox trade a catcher my guess would be trying to package Vazquez is a larger deal. His bat may suck but he’s a major defense asset.
Hannigan would be more likely to be moved unless Leon goes into a prolonged slump.
Leon for Teheran and Vizcaino (no, dude. I HAD to say it)
Does anyone here think the Cubs would actually trade Montero for what they’d get back? Not sure money next year will be an issue so would probably be best keeping him around in case of injury or the shred of hope he could start hitting again. Just my opinion. Thoughts?
I think at this point they would have to pay to move Montero. The best case scenario now might be something along the lines of tossing him in with a couple of good prospects on a trade….say for Lucroy? It would be nice to finish the year with a Lucroy, Ross, and Contreras platoon and set up for a possible Lucroy (not sure of FA status), Contreras, with Schwarber on occasion platoon next year. However, the prospects may have to be of a higher tier just to get Milwaukee to take Montero. You could entice it by eating some of the salary as well.
Montero is almost dead weight on the team. He’s around right now because he is owed money next year and there’s a notion of Contreras learning some defense from him and Ross. Otherwise, I would imagine he would have been long gone.
If the Yankees suddenly decide they are sellers, then I think it is possible that the Rangers might have interest in McCann. Even with the extra control his contract offers, I’d imagine that McCann would cost less to acquire than Lucroy (of course there are the extra millions owed to McCann).
I’m sure if they like a deal they would probably eat half of the contract
They’d eat most of it if they wanted any return at all. Nobody wants a heavy, expensive old catcher, and that’s where he’s headed.
I wouldn’t think the Rangers would be looking to get another guy who is going to need spend time at 1B or DH in the near future. Especially not one making a bunch of money. I’d guess they’ll look for a younger option that can hold down the position for a while.
If the Yankees ate $10 million ($15 if option vests) than I wouldn’t mind the Braves having a reunion. I think he still would bring value sharing time with Flowers for a young pitching staff. Would rather him at that price for 2-3 yrs than any of the FA at theirs next offseason.
I like that Idea
We can only hope that the Padres can get rid of Norris based on 3 good weeks in June. Please, PLEASE can some team take him off our hands.
God you are annoying
Norris is top 5 defensive in baseball and can be a .250 catcher with 20 homers and 70+rbi. Only reason padres are trading him is because hedges is more of an elite defender
??? Norris has always been regarded as bat first, poor glove. Not sure whom you’re thinking of
Check FanGraphs. They have Norris listed with a DEF of 10.9, which places him tied for fourth with Brian McCann and Yadier Molina, and behind only Russell Martin, Salvador Perez, and Wilson Ramos. That’s pretty good company.
Do you think the Padres could get Joe Musgrove & David Paulino back from the Astros for Norris & Cashner?
As a Padres fan, I am totally for it but I doubt the Astros would give up that much value with how much Norris has scuffled at the plate and Cashner’s injuries this season. That said, I think that Houston is a good match and we could make a deal work with one of those guys and a couple low level prospects that would add to the stockpile we are accruing in the low minors.
He’s made some strides defensively, altho the bat has admittedly regressed
LUCROY TRADE: Option 1
…………………………………………………………….
MILWAUKEE BREWERS RECEIVE:
Joey Gallo- 3B/OF
Luis Ortiz- RHP
Michael Matuella- RHP
Tyler Phillips- RHP
…………………………………………………………….
TEXAS RANGERS RECEIVE:
Jonathan Lucroy- C
Jeremy Jeffress- RHP
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LUCROY TRADE: Option 2
…………………………………………………………….
MILWAUKEE BREWERS RECEIVE:
AJ Reed- 1B
Francis Martes- RHP
David Paulino- RHP
…………………………………………………………….
HOUSTON ASTROS RECEIVE:
Jonathan Lucroy- C
Carlos Torres- RHP
…………………………………………………………….
No way the Rangers give up Profar or Gallo for anything less than a TORP. I could see a Ronald Guzman and Nick Martinez and a couple of lower level prospects. The Rangers will include someone that is on there 40 man roster if they make a trade.
Guzman, Martinez and a couple of lower level prospects for who? Certainly not Lucroy. Maybe Jeffress by himself
Nor any way Houston moves reed martes and Paulino. Their pitching staff needs serious help and martes looks like a front of the routine arm, and Paulino has been dealing. Plus the top first base prospect in all of baseball. Hard pass.
Although I’m very certain that the Rangers would likely include Gallo in what they term the ‘right’ deal, I don’t see him as the center piece in a Lucroy deal (unless it was more than just Lucroy and Jeffress).
I also don’t think that the Astros are in any hurry to give up on Reed yet. He may have struggled some so far this season, but there are reasons he was the number one first base prospect in the game. At the very least now he will probably finish the rest of the season as a DH platoon with Gattis. I think the Astros would rather hold him and they expect him to continue to mature and develop as the season progresses.
No way the Astros give up that much for Lucroy
That’s not a balanced trade for someone with Mvp or at least all star talent at a position as important as C.
I still think the Cardinals need to sign Lucroy. I’m a huge Molina fan, but age and injuries are stacking up on Yadi. Plus, Matheny won’t rest Yadi. A combination of Lucroy and Molina would be tremendous!! Plus, their versatility makes this a reasonable thought.
Except currently you can’t “sign” Lucroy. He is NOT a free agent currently. The Brewers have his rights and if the Cardinals want him, then they’d have to offer the best package to the Brewers. That isn’t likely to happen.
This post proves that not all Cardinal fans are knowledgeable about the game of baseball. The Brewers would never trade Lucroy to a division rival, let alone to the Cards and the Cards would have to give up Reyes for Lucroy. Not happening. Ever
That would be amazing and would really help push the cardinals over the edge into contention…assuming they only give up prospects. When everyone is healthy they would be really good
Yankees get – Tehran
Braves get- Sanchez
I got a 3 team trade proposal opinions please
Texas gets Lucroy, Vizcaino & Frenchy
Brewers get Blair & Fried
Braves get Brinson & Garza
How is that good for the Brewers or braves? Give up your best player for what? Think man, trade makes zero sense for the other two teams yadada mean
Conger has been a negative pitch framer this year…
statcorner.com/CatcherReport.php
Combine that with his .194 batting average and bad defense and the Rays would be lucky to get anything for him
I don’t know why anybody would rent AJ, he was good last season on a terrible team is having a terrible season right now. Castillo looks good. Vogt has talent but seems like an offseason move given how his main value is management, and he would need to get a better feel to shine. Obviously lucroy is the big name and he wants out but I don’t know why the Brewers would trade him. He’s cheap and has another year. Trade an expensive piece like Braun over a cheap controllable dude playing one of the most important positions …even if he vocally said he wants to go to a contender. They don’t have to trade him and it seems stupid unless they get a solid return