It’s an MLBTR tradition to maintain a list of not only the immediately pending group of free agents, but also those next in line. As part of the festivities, a certain number of folks fail to read the headline and prefatory language closely, thus prompting vehement protestations about players wrongly included or excluded.
To forestall that outcome to the extent possible, we just ran through the full 2020-21 free agent class on a position-by-position basis. (Catchers, first basemen, second basemen, shortstops, third basemen, corner outfielders, center fielders, designated hitters, starting pitchers, lefty relievers and righty relievers.) Please explore those lists for the players who’ll be on the open market after the 2020 season.
What follows is a list of certain players — specifically, catchers — who are presently slated to qualify for free agency after the 2021 season. We’ve already run through the amazing group of shortstops in that class. The backstops don’t feature that kind of unbounded earning power. It’s important also to understand that this list is far from exhaustive, in that many catchers set for free agency in 2020-21 will ultimately ink one-year deals that put them back on track to return to the open market post-2021.
This is how the 2021-22 catching market shapes up at this point (season-age for 2022; alphabetical order within category):
Top of the Class
- Salvador Perez (32): One of the game’s true workhorses behind the dish, Perez missed the 2019 season with Tommy John surgery. But the respite could conceivably enhance his long-term outlook after averaging 138 games annually over the prior six seasons. Perez’s value is a matter of quite some disagreement. Baseball Prospectus catching grades don’t love his work behind the dish and he’s a roughly average hitter whose best attribute (power) may lead some to overrate his abilities on offense. Fangraphs values his total career contribution at an underwhelming 10 WAR. Per Baseball-Reference’s measures, which give far more credence to Perez’s efforts with the glove, it’s a far more robust 22.1 WAR.
- Buster Posey (35): It’s tough to imagine the Giants will end up exercising a $22MM club option rather than allowing Posey to test the open market with a $3MM buyout on his way out. Posey is a historically important member of the San Francisco organization, but there’s hope his eventual replacement (Joey Bart) is already nearing the majors. More importantly, the decline has been precipitous for the once-great Posey. Long a well-above-average hitter, he drooped in 2018 and fell off a cliff last year, when he posted a .257/.320/.368 slash line. The good news here is that Posey remains a high-quality performer behind the dish. And he may have been unlucky at the plate; Statcast credits him with a .315 xwOBA but he managed only a .298 wOBA. Given the talent level, it’s too soon to rule out a late-career surge.
Other Regulars (based upon 2019 playing time)
- Roberto Perez (33): If the Indians end up picking up their cheap option over Perez for 2021, he’d be on track to hit free agency in the ensuing winter. If he can keep up last year’s league-average offensive output, the defensive standout might have a run of success as a near-everyday option.
- Wilson Ramos (34): Another player covered by a club option in 2021, Ramos is a bat-first backstop who seems destined for an eventual return to the American League for the later stage of his career. He graded poorly in the field in 2019, when he carried a big workload for the Mets, but he has historically fared rather well with the glove. Durability remains an ongoing issue as well.
Top Timeshare Candidates
- Tucker Barnhart (31): The Reds will have to decide between a $7.5MM club option and $500K buyout. Barnhart is a solid performer behind the plate and could function well as a half-time player for some time to come. The switch-hitter has a palatable 90 wRC+ against right-handed pitching.
- Travis d’Arnaud (33): A strong bounceback 2019 season earned d’Arnaud a two-year deal with the Braves. He isn’t likely to turn into a full everyday receiver, having only once topped four hundred plate appearances in a season.
- Yan Gomes (34): While he’s a steady hand in the field, Gomes wasn’t able to match his solid 2018 offensive work in the 2019 season. The Nats still liked him well enough as a timeshare guy to offer a two-year pact.
- Martin Maldonado (35): The bat is never going to be a strength, but Maldonado is a trusted hand. He keeps finding himself in demand at the trade deadline.
- Manny Pina (34): Pina is a somewhat underappreciated contributor. He performs well with the mask on and doesn’t hurt too much on offense, where he’s a career 90 wRC+ performer.
Salvy will never wear another uniform so you can just take his name off.
BC the royals have never been priced out of their star players and a guy will turn down millions more in earning for “loyalty”
His numbers don’t make him a star. His personality and tie to the Royals does. The market will drastically under value him. And the Royals will drastically over value him.
He is worth more to the Royals than any other organization. And the last player we all agreed about this on, Alex Gordon, did pass up millions extra to be a one team legend.
The Royals will gladly take the same “flop” on re-signing Salvy that they did on Gordon. They will still profit even though his numbers will leave most wondering if he is worth it.
Having numbers 4 and 13 added to the Royals HOF in left field is something no one else could offer.
I’ve heard/read that speech before from royals fans regarding your past stars. 1-2 stayed….most left. Guess we’ll see.
As long as Mr. buzz cut hairdo is the GM he will make a very generous offer to keep Sal and somehow I don’t think Sal is going to be overwhelmed with as you say “million dollar offers.” I like the Royals and their loyalty (to a point) to players. Must be a Midwest thing. The Royals never seem to forget they are entertainment and fans root for particular “heroes.” Good for them!
About to say if the Astros don’t bring back Springer and Brantley I wouldn’t mind them looking at Perez.
You are right about him giving your team a chance to be elite again.
Long term catcher is the cornerstone of a lot of elite teams
But think Perez would trade KC in for Houston
GM buzz cut is not trading Super Sal anywhere…..
Unless he signs him to a new contract he is eligible to walk in two years.
Could possibly trade him…
Astros have Maldonado for the next 2 years and they are comfortable with his catching
Don’t think the Astros would be interested unless of course it came at a discounted price.
Regarding contracts.
Perez is a catcher. Just matters how you value him and the position.
At 32 years old as of right now he could get a decent contract. I don’t think anything past 3-4 years.
But the next two years could determine that and the amount.
If the guy is still performing at a high level and asks for 5 you could see a team give it to him.
Bart can be the top catcher in the league for many years by simply being average defensively with a .800-.850 ops. Realmuto should start to decline in 2-3 years. I’m guessing Grandal will start the decline in a year or two. And Contreras… idk. He’s still young and pretty good.
Adley?
Bart is in the NL. Adley is in the AL. Therefor both can, and likely will be the top catchers in their respective leagues.
The above list as well as where the newer catchers in the league could fair will change if the autozone happens as it very well might. Framing type stuff will matter less catchers will be graded on passed balls, caught stealings, game calling, and hitting. I wouldnt be shocked if they set up at least a foot further back if it doesnt screw with the pitcher so as to never get hit with backswings or get called for catcher interference. Like Maldonado becomes much worse if framing stops providing value. Several FRAR Framing Runs Above Replacement catchers could stand to take a hit in 2022 when we can probably expect a full autozone implementation.
Doubt Posey will re sign with the Giants. The new SF GM is not particularly sentimental. If Posey does not retire, he will seek a contender that can use him part time. Like all Giants fans, I love the guy. However, he will have very old legs.
I agree. Posey is a ‘catch only’ guy now. That being said, I still think there is value in a veteran RH bench bat. Especially a catcher. But there is No Way Zaidi picks up that option. He’ll move on to a contender as a back up guy
Sabean, Evans and Bochy should be tarred and feathered for how they overworked Posey. It’s a crime. He was an elite hitter early on. They ruined him. They turned Posey into the New Joe Mauer
Oh really? Maybe he was underpaid.
They asked him to do his job which he was getting paid many millions to do.
Uh, he could have said no…..
I could also see Zaidi bringing Posey back on like a 1/5MM deal to be Bart’s backup.
Well he did bring back Sandoval and Pence and Posey means way more to that organization than they do. I just have a really hard time seeing Posey in any other uniform.
That’s probably the owners call. Mad scientist Z doesn’t have “sentiment”
on his spreadsheet…..
Who says the owners won’t call for him to keep Posey?
if ownership didn’t call for Zaidi to keep Bumgarner , they’re certainly not going to push for Posey.
Agreed! Posey is a 1 club player and that’s how the Giants should view him. He’s not silly either, when he feels like he’s done he will say so, don’t think he will be holding out for every last drop he can. Legacy player! Like Jeter, Rivera, Posada, Mauer, Kershaw etc
Doubt Giants will want Posey…..
Jeff Todd working late!
“Prefatory!!??” Really Jeff?
What a shoddy mess. Say it again. A team you like has a just fair catcher and they are better off keeping him satisfied until the wheels fall off (see Posey). Catching has really hit the skids the last couple of decades for some reason for whatever reason.
Buster makes a good AL catcher at this point, especially if he can get completely healthy. He’s a few more good seasons away from the HOF.
Posey should be catching when a RHP is on the mound and playing 1B when a lefty is on the mound, pushing Belt to the bench. At least if Belt’s numbers see an uptick because he faces lefties less frequent he becomes a (somewhat) attractable trade piece. Belt’s salary is a hurdle to say the least. Then Bart comes up, Posey still catches and plays 1B a little more often while mentoring Bart and padding his numbers to make himself more Cooperstown-worthy.
That’s just wild Bill.