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Taking Stock Of The Catching Market

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The top two catching options on the open market are gone, with the White Sox landing Yasmani Grandal and the Braves securing the services of Travis d’Arnaud. Some others, including Stephen Vogt (Diamondbacks), Tyler Flowers (Braves), and Dustin Garneau (Astros) are also accounted for. But our top 50 free agent list still has a few backstops on it. There are quite a few other veterans out there as well, along with some notable trade candidates.

As we did recently for relievers, let’s canvas the market to see what’s left for those teams with a need behind the dish:

We’ll start at the top. What to make of the rumors that the Cubs are willing to discuss some of their top stars in trades? It’s hard to imagine how the team would improve by dealing away Willson Contreras, even if he hasn’t yet perfected pitch-framing, but it seems there’s a belief that Victor Caratini could be paired with a veteran and perform well in an expanded role. Contreras would presumably only be cashed in if the return is not only compelling from a talent/value perspective, but built around near-term contributors rather than far-away prospects. He’s projected to earn $4.5MM in his first season of arbitration eligibility.

It’ll be interesting to see how that situation plays out. Whether or not a deal is completed, there’ll surely be a good number of teams compiling trade packages to make a run at Contreras. Might those that miss turn their sights elsewhere? And might the Yankees actually consider moving on from Gary Sanchez after another frustrating defensive season? That’s a much more speculative possibility, but it probably can’t be ruled out entirely.

The next tier down includes some very solid options — several of whom have deservedly held down semi-regular playing time. Omar Narvaez has emerged as a trade candidate for the Mariners. He possesses rare hitting ability for a backstop but comes with some defensive questions. The left-handed hitter is a candidate to handle the large side of a platoon.

Another interesting possibility is Jorge Alfaro of the Marlins. The Miami club may prefer to keep him in hopes that he can tap into some upside, and undoubtedly won’t sell low, but he’d also represent a solid target for clubs looking for more offensive punch. He could be seen as a semi-regular piece right out of the chutes who might yet develop into an everyday type.

Teams looking for reliability on the open market have a few clear options remaining. Southpaw swinging free agent Jason Castro is a solid hitter and strong framer. Fellow open market target Robinson Chirinos has a quality stick and has been trusted to play in over a hundred games in each of the past two season. Both are probably best utilized in a 50/50 timeshare but could be tasked with more.

There are some other, somewhat more speculative trade candidates of note to consider. The White Sox obviously aren’t convinced that James McCann can repeat his strong offensive season, but he’d hold appeal elsewhere as a cost-efficient candidate who has now established a new ceiling at the plate. The Padres’ Austin Hedges and Reds’ Tucker Barnhart haven’t really come around fully with the bat but are considered high-quality defenders. Both could be available if their teams make desired upgrades.

Clubs looking for younger, affordable, controllable backstops have a few other players to consider as well. We’ve heard some chatter that the Blue Jays are willing to discuss Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire in trades; presumably, the Orioles would listen to interest in Pedro Severino or Chance Sisco. After falling out of favor in Los Angeles, Austin Barnes is probably available; he’s not especially youthful but is only estimated to command $1.3MM in arbitration and is still affordable, controllable, and versatile.

Turning back to the open market, there’s a strong remaining mix of targets — many of whom have seen quite a lot of MLB action in recent seasons. Francisco Cervelli and Yan Gomes are bounceback candidates. Martin Maldonado is a defensive specialist. Russell Martin or Jonathan Lucroy could supplement and mentor a younger backstop. Chris Iannetta, Alex Avila, and Welington Castillo have had ups and downs but possess more offensive capabilities than most receivers. And Austin Romine has quietly turned in a pair of strong seasons, slashing .262/.302/.428 over his past 505 plate appearances. As ever, there’s a long list of other depth candidates … with H-named backstops featuring prominently among them (Chris Herrmann, John Hicks, Bryan Holaday, Nick Hundley).

Astros Sign Dustin Garneau

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3:42pm: The signing is now official. Furthermore, agent Marc Kligman tells Mark Berman of FOX 26 that the deal comes with a $650K base salary and $75K worth of incentives (Twitter link).

10:43am: The Astros have agreed to a one-year deal with backstop Dustin Garneau, per Jake Kaplan of The Athletic (via Twitter). It appears that he’ll rather unexpectedly receive a 40-man spot with the signing. The dollars aren’t yet known.

Garneau has settled into a journeyman existence in recent years. Though he has at times shown a promising bat in the upper minors — he has three .900+ OPS seasons in high-octane Triple-A offensive environments — the results haven’t been there in the majors. Over 381 lifetime plate appearances at the game’s highest level, Garneau has slashed just .207/.290/.343. If he’s able to cement himself as a viable option over a full season behind the dish in Houston, he’d be controllable all the way through the 2024 campaign — although he’d likely be eligible for arbitration as a Super Two player next winter.

While he isn’t exactly legend for his framing or throwing, Garneau is regarded as a strong defender. His former skipper with the A’s, Bob Melvin, had kind words for Garneau’s overall game management ability — the sort of thing that’s essentially impossible to capture from objective measurement. It seems fair to presume that the ’Stros think they’ll get good work behind the dish and in the game prep arena out of Garneau, with any offense mostly an added bonus.

It also seems rather clear that this is one of multiple planned catching moves for the defending American League champs. Garneau joins Garrett Stubbs on the Houston 40-man. But odds are the team will allow those players to compete for the reserve job in camp. (Garneau will have a strong edge since he’s out of options and just signed this deal.) Another backstop — perhaps a returning Robinson Chirinos — is likely to be brought aboard as well.

 

Mariners Sign Kendall Graveman

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2:14pm: The Mariners have announced the signing. Their 40-man roster is now up to 38 players.

9:35am: The Mariners have agreed to a one-year, MLB deal with righty Kendall Graveman, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter links). It’ll promise him $2MM, a sum that includes a $1.5MM salary for 2020 and a $500K buyout of a $3.5MM club option for 2021.

Kendall Graveman | Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

As we explored last month, Graveman worked hard to put himself back on the map after returning from Tommy John surgery. While the Cubs ultimately decided not to hang onto the hurler for a $3MM price tag, the M’s obviously saw enough to bring him in for a lesser guarantee — while also picking up an affordable option if things go well.

There’s also a provision to allow some extra earning power for Graveman, a client of Sports One Athlete Management. He’ll have the ability to earn up to $1.5MM in incentives for each year of the contract (assuming that he’s picked up for 2021). It’s not yet known how readily achievable those extra dollars are.

Seattle makes for a perfect landing spot for the 28-year-old hurler, who was able to return to the mound — but not the majors — during the 2019 season. He’ll likely have the inside track on a rotation spot, with the backstop of serving as a swingman out of the pen.

Graveman was a productive starter with the Athletics for a solid stretch earlier in his career. Up until the roadblock he hit in 2018, the Mississippi State product had dialed up 411 2/3 innings of 4.11 ERA ball. While he never was and surely never will punch out many hitters, Graveman boasts a strong 51.7% groundball rate for his career.

Though he was not able to make it back to the majors last year, Graveman made it into competitive action in the minors. That gave the Mariners a chance to get a look at his form. And it should leave full confidence that Graveman will be a full participant in Spring Training from the outset.

Orioles Announce Multiple Minor-League Signings

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The Orioles have announced a variety of minor-league signings. Among the notable players is outfielder Mason Williams, who received a brief look in the majors last September after a strong Triple-A season.

A few other players with MLB experience are heading to the Baltimore organization in hopes of earning a new shot at the majors. Southpaws Hunter Cervenka and Rob Zastryzny have appeared in multiple big-league campaigns. Likewise, infielders Jose Rondon and Jesmuel Valentin have seen the Show.

It’s possible to imagine a path back for each of those players. Williams will face stiff competition but obviously has impressed the club to an extent. The O’s clearly like the idea of creating some competition in camp for the left-handed side of their bullpen. Present top options include Richard Bleier, Paul Fry, and Tanner Scott. And the middle infield corps could be an area of change depending upon what the club does with Jonathan Villar and Hanser Alberto. The former could be a trade or non-tender candidate; it’s possible to imagine the latter drawing trade inquiries as well.

Here’s the rest of the slate of announced signings:

Twins To Sign Blaine Hardy, Juan Graterol, Ryan Garton

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12:11pm: Backstop Juan Graterol and righty Ryan Garton are also heading to the Minnesota org, according to Triple-A communications director Nate Rowan.

Graterol, 30, spent some time with Minny in 2018 and has appeared briefly in each of the past four MLB campaigns. Garton, who is closing in on his own 30th birthday, has thrown 64 1/3 innings of 4.90 ERA ball in the bigs. Last year, he provided the Mariners’ top affiliate with a 3.99 ERA with 10.6 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 in 65 1/3 innings of action.

10:41am: The Twins have agreed to a minor-league deal with southpaw Blaine Hardy, according to MLB.com’s Jason Beck (via Twitter). Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN had recently reported that the sides were nearing agreement (Twitter link).

This pact comes with an invitation to participate in the MLB side of spring camp for the Minnesota resident. But if an opportunity arises for him to pitch abroad — where he might have greater earning power — then the deal includes a provision requiring the Twins to grant him his release or put him on the MLB roster within 48 hours. Otherwise, there’s a standard opt-out date in June.

Hardy, 32, has been a consistent presence in the AL Central for quite some time now. He broke into the professional ranks with the Royals and reached the majors with the Tigers, ultimately throwing 289 2/3 innings of 3.73 ERA ball in Detroit.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Twins have some new tricks for Hardy to try out. The veteran managed to gut out a 4.47 earned run average last year but didn’t impress ERA estimators. He struggled in particular against same-handed hitters while generally succeeding against righties. Perhaps a few tweaks could unlock something for Hardy.

Mariners Reportedly Nearing Another Rotation Signing

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Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto is evidently cooking up some pre-Thanksgiving surprises for fans of the franchise. The reported addition of Kendall Graveman is but one of two pitching signings in the works, according to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times (links to Twitter).

So, is it the turkey or another side? It seems we’ll find out tomorrow morning, when Divish says the second deal for a starting pitcher will likely be announced.

The M’s entered the winter with obvious needs in the rotation. As MLBTR’s TC Zencka characterized things in rounding up the needs and opportunities for the Seattle org, it seemed possible that the club would pursue as many as three new starting pitching candidates on the open market and/or in trade.

Graveman — one of the possible targets that TC noted — is likely pegged to take one rotation spot. But he could soon be joined by another. It isn’t impossible to imagine the Mariners making a bit of a splash here. No, we’re not expecting another Robinson Cano-sized surprise. But the club has the payroll availability needed to pursue just about any pitcher it likes. It’s also possible, of course, that the other new incoming arm will be more of a depth option than a clear-cut rotation piece.

We won’t offer any specific guesses here, as the possibilities are more or less endless. Dipoto is nothing if not freewheeling. There are some intriguing overseas possibilities, in addition to the full slate of available pitchers that threw in the majors last year. Could be mashed taters and gravy; might be little tiny onions. Hopefully it isn’t canned cranberry “sauce.” It’ll be fun to see who strolls into Seattle with Graveman for Turkey Day.

Derek Jeter On Marlins’ Offseason Plans

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Marlins CEO Derek Jeter addressed his organization’s outlook and near-term spending plans in an appearance yesterday. David Wilson of the Miami Herald was among those to cover the chat.

Jeter offered up a bit of a soundbite when he responded to a question about pursuing a given player that the organization likes in free agency. “We’ll go get him,” Jeter provided.

There was a proviso, however. “If a guy fits with our plan and what we’re trying to do, we’ll go get him,” Jeter continued. “I should say, make an attempt to get him.”

There’s a price for every team on every player of interest. But the Fish won’t necessarily be swimming in the deep end just yet. “We must be responsible,” Jeter explained.

Nobody expected the Marlins to plunk down major cash for a premium free agent or to clog up their roster with an array of veterans. In a broadly competitive National League landscape, the Miami roster is obviously far shy of contention-quality.

Still, it’s arguably time that the club begin moving towards a winning outfit after two seasons under Jeter’s helm. And there are opportunities for value in free agency, even for a team that has no plausible hope of winning during the term of a contract. Beyond the veteran leadership component, some wise investments can generate trade returns (and perhaps stave off grievances from the players’ union).

So, what does a “responsible” offseason look like? Details were not forthcoming, unsurprisingly, but Jeter did suggest the focus was less on payroll and more on roster space and opportunity. While there’s certainly some corporate-speak in there, there’s also some underlying merit.

[RELATED: Offseason Outlook: Miami Marlins]

Jeter spoke of the “challenging year” ahead, with the team “filling gaps” while “not blocking the young prospects.” It stands to reason there’ll be some exploration of more opportunistic pursuits, though that wasn’t an item raised by the soon-to-be-Hall-of-Famer.

At the end of the day, the ongoing focus is clear. “We have to stick with the plan,” says Jeter, “and our plan is to build a system the right way, which we’ve made a lot of progress in two years.”

Kazuhisa Makita Signs With Rakuten Golden Eagles

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Right-handed hurler Kazuhisa Makita is heading back to his native Japan. The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles have announced his signing.

Makita jumped the Pacific in 2017-18, landing a two-year deal with the Padres. While he was able to generate quite a few more strikeouts in the majors (9.5 per nine) than he averaged over his prior tenure in Japan (5.0), the submariner was also prone to the long ball and surrendered a 5.40 ERA over 35 innings in his debut campaign.

While the Friars lost their bet that Makita’s low-eighties sinker would sufficiently befuddle MLB hitters, he was quite effective last year in the upper minors. In 70 1/3 frames across 43 Double-A and Triple-A appearances, he worked to a 3.33 ERA with 8.6 K/9 against 1.4 BB/9. The showing did not convince the San Diego organization to give him another crack at the majors.

Now, Makita will attempt to pick up where he left off in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. But he’ll do so with a rival of his former team. Before coming to the bigs, Makita had compiled 921 1/3 innings of 2.83 ERA pitching over seven seasons with the Seibu Lions.

Rockies Reportedly Do Not Intend To Trade Jon Gray

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While there has been some early chatter surrounding Rockies righty Jon Gray, that doesn’t mean we’re on the cusp of a major swap. Rather, per MLB.com’s Thomas Harding, the Rox are leaving rival organizations with the expectation that Gray will remain in Colorado.

As MLBTR’s Connor Byrne explored earlier this month, Gray seems a strong trade candidate on paper. The 28 year-old is projected for a reasonable $5.6MM salary in arbitration, but he comes with just two seasons of team control remaining. Gray took a step forward in 2019, posting a 3.84 ERA in 150 innings with solid strikeout (23.6%) and walk (8.8%) rates despite calling Coors Field home. As a team, however, the Rockies went backwards, stumbling to a 71-91 season after back-to-back postseason appearances.

Without much flexibility to spend this offseason, there was and is reason to believe Colorado will explore the trade market both to add MLB pieces and as a potential means of increasing organizational financial flexibility. In addition to possibly attempting to move the contracts of some older, more expensive players, it stands to reason that the team would at least endeavor to learn what kind of young talent might be had in a swap involving its marketable, mid-arbitration players.

Perhaps the Rox didn’t like what they heard when rivals came calling on Gray in recent weeks. No doubt the bar is set even higher when it comes to shortstop Trevor Story. Like Gray, the star shortstop comes with two more years of team control. Dealing one or both would make for something of an organizational reboot, even with other key MLB pieces still on hand.

It certainly doesn’t sound as if the Rockies are anxious to discuss Story in trade talks. To the contrary, the Athletic’s Nick Groke (subscription link) even characterizes the team as having real interest in an extension, although there’s no indication anything’s close on that front. Even if there’s mutual interest, it’ll be challenging to find common ground. Story only just turned 27, has established himself as one of the game’s best shortstops, possesses strong arbitration earning power ($11.5MM projection), and holds sky-high potential in free agency after the 2021 season.

If Colorado is to return to contention, strong seasons from Gray and Story would be key. The Rockies don’t seem likely to threaten the Dodgers in the NL West and probably won’t project as a favorite in the Wild Card race. But there is some compelling core talent on hand and the organization is understandably interested in trying to win while that group is in place. It seems GM Jeff Bridich and company are planning to stay the course this winter in hopes of bouncing back sooner rather than later.

White Sox Outright Daniel Palka

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The White Sox announced today that they have outrighted outfielder Daniel Palka (via MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, on Twitter). He was designated recently to clear roster space for the signing of Yasmani Grandal.

Palka, 28, turned in a solid showing at the plate in his 2018 debut. While he went down on strikes 153 times in 449 plate appearances and ended with a .294 on-base percentage, he delivered enough power (27 home runs, .484 slugging percentage) to be an above-average overall performer with the bat.

Trouble was, Palka wasn’t up to the task in the outfield, where he graded quite poorly. He needed to make further strides in one or both areas to lock up a roster spot. Instead, he struggled badly in limited MLB chances in 2019, posting an awful .107/.194/.179 slash in 93 trips to the plate.

Some team will still gladly offer the powerful Palka a non-roster invitation on a minors deal. Notably, he showed improved plate discipline during his time at Triple-A in 2019. Offense was up everywhere, so there’s no reason to get carried away with the .900 OPS and 27 dingers he delivered at Charlotte. But Palka has never before managed a K/BB mix like the 109 strikeouts and 72 walks he tallied in 471 plate appearances.

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