As if often the case, the catching market is short on quality options this offseason. It is the sport's most demanding position and whenever a team gets its hands on a top catcher, they tend to keep him as long as possible. Quality everyday catchers rarely become available and this is a particularly bad offseason to need a catcher.
Most of the offseason's best available catchers changed teams prior to the owners' lockout. Tucker Barnhart and Jacob Stallings (and Jorge Alfaro) were traded, and Yan Gomes and Manny Piña (and Roberto Pérez) signed as free agents. Here, according to FanGraphs' projected 2022 WAR, are the best available free agent catchers:
Wilson Ramos: 0.5 WARStephen Vogt: 0.5 WARRobinson Chirinos: 0.2 WARLuke Maile: 0.2 WARSeveral at 0.1 WAR or lowerRamos is 34 and coming off a torn knee ligament. Vogt and Chirinos are both 37. There is not a starting caliber catcher to be had in free agency right now. At best, you can pick up a veteran backup. Teams seeking a starting catcher (the Rangers and Yankees jump to mind) have no choice but to look to the trade market now, but options are limited there as well.
With that in mind, here are the top catchers who could be available via trade once the lockout ends. It should be noted teams can discuss trades during the lockout, though they can not consummate any trades involving 40-man roster players until MLB and the MLBPA agree to a new collective bargaining agreement. Let's get to the best catcher trade candidates.
All signs point to the A's cutting payroll and trading away core players once the lockout ends. That includes Murphy, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, even though he is still four years away from free agency. Four cheap years of a catcher with power and good defensive chops equals one of the most valuable trade chips in the game. It's not crazy to think Oakland could get more for Murphy than they could a bigger name like Matt Chapman or Matt Olson given the differences in position and team control (the Matts are only under team control through 2023).
An obvious trade candidate and that was true before the Cubs signed Yan Gomes, adding to their catcher inventory. Chicago traded almost all their core players at the deadline, signaling a rebuild, yet they also signed Marcus Stroman, indicating a desire to be competitive in 2022. In October, the Athletic's Sahadev Sharma suggested the Cubs will trade Contreras if the two sides are unable to work out a contract extension. He's due to become a free agent next offseason, something that would normally limit his trade value, but the fact he is one of the best catchers in the game makes him a rare commodity. Only one year of control won't be a dealbreaker.
The D-Backs lost 110 games in 2021 and a quick return to contention looks unlikely in the rugged NL West. At this point, nothing can be off the table for Arizona, and that includes making Kelly available. He's been quite productive in the last two 162-game seasons and he will remain under team control through 2024, making him a long-term buy. The D-Backs have a ready-made replacement catcher in Daulton Varsho (who had a nice breakout year while playing the outfield). Trading Kelly would net a significant prospect package to kick start what sure looks like another rebuild in the desert.
Quality catchers are a valuable commodity and the Blue Jays are deep behind the plate. Kirk and Danny Jansen are legitimate starting caliber backstops, Reese McGuire is a solid backup, and top prospect Gabriel Moreno should arrive at some point in 2022. Toronto won't be able to keep everyone, so it makes sense to make the catchers available to improve the team elsewhere. I would make Kirk and Jansen (and McGuire) available and keep Moreno, but the Blue Jays should keep an open mind. Would they really let Moreno stand in the way of adding, say, José Ramírez?
Ryan Jeffers and Ben Rortvedt fells on their faces in 2021, so it's probably a stretch to say the Twins have three legitimate MLB catchers, though they are deeper behind the plate than most teams. Garver is productive and starting to get expensive through arbitration, and he only has another two years of team control remaining. Given Minnesota's pitching needs, dealing Garver for arms and going with Jeffers and Rortvedt behind the plate has to be a consideration. The Twins would be foolish not to at least listen to offers for all three players. There's no harm in listening.
Two years ago Melendez had a sub-.600 OPS with a strikeout rate approaching 40 percent in High Class-A. In 2021, he led the minors with 41 home runs, and hit .288/.386/.625 while reaching Triple-A. Salvador Perez is locked up at big money through 2025, and while keeping Melendez to share catcher duties as Perez enters his mid-30s would be a smart move, the Royals suddenly have themselves a great trade chip. A year ago at this time Melendez was an afterthought. Now he's a potential starting catcher at a time when few are available. There is no doubt in my mind the Royals have fielded calls about Melendez this winter.
