Although they’re nonetheless in search of relievers, they addressed their pitching properly, and far has been stated about their want for an affect right-handed hitter, however one want is being ignored: the Crimson Sox near-future catching state of affairs is dire.
What the Crimson Sox want as a lot as any righty hitter is an skilled, defensive-minded catcher. On the very least, Boston wants an skilled catcher who enhances Connor Wong‘s defensive weaknesses. Ideally, the Sox want an all-around high quality defensive catcher to begin over Wong.
Connor Wong can’t be Boston’s beginning catcher in the event that they’re critical about successful.
He was an appropriate possibility till Kyle Teel arrived. However Teel’s not round. With out Teel, the Sox don’t have a long-term resolution at catcher anyplace near MLB-ready.
Wong took a step ahead offensively in 2024 however a major step again defensively.
He didn’t do sufficient properly sufficient defensively for a beginning catcher. Wong’s by no means blocked or framed properly, and people worsened. His energy — throwing runners out — took a major hit, too.
Boston seemingly acknowledged Wong isn’t the reply, as they experimented with him in a utility position at occasions final yr.
Connor might put every little thing collectively in 2025, although that’s not a state of affairs the Crimson Sox ought to financial institution on.
After buying and selling Teel, the Sox acquired Carlos Narvaez from the Yankees.
The one different Crimson Sox catcher with MLB expertise is Seby Zavala, who signed earlier this winter.
Solely Wong and Narvaez are on Boston’s 40-man roster.
This trio will not be ok for a staff that wishes to win subsequent season.
It’s too dangerous the Garrett Crochet commerce didn’t occur sooner. The Crimson Sox missed some good free-agent catchers that match the above invoice.
There aren’t many sensible, good, skilled, catching choices—free brokers or commerce targets—now. And it received’t be straightforward to seek out something greater than an MLB backup or depth kind anyplace.
Until they get artistic, the Crimson Sox will seemingly be unable to do a lot proper now to enhance their catching state of affairs past 2025.
However even then…
Something is feasible, I suppose.
Crimson Sox’s close to future Catching State of affairs isn’t good
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What did the Crimson Sox quit in Kyle Teel, and what does their catching state of affairs appear like now?
Kyle Teel
Teel, Boston’s 14th total decide in 2023, was their 4th ranked prospect by soxprospects earlier than the commerce. He was twenty fifth on Baseball America’s and MLBPipeline’s 2024 High 100 Prospects lists.
The 22-year-old’s offense profiles extra towards hit than towards energy. Teel’s method on the plate is superior, with information of the strike zone, and he takes his walks.
After 17 skilled video games, he made it to Portland and performed 84 video games there in 2024. He hit .299 with a .852 OPS, 11 dwelling runs, 20 doubles, and 60 RBI, strolling 48 occasions and placing out 87 occasions.
The New Jersey native was promoted to Worcester in mid-August. In 28 video games, he hit .255 with a .717 OPS, two dwelling runs, three doubles, and 18 RBI. He walked 20 occasions and struck out 29 occasions.
Defensively, Teel was inconsistent in 2024, adjusting to the one-knee catching model. Nevertheless, he confirmed flashes of a powerful framer and receiver.
Teel does have above-average arm energy regardless of a 20 % caught-stealing charge in 2024 (29 % in 2023).
If/when Teel irons out the kinks defensively, he can probably be at the least a mean on a regular basis MLB catcher who’s good on each side of the ball.
Carlos Narvaez
Carlos Narvaez was acquired from the Yankees virtually instantly after the Crochet commerce. The Crimson Sox despatched 21-year-old A-ball pitcher Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz and worldwide bonus pool cash to the Bronx.
Enmanuel Valdez was designated for task and traded to Pittsburgh for 2024 draft decide Joe Vogatsky, a pitcher.
Narvaez, 26, made his MLB debut in ’24, showing in simply six video games.
He’s thought of a glove-first-depth catcher with above-average defensive expertise and arm energy who can block and body properly.
Over 8 MiLB seasons, the Venezuelan native hit .250 with a .746 OPS.
In 2024, he hit .254 with a .782 OPS, 11 dwelling runs, and 58 RBI. Narvaez struck out 26 % of the time and walked 14 % of the time.
He can hit left-handed pitchers, too.
As famous earlier, Narvaez is on Boston’s 40-man roster.
soxprospects ranks him because the Crimson Sox’s Twenty eighth-best prospect.
Seby Zavala
In November, Seby Zavala, 31, signed a minor league deal with the Crimson Sox.
Zavala has spent elements of 5 seasons in MLB with the White Sox, Diamondbacks, and Mariners.
He received’t throw many runners out, with a profession 17 % caught-stealing charge, however he does body and block properly.
Seby didn’t qualify for Statcast’s percentile rankings in 2024. Nevertheless, he was within the 77th percentile in framing and 87th percentile in blocks above common in 2023.
In 2022, he was within the 69th percentile in blocks, 88th percentile in caught stealing, and 83rd percentile in framing.
Zavala has 557 profession MLB plate appearances, hitting .205 with a .613 OPS.
He isn’t on the Sox 40-man roster.
Johanfran Garcia
Johanfran Garcia, 20, is now the Crimson Sox’s highest-ranked catching prospect.
Nonetheless in A-ball, Garcia is ranked fifteenth by soxprospects, seventeenth by MLBPipeline, and 14th by Baseball America.
The 2022 worldwide free agent rose rapidly to Salem however has performed in solely 29 video games there. He’s hit .288 with a .809 OPS.
Johanfran is an all fields hitter with energy skill and a possible fringe-average hit software.
Defensively, he’s a possible common defender who can body and block. He additionally has above-average arm energy (34 % profession caught stealing charge).
Garcia is a potential bat-first reserve with an on a regular basis ceiling. Nevertheless, these projections hinge on how he recovers from his ACL harm sustained in Might that prompted him to overlook the remainder of the season.
Nathan Hickey
Nathan Hickey, Boston’s 2021 Fifth-round decide, spent most of 2024 in Worcester. He cut up time between catcher, DH, and first base.
Ranked forty fourth by soxprospects, his protection at catcher isn’t anyplace ok for even an MLB depth position.
He can hit some, although.
Brooks Brannon
Brooks Brannon, 20, was the Sox’s 2022 Ninth-round decide.
Solely in A-ball, there are critical questions about his skill to stay at catcher.
Brannon controls the operating sport higher than he receives the ball. He has above-average arm energy, struggles to dam balls, and doesn’t transfer properly.
Thumb and again accidents restricted him to 17 video games in 2023.
Brooks cut up his 62 video games of 2024 between catcher, first base, and DH. He hit .244 with a .697 OPS, 6 HR, 25 RBI, 27 walks and 77 strikeouts.
The North Carolina native chases an excessive amount of on the plate and should enhance his swing choices.
With simply 255 plate appearances in Salem, soxprospects ranks Brannon Boston’s thirty eighth greatest prospect, and MLBPipeline ranks him twenty third.
Hudson White
Hudson White, 22, was drafted within the Ninth spherical of the 2024 draft.
He has a stable offensive method, good contact skill, and below-average energy.
Defensively, White is a good receiver, has respectable arm energy, and may name a sport.
He has a excessive ground as a defense-first catcher.
There may be not a lot promise behind them.
Connor Wong Can’t Begin if Crimson Sox Need to Win
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The Crimson Sox can’t have a catching state of affairs the place Connor Wong is the de facto starter.
In 2023, Connor Wong’s first full MLB season, he was horrible within the batter’s field.
Over 126 video games, Wong hit .235 with a .673 OPS, 25 doubles, 9 dwelling runs, and 36 RBI. He struck out at a 33 % clip (4th percentile) and walked 5.5 % of the time (twelfth percentile).
Connor was within the sixteenth percentile in chase charge (34.5 %) and twelfth percentile in whiff charge (32 %).
That was good for the Fifth percentile in batting run worth.
He swung at pitches within the zone at a 71 % clip, making contact within the zone 76 % of the time.
He additionally had reverse splits, doing higher versus right-handers (.734 OPS) than left-handers (.501 OPS).
On the basepaths, his eight stolen bases, 44 % additional bases taken charge, and 76th percentile dash pace put him within the thirty eighth percentile in baserunning run worth.
Wong was overmatched by pitches 95 mph or sooner, although fortunate versus fastballs beneath 95 mph.
He hit .251 with a .422 slugging proportion and a .326 weighted on-base common towards fastballs beneath 95 mph. Connor had a 27 % whiff charge and a 26 % strikeout charge towards them.
Nevertheless, his anticipated batting common towards non-95 mph-plus fastballs was .229 with a .391 xSLG and .306 xwOBA.
The Houston, Texas, native was downright horrible towards offspeed and breaking pitches.
Behind the plate, Wong threw runners out at an elite degree with an above-average pop time. He was within the 92nd percentile in Caught Stealing Above Common with a 21 % caught stealing charge and the 78th percentile in pop time (1.92).
The 28-year-old catcher was within the tenth percentile in blocks above common and within the 18th percentile in framing.
2023 Connor Wong and Reese McGuire made for catching tandem for the Crimson Sox. McGuire did nothing however hit when he performed; he was an above-average blocker and a mean framer.
Sadly, this high quality Crimson Sox catching state of affairs didn’t carry over to 2024.
McGuire struggled offensively and defensively and was DFA’d on July 28.
Connor Wong was within the 58th percentile in CSAA and the 63rd in pop time (1.95). He was within the third percentile in BLAA and the Ninth percentile in framing.
He allowed the Fifth-most wild pitches/handed balls in MLB (40).
Connor appeared in 37 video games at catcher after the Crimson Sox acquired Danny Jansen (36 video games at catcher with Boston) on July 28. He additionally noticed time at first base (14 video games), second base (6 video games), and left discipline (that one sport…)
Offensively, Wong hit .280 with a .758 OPS, 24 doubles, 13 dwelling runs, and 52 RBI. Over 126 video games, he had a 23 % strikeout charge (thirty eighth percentile) and a 6 % stroll charge (sixteenth percentile).
He additionally had a 29.5 % chase charge (forty third percentile) and a 29 % whiff charge (twenty seventh percentile).
That put him within the forty sixth percentile in batting run worth.
Final season, he swung at 72 % of pitches within the zone and made contact 80 % of the time.
Not like 2023, Wong had conventional splits in 2024, hitting higher towards lefties (.877 OPS) than righties (.706 OPS).
His eight stolen bases, 54 % additional bases taken charge, and 79th percentile dash pace put him within the forty seventh percentile in baserunning run worth.
Connor hit velocity a lot better final season.
In opposition to fastballs, he hit .316 with a .455 SLG and .363 wOBA. He had a 24 % whiff charge and a 20 % strikeout charge.
He nonetheless was putrid towards breaking pitches.
Nevertheless, he did vastly enhance towards offspeed pitches.
Wong hit .304 with a .464 SLG and .336 wOBA towards offspeed pitches. He whiffed at a 30 % clip and struck out 14 % of the time. In 2023, Connor Wong’s first full MLB season, he was horrible within the batter’s field.
Over 126 video games, Wong hit .235 with a .673 OPS, 25 doubles, 9 dwelling runs, and 36 RBI. He struck out at a 33 % clip (4th percentile) and walked 5.5 % of the time (twelfth percentile).
Connor was within the sixteenth percentile in chase charge (34.5 %) and twelfth percentile in whiff charge (32 %).
That was good for the Fifth percentile in batting run worth.
He swung at pitches within the zone at a 71 % clip, making contact within the zone 76 % of the time.
He additionally had reverse splits, doing higher versus right-handers (.734 OPS) than left-handers (.501 OPS).
On the basepaths, his eight stolen bases, 44 % additional bases taken charge, and 76th percentile dash pace put him within the thirty eighth percentile in baserunning run worth.
Wong was overmatched by pitches 95 mph or sooner, although fortunate versus fastballs beneath 95 mph.
He hit .251 with a .422 slugging proportion and a .326 weighted on-base common towards fastballs beneath 95 mph. Connor had a 27 % whiff charge and a 26 % strikeout charge towards them.
Nevertheless, his anticipated batting common towards non-95 mph-plus fastballs was .229 with a .391 xSLG and .306 xwOBA.
The Houston, Texas, native was downright horrible towards offspeed and breaking pitches.
Behind the plate, Wong threw runners out at an elite degree with an above-average pop time. He was within the 92nd percentile in Caught Stealing Above Common with a 21 % caught stealing charge and the 78th percentile in pop time (1.92).
The 28-year-old catcher was within the tenth percentile in blocks above common and within the 18th percentile in framing.
2023 Connor Wong and Reese McGuire made for catching tandem for the Crimson Sox. McGuire did nothing however hit when he performed; he was an above-average blocker and a mean framer.
Sadly, this high quality Crimson Sox catching state of affairs didn’t carry over to 2024.
McGuire struggled offensively and defensively and was DFA’d on July 28.
Connor Wong was within the 58th percentile in CSAA and the 63rd in pop time (1.95). He was within the third percentile in BLAA and the Ninth percentile in framing.
He allowed the Fifth-most wild pitches/handed balls in MLB (40).
Connor appeared in 37 video games at catcher after the Crimson Sox acquired Danny Jansen (36 video games at catcher with Boston) on July 28. He additionally noticed time at first base (14 video games), second base (6 video games), and left discipline (that one sport…)
Offensively, Wong hit .280 with a .758 OPS, 24 doubles, 13 dwelling runs, and 52 RBI. Over 126 video games, he had a 23 % strikeout charge (thirty eighth percentile) and a 6 % stroll charge (sixteenth percentile).
He additionally had a 29.5 % chase charge (forty third percentile) and a 29 % whiff charge (twenty seventh percentile).
That put him within the forty sixth percentile in batting run worth.
Final season, he swung at 72 % of pitches within the zone and made contact 80 % of the time.
Not like 2023, Wong had conventional splits in 2024, hitting higher towards lefties (.877 OPS) than righties (.706 OPS).
His eight stolen bases, 54 % additional bases taken charge, and 79th percentile dash pace put him within the forty seventh percentile in baserunning run worth.
Connor hit velocity a lot better final season.
In opposition to fastballs, he hit .316 with a .455 SLG and .363 wOBA. He had a 24 % whiff charge and a 20 % strikeout charge.
He nonetheless was putrid towards breaking pitches.
Nevertheless, he did vastly enhance towards offspeed pitches.
Wong hit .304 with a .464 SLG and .336 wOBA towards offspeed pitches. He whiffed at a 30 % clip and struck out 14 % of the time.
Few First rate, Real looking Choices to Enhance Crimson Sox’s Catching State of affairs
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The Crimson Sox subtracting Kyle Teel from their catching state of affairs once they did is what it’s.
They arguably pushed arduous for Max Fried, then rapidly pivoted to Garret Crochet once they didn’t get Fried.
Because of this, the Sox misplaced out on Travis d’Arnaud, Kyle Higashioka, and Carson Kelly.
All three would’ve been nice additions.
Austin Hedges and Jacob Stallings would’ve been good pickups, too.
So, right here we’re. It’s January. The Crimson Sox have three catching choices, two are on the 40-man, and none of them have intensive MLB expertise — it’s not an incredible state of affairs to be in.
Now, in free company, at the least, it’s slim pickings. There are even fewer sensible, skilled choices on the commerce market to bolset the Crimson Sox catching state of affairs.
The Crimson Sox can say they like and imagine in Connor Wong all they need. They’ll’t simply hand him the beginning job on Opening Day.
If the Sox can’t get one of many beneath names — oh boy…
Quick Time period Options
Free agent Elias Diaz, 34, has spent elements of 10 seasons in MLB with Pittsburgh, Colorado, and San Diego.
Diaz ranked within the 77th percentile in CSAA (28 %) and framing, the 87th percentile in pop time (1.90), and the twentieth percentile in blocking in 2024.
In 2023, he was within the 63rd percentile in blocking, the ninetieth percentile in CSAA, the seventh percentile in framing, and the seventieth percentile in pop time (1.93).
Diaz is a profession .251 hitter with a .692 OPS. He doesn’t do a lot properly offensively anymore, however he doesn’t strike out a lot.
Yasmani Grandal, 35, one other free agent possibility, is an elite framer and OK blocker.
Final season, Grandal was within the 57th percentile in blocking and the 87th percentile in framing.
In 2023, he was within the 57th percentile in blocking and 72nd percentile in framing.
The Former Padre, Dodger, Brewer, White Sox, and Pirate hasn’t been hitter since 2021.
From 2022-24, the 35-year-old has hit .221 with a .633 OPS. Nevertheless, he doesn’t chase or whiff and takes his walks.
He’s additionally appeared in 40 profession playoff video games, which is value noting for a staff needing extra skilled veterans.
The primary and doubtless most sensible commerce goal is previous buddy Christian Vazquez.
Vazquez, 34, hasn’t been the identical participant because the Crimson Sox traded him.
Since 2023, Christian has hit .222 with a .587 OPS.
His high quality of contact and underlying hitting metrics improved final yr however weren’t like 2022.
Defensively, he was within the 63rd percentile in BLAA, the twenty third percentile in CSAA (16%), the 84th percentile in framing, and the 54th percentile in pop-time (1.96).
His blocking and framing haven’t modified a lot since he left.
What has modified is his skill to throw runners out. The proportion of runners Vazquez has thrown out has declined each season since 2022.
The previous Crimson Sox is a free agent after 2025, so Boston might wait a yr. However the Twins need to shed cash, and Christian will make $10 million in 2025.
The Sox can add cash to their payroll at a minimal prospect price and obtain defensive catcher. Not solely that, however they’d get a defensive catcher who’s succeeded out there and has been there and completed that.
Longer Time period Options
Atlanta’s Sean Murphy could be the right catching commerce goal for the Sox. He’s right-handed, has a swing made for Fenway, and is a well-above-average catcher in each aspect.
Two birds, one stone.
They’d be buying him coming off an injury-plagued season, although.
A strained left indirect sustained on Opening Day restricted Murphy to 72 video games in 2024.
The harm impacted him each offensively and defensively. The whole lot was worse total than in 2023, apart from his stroll charge and blocking skill.
Regardless of the harm, he was nonetheless above common defensively in every little thing however CSAA.
In case you forgot or didn’t know, from 2021-23, Murphy was among the many greatest offensive catchers in MLB.
Murphy is signed by way of 2028 and is due $15 million yearly from 2025 to 2028 at a 12.17 million common annual worth ($48.68 complete). He has a $15 million membership possibility for 2029 with no buyout.
There was no indication that Atlanta would contemplate buying and selling Murphy. What has been out there’s purely web hypothesis. That stated, Sean Murphy was a match earlier than the A’s traded him to the Braves, and he’s nonetheless a match now.
The Crimson Sox might additionally commerce for one more staff’s catching prospect in a bigger deal for different wants to enhance their catching state of affairs.
There are others, however Harry Ford of the Mariners, Ivan Herrera of the Cardinals, and the Phillies’ Rafael Marchan are a number of intriguing choices.
A Harry Ford commerce could be a stretch now that the Sox are out of the Luis Castillo sweepstakes. It doesn’t damage to strive, although.
Ford is the Mariners’ sixth-ranked prospect getting into 2025 and is 69th on Baseball America’s High 100 Prospects record.
Seattle’s 2021 twelfth total decide accomplished his first season at Double-A in 20424, shifting rapidly by way of the minors since being drafted.
Over 116 video games final yr, the 21-year-old cut up time between catcher (67 video games), DH (40 video games), and left discipline (8 video games).
Ford hit .249 with a .745 OPS, 26 doubles, seven homers, and 45 RBI.
A consultant of Nice Britain within the 2023 World Baseball Traditional, he additionally stole 35 bases in 2024.
Ford is a profession .261 hitter with a .822 OPS+.
Ford is athletic and has above-average plate self-discipline, on-base skill, and pace.
Defensively, the two-time MLB All-Star Futures Recreation participant (2023 and 2024) is a piece in progress however is bettering with expertise.
Harry threw out solely 19 % of base stealers final season. He threw out 23 % of runners in ’23 and 27 % in ’22, good for a 23 % MiLB profession caught-stealing charge.
The Atlanta native has the athleticism to turn into a mean on a regular basis catcher. If he doesn’t, he can at all times swap positions.
Ivan Herrera was St. Louis’ Sixth-ranked prospect getting into 2024.
Herrera appeared in 72 video games for the Cardinals in 2024, batting .280 with a .800 OPS. He didn’t hit the ball arduous but additionally didn’t whiff, chase, or strike out an excessive amount of and took his walks.
Ivan has above-average contact skill, a affected person method, and infrequently chases.
Herrera hit .280 with a .826 OPS within the minors.
Herrera is an opposite-field hitter who hits lefties properly and has no platoon cut up issues.
Defensively, he was an above-average blocker (63rd percentile) and framer (61st percentile) for the Cardinals final yr.
Final however not least is the Phillies’ Rafael Marchan.
Marchan has appeared in solely 40 MLB video games from 2020 to 2024 (17 video games in 2024), hitting .262 with a .762 OPS.
Marchan hit .262 with a .676 OPS for his MiLB profession.
A groundball hitter, he doesn’t whiff or chase a lot.
The 25-year-old is a good defensive catcher who can block and throw the ball.
His protection ought to result in a stable MLB profession.
Talking of Phillies catchers, J.T. Realmuto will probably be a free agent after 2025.
The Crimson Sox could be clever to attend; nonetheless, why not pry Realmuto from Philly as Dave Dombrowski tries to maintain them aggressive?
Crimson Sox brass has stated all winter, they wanted to get uncomfortable. They haven’t gotten uncomfortable financially (but). Buying and selling your solely near-MLB-ready catcher, your “Catcher of the Future,” appears uncomfortable, no?
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