The high prospect designation is a curse as usually as it's a blessing. The identical goes for the star rookie label, and Gary Sánchez is aware of it nicely. While he has established himself as a serviceable huge league catcher over the previous six years, he nonetheless performs within the shadow of his star-making rookie and sophomore campaigns. And although he’s had his ups and downs, he’s been a strong participant within the years following his lone Silver Slugger season. Since 2018, he ranks tenth amongst lively catchers with 8.6 WAR; since 2021, he’s 14th with 4.6. Yet his repute stays that of a disappointment. His struggles are amplified, and his successes are ignored.

Sánchez went unsigned throughout the 2022–23 offseason, lastly incomes a minor league cope with the Giants on the second day of the common season. After a month at Triple-A, he opted out of his contract, signing a brand new minor league cope with the Mets shortly thereafter. And though he did make his means onto New York’s lively roster, his keep within the majors was transient; after three video games, he was designated for task. It wasn’t till late May, when the Padres scooped him up off waivers, that Sánchez lastly discovered a path to common taking part in time.

Yet it’s not as if he had a horrible season the yr earlier than. In 2022, he ranked sixth amongst main catchers in video games performed and twentieth in innings behind the dish. By our calculation, he was value 1.3 WAR, twenty second amongst catchers. That didn’t flip any heads, however 1.3 WAR was greater than 12 groups received from the catching place in 2022. And it’s not as if he was due for regression. Despite his low .290 wOBA, he had a .321 xwOBA — barely greater than league common, and considerably higher than common for a catcher. While his energy numbers had been down, he tore the duvet off the ball, posting hard-hit and barrel charges within the 92nd percentile. Heading into his age-30 marketing campaign, his fiftieth percentile ZiPS projection for 2023 was 1.7 WAR. If you presume a win is value about $8 million in free company, that projection interprets to $13.6 million on a one-year deal.

So why did Sánchez have a lot bother discovering a brand new dwelling for 2023? Clearly, his skillset was underrated across the league; 11 catchers signed for extra money that winter, but just one, Willson Contreras, ended up producing extra WAR. But the larger downside was that solely a handful of groups wanted new catchers for 2023, and people who did simply went in numerous instructions, leaving Sánchez and not using a market.

Now 31 years previous, Sánchez is coming off a greater season than he had in 2022, albeit a shorter one. His 111 wRC+ ranked eleventh amongst main catchers (min. 250 PA), and his .340 xwOBA was his highest mark since 2019. With 1.7 WAR, he offered the Padres with extra worth than 14 groups received from their catchers all season. But as soon as once more, it seems like he’ll have bother discovering a brand new workforce. As was the case final winter, the issue isn’t that he wouldn’t make any golf equipment higher behind the plate, however that just about each workforce has a ample catching scenario in place, and most of them may be proud of what they have already got — or no less than comfortable sufficient that they’re not going to mess with their plans for a marginal improve.

It’s an odd place for Sánchez to be in. He’s both one of the best or the second-best backstop available on the market, relying on how a lot of a catcher you suppose Mitch Garver actually is. He ranked thirty fifth on our Top 50 Free Agents record, and Ben Clemens predicted he’d signal for one yr and $10 million, a superbly affordable estimate given the skinny catching market and his efficiency in 2023.

This chart breaks down the projected catching scenario for all 30 golf equipment (per Roster Resource). I’ve separated the groups into three tiers based mostly on their catching scenario. The strains between the classes are, by power of circumstance, a bit of fuzzy, however they get the job performed:

The Catching Landscape for 2024

The three groups with essentially the most obtrusive want behind the plate are the Red Sox, Rays, and Marlins. Boston has a few cost-controlled, young-ish catchers on the roster in McGuire and Wong. A yr in the past, I may need stated the Sox ought to simply give these two an opportunity, however that’s precisely what they did in 2023, with out a lot success; their catchers mixed for simply 10 dwelling runs, a 78 wRC+, and 1.0 WAR. They don’t undertaking to be significantly better in 2024, both. Unfortunately for Sánchez, Boston’s wants additionally make it the obvious touchdown spot for Garver. With Wong, McGuire, and Masataka Yoshida on the roster, the Sox don’t want a full-time catcher or DH. What they might use, nevertheless, is an enormous bat for the center of the order who can break up time between these two positions.

The Rays have a barely extra promising tandem behind the plate in Pinto and Jackson, however neither has a stranglehold on a beginning job, and Jackson isn’t even on the 40-man roster. This is the Rays we’re speaking about, although, and it’s arduous to think about they’ll spend on Sánchez.

The Marlins appear to be the subsequent most sensible match. Their projected beginning catcher, Fortes, is a standout defender, due to his glorious blocking and above-average framing abilities. That stated, his offense was a dumpster-fire catastrophe final season, and that’s placing it politely. Only two NL hitters (min. 300 PA) had a decrease OPS than his .562: his teammates Joey Wendle and Jean Segura. It comes as little shock that the Marlins “remain open to finding a catcher who would start or share time with [Fortes],” as lately reported by the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson and Craig Mish. But the title Jackson and Mish point out is former Cardinals backup Andrew Knizner. If that’s the market the Marlins are buying in, Sánchez most likely isn’t within the price range.

After the Red Sox, Rays, and Marlins, nicely… that’s just about it, by way of groups with common taking part in time to supply. The Cubs and Rockies might use an improve, however they’re prone to stick to the veterans they've who're nonetheless below contract. Meanwhile, the Pirates, Reds, Nationals, Athletics, and Angels don’t undertaking to get a lot manufacturing from their catchers, however they’re all relying on promising younger backstops to take a step ahead in 2024.

If Sánchez is prepared to take a again seat, there could possibly be a spot for him in Milwaukee or Arizona. The Brewers and Diamondbacks every have a wonderful younger catcher, however their backup conditions are dangerous, to say the least. What’s extra, every might use extra offense, and each groups ought to have reps to supply at DH. The huge query is that if both workforce can be prepared to spend on Sánchez as a substitute of cheaper backup choices like Yasmani Grandal, Martín Maldonado, Tom Murphy, Austin Nola, or Eric Haase.

Other groups that may have had a spot for Sánchez getting into the offseason have seemingly already stuffed that gap. His former workforce, the Padres, had been the one membership formally linked to him this winter, however they lately acquired Kyle Higashioka from the Yankees to work alongside former high prospect Luis Campusano. Meanwhile, the Astros lately signed Victor Caratini to a two-year deal, and the White Sox scooped up Max Stassi from the Braves. Are any of Higashioka, Caratini, or Stassi higher than Sánchez? Not essentially. But after investing in these backstops, it’s arduous to think about the Padres, Astros, or White Sox would pursue one other catcher.

Indeed, that sums up the issue Sánchez is going through. Plenty of groups might use an improve behind the plate, however do they need that improve badly sufficient to spend eight figures on one other catcher? In fact, the Red Sox are the one workforce I can image making that type of supply, however they’re not going to make it with none competitors. Thus, one of the best pure catcher out there this winter might wind up ready, ready, and ready earlier than signing one other low-value deal. It’s a skinny marketplace for catchers, however it’s additionally a skinny market for catchers. Sánchez could possibly be in for one more lengthy wait.

Content Source: blogs.fangraphs.com