San Francisco Giants 2017 Position Preview: Catcher
With Spring Training somewhere on the horizon and the big spending in free agency done, let’s take a look at the San Francisco Giants, position-by-position. First up: catcher.
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For the San Francisco Giants, catcher was the most stable position in 2016. Despite the rigorous demands of the grueling position, the Giant went through the season using just two catchers the entire year. A third catcher, Tony Sanchez, was added late in September, but didn’t see the field.
The starter, Buster Posey, had both a great and subpar year in 2016. Defensively, it was his finest season to date. He was the top pitch-framer in baseball, stealing more strikes than any other catcher. He led all catchers in defensive runs saved, according to FanGraphs, and was second in defensive rating. He allowed just two passed balls, lowest in baseball. His 37 percent caught stealing rate was a career-high. For his efforts behind the plate, Posey was given his first Gold Glove, ending the eight-year reign of Yadier Molina.
Offensively, it was a down year for the former MVP. His .288 average, .434 slugging percent, and 14 home runs were all the lowest of his career, excluding his 45-game, injury-shortened campaign in 2011. A thumb injury and nagging back pain clearly hurt his production at the plate in 2016.
The hope is that, with an offseason to heal up, Posey’s offensive output will project a bit more towards its normal levels, instead of where it was in 2016. Even if it doesn’t and 2016 Posey becomes the norm, his defensive abilities behind the plate make it a necessity that he remains where he is. Posey is the best defensive catcher in baseball right now, and any offensive production the team would gain by moving him to first base would likely be offset by the deficiency the move would create behind the plate.
Backing Posey up is Trevor Brown, who established himself as a capable secondary catcher in his rookie season in 2016. The 25-year-old former 10th-round pick hit .237/.283/.364 with seven doubles and five home runs, not bad numbers for a rookie backup catcher. His best contribution came from his defense, which is what earned him praise and playing time during a September call-up in 2015.
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Obviously, Brown is no Posey. There is only one Posey, so any catcher playing behind the best catcher in baseball is a step down. But Brown showed quite a bit of improvement from season’s start to season’s end. His game-calling is getting better, and figures to continue to move upwards as he learns more and more from Posey.
Recent signing Tim Federowicz figures to be the backup to the backup. The former Dodger and Cub brings a strong arm with him, having thrown out 35 percent of would-be base stealers in 88 games behind the plate (league average is 28 percent). Beyond that, he’s mostly a run-of-the-mill catcher that provides depth in case the Giants don’t have the same luck with catchers in 2017.
At the plate, Federowicz’s major league numbers are nothing to write home about. In 106 games over five seasons, he owns a .194/.243/.295 slash-line with five home runs. His minor league numbers make him a bit more interesting, though. In 672 games in the minor leagues, Federowicz has an impressive .290/.354/.461 slash-line with 78 home runs and 184 doubles. He hit .293/.352/.450 with Chicago’s Triple-A team last season.
If Federowicz can tap into that success and bring it over to big league camp with the Giants in 2017, he can at least compete for an opening day roster spot. It won’t be easy, as the Giants’ 40-man roster is currently full, but Brown does have options if the Giants can get Federowicz on the roster.
As far as younger depth, there aren’t many catchers that are close to helping the big league team. Former top prospect Aramis Garcia played in just 41 games last season because of a facial injury, and hasn’t fulled tapped into his potential yet. He is still just 23 years old. Matt Winn made a jump to Double-A last season, but only for a handful of games. Ty Ross has spent the past two seasons with San Jose and not shown real gains.
Next: A Look at the Giants' Rotation
Heading into Spring, it looks like Posey, Brown, and Federowicz will be the top three catchers. The team can still add some depth players with Spring Training invites as winter continues, but as it stands now, those are the trio leading the pack.