The Cubs Have A Catching Problem But Spending Their Way Out Of It Might Be A Mistake

[Brian Kelder]

Miguel Amaya has been much improved at the plate recently, but the front office rightfully should not be fooled. The catcher position has been a black hole this season. Everyone but Jed Hoyer could see the risk in Yan Gomes and Miguel Amaya. To what lengths should the Cubs go to address the position in the winter?

Image courtesy of © Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Cubs brass should not be hyper-focused on this one position. There aren’t elite catchers available, for one. The second and more pertinent reason is the volatility of the catchers who would be available. Injury, performance attrition due to understandable fatigue, or just random variance are risky investments. The Cubs shouldn’t empty their prospect coffers for a catcher.

According to FanGraphs, only ten catchers have over a league average WRC+. Let’s assume that Adley Rutschman, the Contreras brothers, Salvador Perez, Sean Murphy, Will Smith, JT Realmuto, and Jonah Heim are all unavailable as above-average hitting catchers on contending teams. Few other options would be sure even to approximate Miguel Amaya and his .588 OPS. Short of an unexpected deal for one of these certainties listed, the Cubs should focus on filling in as they have, not investing heavily in a below-average hitter.

The average catcher tallies only an 87 WRC+. Take out the above catchers, and it’s not hard to see that any catcher coming over would be somewhat less than an impact bat. With the Cubs' farm system already slipping down rankings boards, the remaining guys should be dealt for elite bats or simply waited upon. Trading for 80 WRC+ guys is not a good use of resources.

So what to do? The catcher position can be staffed by a solid veteran for next season. Go cheap at the catcher spot; spend on the rest of the team. The entire roster would benefit from finding the next Yan Gomes.

A couple of names have been floated in multiple places. Logan O’Hoppe was floated by this writer as a target in early July, and I am very encouraged professionally that Jed Hoyer read it and agreed. It’s been confirmed by the Athletic that the Cubs attempted to acquire the 24-year-old with five years of team control remaining.

It’s just so much attrition to the catchers of the world. O'Hoppe had a labrum issue just last season of the torn labrum variety. He’s also in a massive, massive slump, which many catchers go through during the dog days of summer. Imagine him being a key part of the lineup, then going 15 for 77 in a month. It’s just not a safe bet.

On a recent podcast, Shadahev Sharma posited that the return for O’Hoppe would require more than the Cubs have to offer with young MLB-ready players. They don’t want the prospects; they want to compete sooner. Trading three top 100 bats, say, Kevin Alcantara, James Triantos, and Moises Ballesteros, is simply too much for a catcher.

Sean Murphy is another floated catcher. He will be 30 and is owed four years and 60 million dollars on his deal. Nico Hoerner is the option discussed on the message boards. This is incredibly risky.

Murphy has had oblique and hamstring issues the last two seasons, ruining his total line and leading to Travis D'Arnaud stealing playing time from him. Moving Nico Hoerner, while allowing for more power in the lineup, for another ex-Brave player over 30 who’s declining is a lateral move at best.

There are no catchers in terrible teams who are about to get expensive, like Sean Murphy and Realmuto, who were for Oakland and Miami over the past few seasons. The only avenue that could work is a Michael Busch-style prospect trade. Dalton Rushing is blocked on the Dodgers, for example. The Braves have a prospect, plus two major league catchers.

An upgrade from the currently offensively ranked 29 catcher position would be welcome; nobody is suggesting the upgrade wouldn’t be helpful. They do have the prospect capital for now to accomplish something. They don’t have much coming up below Iowa; these prospects must be used and leveraged correctly. A catcher is the most risky move they could make.

Nobody is trying to argue that the Cubs are set at the catcher. They’ve been awful behind the plate. They should clip some coupons and hit the clearance rack for catchers until the roster is ready to carry a below-average bat with more elite hitters. They might even find the next Yan Gomes for a season.

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[Guest234]

Who is one of those Contreras brothers? Is Poppa Joe opposed to Venezuelans?