Several years ago a reader/commenter suggested reviewing depth charts for each position in the Giants organization. That seemed like good idea. As it turned out, they have become a great way of identifying organizational needs both on the MLB roster and the farm system. So, let's get into it starting with the Catcher position:
MLB:
Patrick Bailey: .234/.298/.339, 8 HR, 4 SB, 8.7 BB%, 22.3 K%, Off= -9.7, Def= 36.7, fWAR= 4.3.
Tom Murphy: .118/211/.235, HR, 10.5 BB%, 36.8 K%, 38 PA
Blake Sabol: MLB- .313/.421/.375, 13.2 BB%, 23.7 K%, 38 PA. AAA- .246/.340/.388, 11 HR, 11 SB, 11.9 BB%, 23.7 K%, 403 PA.
As a future HOF catcher, we might think Buster Posey has some strong opinions about the catcher position. He had some interesting things to say about Bailey which I would interpret as a less than wholehearted endorsement. He acknowledged that we can now measure catcher defense and acknowledged that Bailey brings value on defense but he also made it clear he is looking for more offense from the position and pointed out Bailey's second half offensive collapses as something he needs to find a way to avoid. In Bailey's defense, his offense was dragged down by a horrific .083 BA in August and he bounced back to .266 in Sept after a trip to the IL with an oblique strain which makes me think he may have been trying to play through in injury. Maybe part of keeping Bailey strong through the season is for Buster to find a better back up catcher so Bailey can take some time off when he needs to?
Which brings us to Murphy and Sabol. Murphy was terrible both offensively and defensively in an extremely small sample to begin the year then went out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. Was he already hurt when the season started? He's signed for another season but can the Giants count on him to be adequate as a back up catcher? Buster has another decision to make about Blake Sabol: Is he a catcher or not? Can he play defense at any position? Is the bat good enough if he has to play LF or DH?
In summary, one of Buster's offseason goals needs to be upgrading the back up catcher role.
AAA:
Brett Auerbach: AA: .215/.311/.398, 4 SB. AAA: .281/.357/.444, 4 3B, 4 HR, 5 SB.
Only played catcher in 7 games at both levels combined so really more of a super-utility guy than catcher. Never was able to hit a lick at AA but bat came alive in Sacramento. There may be some team out there that really wants a 26'th man who can be slightly more than an emergency catcher.
AA:
Zach Morgan: A+: .206/.328/.302, 3 HR, 5 SB, 239 PA. AA: .226/.293/.333, 2 HR, 3 SB, 93 PA.
Adrian Sugastey: .210/.241/.304, HR, 191 PA.
Andy Thomas: .225/.313/.312, 5 HR, 4 SB, 432 PA.
Rough year for catchers in Richmond. Sugastey is still just 21 yo but lost a season in 2020 so is Rule 5 eligible. Close to zero chance he'll be selected.
A+:
Onil Perez: .236/.334/.303, HR, 20 SB, 250 PA.
Jack Payton: ACL: .361/.477/.500, 70 PA.
Luke Shliger: A: .228/.395/.312, HR, 10 SB, 276 PA. A+: .279/.362/.443, 2 HR, 70 PA.
Disappointing A+ season for Perez but SB's remain intriguing. Too early to give up on 2023 draft picks Payton and Shliger but so far not much exciting in their stat lines.
A:
Drew Cavanaugh: A: .230/.364/.333, 2 HR, 154 PA. AAA: .300/.400/.300, 35 PA.
Ty Hanchey: ACL: .346/.486/.731, 3 HR, 35 PA. A: .254/.356/.354, 3 HR, 222 PA.
Juan Perez: ACL: .284/.368/.330, 125 PA. A: .100/.250/.100, 12 PA.
Drew Cavanaugh is getting a chance for more higher level PA's in the AFL. Perez might be the prospect to watch here as he got a 7-figure signing bonus in 2022. His career started slowly but he's 20 yo and still has two years before Rule 5 eligibility.
ACL:
Nomar Diaz- .250/.406/.458, HR, 32 PA.
Diaz was drafted out of Puerto Rico in 2022 round 14. Has not played much in 3 pro seasons.
DSL:
Yohendry Sanchez(17 YO): .241/.489/.448, HR, 45 PA.
Jesus Alexander: .381/.437/.597, 5 HR, 197 PA.
Santiago Camacho(17 yo): .361/.507/.549, 2 HR, 3 SB, 138 PA.
Anyelo Gonzalez: .193/.308/.261, 108 PA.
Alessandro Duran: .308/.444/.354, 83 PA.
Fernando Pena(17 yo): .233/.421/.256, 57 PA
Jorge Ramirez: .300/.424/.400, HR, 85 PA.
Sanchez got a 7-figure signing bonus. Will watch for him in next season's boxscores. Alexander had a breakout season at the plate but mostly played 1B. Camacho is less heralded than Sanchez but is a switch-hitter and put up an interesting stat line.
Summary: I was bullish on the Giants organizational catching situation at this time last season. Unfortunately with the loss of Joey Bart and regressions from several prospects the outlook is less bright now. Maybe 2025 will bring a positive regression? Buster Posey needs to put backup catcher near the top of his offseason to-do list.
Not a very impressive list. Bailey is a concern even with the great glove and Murphy over Bart had to be one of the many reasons why FZ got the boot. 9 out of the top 100 prospects in the league are catchers so maybe someone out there they could trade for or maybe Buster drafts a C with his first pick in the upcoming draft.
ReplyDeleteBased on his career (1055 PAs, OPS+ 104), Murphy was not a bad signing. Having a slow start and then the unfortunate year-ending injury so early made him look a lot worse than he is.
ReplyDeleteThe picture gets worse with Bart suddenly blossoming at 27 yo after so much futility in repeated shots with the Giants at the major league level (503 PAs with an OPS+ of 75).
Being forced into the starting full-time role in 2020 at 23 yo didn't help him (or the Giants) much.
Of course, signings are judged on results no matter what the expectations were. What looked very OK in April looked very not OK in September.
I agree that if Murphy had a larger sample size while in good health his numbers would almost certainly have been much better. I seems to remember a few plays where he looked shockingly bad on defense and have to wonder if he might have already been injured. He had a long injury history before he signed which in retrospect should have been a red flag.
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