Washington Nationals: 5 potential catching candidates

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Now that Jose Lobaton has departed in free agency, the Washington Nationals are in need of a new catcher. Here are five potential candidates.

The Washington Nationals have shown a tendency to mismanage contracts, which is exactly what they did while seeking a catcher last off-season. They originally traded for Derek Norris, but Scott Boras eventually convinced them to sign Matt Wieters, which proved to be a mistake.

Similar to their catching pursuit circus, the Nats catchers combined to form one of the worst tandems in the league.

Despite being among the highest paid players on the team, Wieters hit just .225, including a red-hot April. The Nats’ pitching staff praised his receiving skills, and Gio Gonzalez especially benefitted from having Wieters behind the plate, but he was putrid with a bat in his hands.

Lobaton, Wieters’ back-up, also had a down year. He was among the most entertaining players to watch, but he had a nightmare season. In 51 games, he hit just .170 with four homers. Fittingly, his rally-killing pickoff at first base in game five of the NLDS will be one of the most painful lasting images of 2017.

Now, Lobaton has signed a minor league contract with the rival New York Mets. With Lobaton out of the picture, the Nats are once again in need of a catcher. There are rumors that the Nats would like to acquire a new starting catcher and relegate Wieters to a lesser role in 2018, but they may have to settle for a back-up or platoon partner.

There are a few options available, but each comes with certain caveats. Without further ado, let’s take a look at five potential catching options for the Nats.

Pedro Severino

For years, Pedro Severino was widely regarded as the Nats’ catcher of the future. However, the 24-year-old’s stock dropped a bit throughout 2017, which has led to debate over what his ceiling might be.

Throughout his brief major league career, Severino has hit .246 with two homers in 35 regular season games. He also has some postseason experience, as he made the postseason roster and appeared in four games of the 2016 NLDS after Wilson Ramos tore his ACL late in the season.

Unfortunately, Severino may not be quite ready to make an impact at the big league level. He battled injuries in 2017, which contributed to his struggles, but he hit just .242 in 59 games for AAA Syracuse.

Now, Severino is ranked as the Nats’ number 15 prospect, according to MLB.com. He may not have as high of a ceiling as people believed he did, but he can be a respectable major league catcher when healthy.

If the Nats elect to fill their catcher need in-house, Severino would be their most likely choice. However, they could attempt to acquire another catcher at the trade deadline if he struggles again.

Do not be alarmed if Severino begins the season as the Nats’ back-up catcher, since the first half would likely serve as his audition for the future. Due to playing in the weak NL East, the Nats do not need to be in their top form until the postseason, which allows them to mend holes at the trade deadline.

Severino is a fine option, but the Nats may need to acquire another catcher in order to succeed in the postseason.

Raudy Read

In addition to Severino, Raudy Read is the Nats’ other in-house candidate to fill the catching need. Read, also 24, debuted in 2017, and impressed at the plate.

In an eight-game cup of coffee, Read hit .273, proving that his bat translates to the major league level. Read is undoubtedly the Nats’ best offensive catching prospect, but his defense is a work in progress.

Read committed a career-high ten errors for AA Harrisburg in 2017, which is more than the Nats would like to see. He also allowed a passed ball in the majors, despite catching just 11 innings.

Although Read comes with a few red flags, he is coming off of an impressive Winter League campaign. In seven games for Toros del Este of the Dominican Winter League, he hit .259, and three of his seven hits were home runs.

If Read is able to improve defensively, he could have a higher ceiling than Severino. However, Severino may be the Nats’ most polished in-house candidate at the moment.

Read’s bat should allow him to at least get another cup of coffee in the majors in 2018, but he is not quite ready to become a full-time major league catcher. Similar to Severino, the Nats may elect to begin the season with Read as the back-up catcher, but attempt to acquire a more experienced backstop at the trade deadline.

Do not be surprised if the Nats allow Severino and Read to compete in Spring Training to become the back-up catcher.

J.T. Realmuto

Now that the Marlins have been sold to a new ownership group headlined by Derek Jeter, they have begun a full-fledged rebuild. They have already traded Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, and Dee Gordon, and they may not be done just yet.

Perhaps the next significant Marlin to be traded this off-season will be J.T. Realmuto, who could be a great fit with the Nats. Joe Frisaro of MLB.com recently reported that the Nats are interested in the 26-year-old catcher, and a trade, although not yet imminent, appears very possible.

Realmuto is among the best catchers in the game, and is coming off of the best season of his career. In 141 games in 2017, he owned a .278/.332/.451 slash line to go with 17 homers. Adding this offensive production to the Nats’ already-potent lineup would create arguably the most dangerous offense in the league.

In addition to raking, Realmuto is also one of the most athletic catchers around. He stole eight bases in 2017, which was second-most among catchers, He also had a 14.5 FRAA (Fielding Runs Above Average), according to Baseball Prospectus, which is considered excellent and ranked fourth among NL catchers.

While Realmuto is a terrific player, one of his most attractive traits is his contract. 2018 will be his first arbitration eligible season, so he is under team control for three more years. He is also extremely affordable. He is certainly due for a raise, but he made just $562,500 in 2017.

It would take a lot for the Nats to pry Realmuto away from Miami, especially since the two teams are in the same division, but it could be worth it. Excellent, affordable catchers are rarely available, and a similar situation may never arise again.

Alex Avila

Although he is not as flashy as Realmuto, Alex Avila may be a more logical option for the Nats. The 30-year-old backstop spent 2017 with the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs, and put together a fairly productive season. In 112 total games, Avila owned a .264/.387/.447 slash line to go with 14 homers.

If Avila were to sign with the Nats, he could dethrone Wieters as the starting catcher or serve as his platoon partner. He has played both roles throughout his career, so he would have experience as either.

Avila also brings a team-first attitude, which would please manager Dave Martinez, who also coached Avila with the Cubs. Earlier this off-season, Avila said that he does not care what role he serves, and his main focus is to join a winning team.

The Nats may not be able to offer a starting job, which could scare some catching candidates off, but they can certainly offer an opportunity to win. Because of this, Avila is a perfect fit.

In addition to his bond with Martinez, Avila has several other ties to the Nats. He was Max Scherzer‘s catcher in Detroit, when Scherzer had some of the best seasons of his career. Avila is also a native of Hialeah, Florida, so he is friends with Gio Gonzalez.

Between Avila’s ties to the Nats’ manager and two starting pitchers, he would be right at home in DC. He is not the big name that fans are hoping for, but he may be the Nats’ best option.

Wilson Ramos

Nats fans are well acquainted with Wilson Ramos from his seven seasons spent with the club, and he could return to DC in 2018. Known as “The Buffalo”, Ramos was always a fan favorite with the Nats, but departed in free agency prior to the 2017 season.

However, a reunion makes sense. Like the Marlins, the Tampa Bay Rays are beginning a rebuild. They recently traded face of the franchise Evan Longoria, and some of their other big-name players are likely to be traded as well.

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If the Rays continue with their rebuild, Ramos is an excellent trade candidate. He missed the beginning of 2017 while rehabbing from ACL surgery, but played well upon returning.

In 64 games, Ramos hit .260 and crushed 11 homers. It was not the spectacular offensive season that has become his norm, but it is understandable since he was returning from major knee surgery.

Of all of the Rays’ trade candidates, Ramos is among the most likely to be traded. 2018 is his final year under team control, so he may be playing elsewhere in the foreseeable future. For a team who does not plan to compete in 2018, Ramos is irrelevant.

Ramos could also fit well with the Nats. They would like to find a platoon partner for Wieters in order to decrease his playing time, which is where Ramos comes in.

Unfortunately, Ramos has undergone several major knee surgeries throughout his career, which forces him to have to miss more time than a typical catcher. If the Nats were to acquire Ramos, he could platoon with Wieters, which would limit both catchers’ playing time.

If the Nats elect to fill their catching need via trade, Ramos should be one of the leading candidates.

Next: Adam Eaton's return a welcome gift

The Nats’ catchers were a hot topic of discussion in 2017, which will lead to a shake-up in 2018. They have yet to acquire a new catcher, but Pedro Severino, Raudy Read, J.T. Realmuto, Alex Avila, and Wilson Ramos are five potential candidates.

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