Backup Backstop Bonanza: Caratini, Hedges Ink New Deals

Many transactions have been obscured by the Ohtani-mania of the previous week, maybe none greater than the all the time unheralded glove-first catcher signings. Nobody represents this class higher than Austin Hedges, who MLB.com’s sources say returned to Cleveland on a one-year, $4 million pact after departing for Pittsburgh final offseason and successful a World Collection ring with Texas. In the meantime, on Thursday, the Astros finalized their deal — a two-year, $12 million contract — with Victor Caratini, whose personal defensive abilities have taken an enormous leap ahead the previous two seasons. Every will function a backup to an thrilling younger catcher, hopefully furthering their respective improvement trajectories within the course of.

Let’s begin with Hedges. At this level, what you see is what you get with the 31-year-old veteran. His framing was pretty much as good as ever this previous season, saving his golf equipment an estimated 16.9 runs per our FRM metric, good for second greatest within the majors. It’s his fourth season saving at the very least 12.5 runs, although his 2023 complete got here in fewer innings than all however one of many remainder of the top-ten framers (Jason Delay, who ranked eighth). Baseball Savant sees an analogous halo sitting atop Hedges’ catcher’s masks, with sterling framing and blocking greater than making up for a merely common arm. Neither Savant nor FRM has him as a below-average framer (save for a small-sample 2016) in any particular person season, and Savant has by no means forged him as a below-average blocker.

That is solely half of the Austin Hedges expertise, although; his offense conjures up as many groans as his protection does awe. From 2019 to ’22, a wRC+ within the 40s was the norm, however he actually outdid himself in ’23 with a mark of 24 — you learn that proper — throughout 212 plate appearances. That’s the Thirteenth-worst single-season consequence within the Wild Card Period (min. 200 PAs).

It will be exhausting for Hedges to hit a lot worse within the coming season, and his anticipated statistics do point out some constructive regression could also be in retailer. However even when he performed as much as his .246 xwOBA (and he’s underperformed it yearly since 2020) in ’23, he would have simply improved his wOBA from worst to seventh worst.

Nonetheless, the Guardians imagine within the protection. Or they at the very least imagine in Hedges greater than their different choices. Christian Bethancourt, whom they flipped to the Marlins for money within the wake of the Hedges signing, had a strong exhibiting in his 2022 return to the majors after 5 years away however didn’t observe it up. Then again, David Fry, the opposite participant with catching expertise on Cleveland’s lively roster, appeared misplaced behind the plate within the majors (although he might stick as an OF/DH if his bat performs). Each of them unquestionably have extra offensive upside than Hedges, however the grizzled veteran is seemingly seen as the higher option to mentor Bo Naylor, who appeared good from either side of the plate in his debut however might stand to be taught extra from a defense-first backup. Consider it this manner: there are different hitters Naylor can look as much as on the workforce, however there’s nobody fairly like Hedges behind the plate.

The Caratini scenario is a bit totally different, as a result of the switch-hitter can at the very least maintain his personal on offense. Since his debut in 2017, his 85 wRC+ has ranked forty ninth amongst 89 catchers with at the very least 500 plate appearances (Hedges has ranked 83rd). Earlier than becoming a member of the catching-defense clinic in Milwaukee, his bat was his calling card, higher than the common backup on the place.

However now, he too is bringing an above-average glove to the desk. Per FRM, Caratini value the Padres 4.2 runs in 2021 earlier than including 3.7 and 6.2, respectively, in ’22 and ’23 for the Brewers. On the identical time, it’s honest to wonder if there’s one thing distinctive amongst Milwaukee’s pitchers that allows them to steal strikes, resulting in perceived enhancements throughout the board for all of their catchers. One instance furthering this idea: Omar Narváez, whose vastly improved framing in Milwaukee helped him land a two-year, $15 million cope with the Mets final offseason. He noticed his numbers instantly worsen upon arriving in Queens.

Narváez’s numbers didn’t fully backside out, and he might have been delay by a calf pressure that value him two months within the spring. Plus, within the article linked above, our Esteban Rivera confirmed some tangible enhancements in William Contreras‘ framing in his first season with the Brewers, seemingly unbiased of whoever was pitching. Did Caratini make the identical changes?

Not like Contreras, whose enhancements Esteban chalked as much as extra known as strikes on pitches beneath the zone, Caratini notched a formidable 54.8% called-strike fee on pitches above the zone. That ranked twelfth of 63 certified catchers on the season, and it was Caratini’s second-best mark on these pitches in his profession (his third greatest, a 49.8% fee, additionally got here in Milwaukee). Listed below are just a few examples of pitches he stole:

The most important distinction between these and his time in San Diego is that he hardly ever used to arrange on one knee, even when he was anticipating one thing low:

Organising within the squat gave his glove movement a rigidity that he simply didn’t have in Milwaukee; it’s so much simpler to be extra fluid once you aren’t doing a wall-sit, or once you’re not making an attempt to execute two actions without delay. In two of the San Diego examples above, Caratini units up in a conventional squat however finally ends up on one knee. This additionally signifies a sure stage of consolation with the one-knee place, which is probably what the Brewers picked up on.

This added consolation has been expressed by catching corps on groups such because the Red Sox, and the advantages of switching to the extra relaxed stance have been borne out by means of research. The Sox stress that this isn’t a one-size-fits-all technique, however lots of their backstops discovered it useful, and the proof agrees.

That is definitely a tangible change in Caratini’s setup, and he may be assured that any changes he makes in-line shall be dealt with nicely by one other forward-thinking org. However the transfer is sensible for Houston, too; Martín Maldonado had develop into a legal responsibility, along with his poor hitting now not propped up by stellar protection. But questions stay about presumed starter Yainer Diaz’s skill to stay behind the plate. With Caratini, who’s able to being a mean beginning catcher in his personal proper, as the following man up, the Astros have a strong Plan B ought to Diaz falter.

Total, each Caratini and Hedges ought to present beneficial assist to their golf equipment’ respective second-year starters. Caratini presents a better ground for a younger backstop with extra questions on protection, whereas Naylor’s spectacular rookie exhibiting and the Guardians’ extra miserly methods led them to the lower-floor Hedges. Nonetheless, underneath the veteran’s tutelage, Naylor might actually take his sport to new heights, and there’s no cause Caratini can’t impart a few of his Milwaukee knowledge onto Diaz as nicely.