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Potential Backup Catcher Options for Kansas City Royals
The 2022 MLB offseason is prone to get a bit quiet following the conclusion of winter conferences and the Rule 5 Draft, and the Kansas Metropolis Royals are opting to sit down again and permit the market to come back to them.
With Kansas Metropolis in all probability being extra of a late participant on this 12 months’s free company, the membership is placing religion in its teaching employees and philosophical modifications to assist foster extra development from younger gamers in 2023. Among the many membership’s rumored want record, including a backup catcher is one risk. Regardless of already having each Salvador Perez and MJ Melendez entrenched and Freddy Fermin lately added to the 40-man roster, govt vice chairman of baseball operations and basic supervisor J.J. Picollo seems fascinated about investing much more on the backstop spot.
Going after a high-profile catcher is out of the query, however there are many reserve choices who may play each time Perez wants a time off from behind the dish and Melendez is within the outfield. Let’s take a peek at three free brokers the Royals ought to contemplate taking a better have a look at because the month of December continues.
1. Jorge Alfaro
After one season with the San Diego Padres, Jorge Alfaro was non-tendered in November and continues to be on the open market as of the publishing of this text. The 29-year-old has 478 profession video games below his belt spanning seven seasons with three completely different groups, and he is exceeded the 100-game mark twice. After taking part in 92 video games in 2021 and 82 video games this previous season, although, his future position is sort of certainly as a high quality selection when a starter is injured or rests.
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Alfaro struggled on the plate in his last seasons with the Miami Marlins, and his lone marketing campaign in San Diego introduced each good and unhealthy parts to the desk. He hit seven house runs and logged 40 RBIs with a 90 wRC+, however he additionally struck out 35.8% of the time whereas strolling at a 4% clip. The veteran has graded out near impartial on protection all through his profession and ranked within the 96th percentile in Baseball Savant‘s pop time for catchers in 2022. Alfaro might not need such a relegated position in Kansas Metropolis but when the crew may promote him on it, he’d make for a superb pickup.
2. Curt Casali
A tenth-round choose means again in 2011, Curt Casali is now 34 years outdated and set to doubtlessly be part of his fifth crew since making his big-league debut in 2014. He is by no means performed greater than 84 video games in a single season, and he is logged a grand whole of 500 plate appearances from 2020-2022. Casali’s defensive metrics are beginning to present some indicators of falling off, however he did end tied with Alfaro and comfortably forward of each Perez and Melendez in catcher framing runs this previous season. He is an older participant who has labored with numerous pitchers, which is a plus for a crew just like the Royals.
In 57 mixed outings with the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners this 12 months, Casali hit simply .203 however posted a .318 OBP due to a 13.6% stroll fee. He is walked a double-digit share in 4 consecutive years now, which is a testomony to his persistence and maturity within the batter’s field. Casali recorded a 92 wRC+ in 2022 and has typically been a good offensive participant all through his profession. His price ticket should not be something loopy and he is used to being a reserve who would not play a ton, so this might be a great pairing if Kansas Metropolis is .
3. Cam Gallagher
Nearly everybody in Royals circles ought to be aware of Cam Gallagher, as he was a second-round choose by the franchise in 2011 and spent components of six seasons with the big-league crew. After being traded at this 12 months’s deadline to the San Diego Padres in alternate for outfielder Brent Rooker and taking part in 16 video games for his or her Triple-A affiliate, he was picked up off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles. Six video games into that stint and as soon as the season was over, Gallagher rejected his outright project to Triple-A Norfolk and subsequently turned a free agent.
In his big-league profession, Gallagher is slashing .240/.302/.355 with a 76 wRC+ in 171 video games. His 2020 manufacturing was spectacular — 115 wRC+ in 60 plate appearances — however since then, he hasn’t been capable of justify giving a major quantity of at-bats with nice confidence. With that stated, Gallagher’s strong defensive repute and familiarity with the Royals may give him an inside edge on rejoining the crew in the event that they select to go down that street once more. Weirder issues have definitely occurred in Kansas Metropolis.