Atlanta Braves Position Profile: Catcher

Sep 23, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher

(32) singles during the fourth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Free Agents

Below are some catchers within the next few years that the Atlanta Braves could have interest  in. I eliminated some candidates based on their skill-sets or their age when they hit free agency.

2016: Alex Avila (29), Chris Iannetta (33), Dioner Navarro (32), Brayan Pena (34), A.J. Pierzynski (39), and Matt Wieters (30).

2017: Drew Butera (34), Jason Castro (30), Francisco Cervelli (31), Jonathan Lucroy (31, $5.25MM club option),

Jun 28, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman

(23) is tagged out at home plate by Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli (29) during the fourth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Salvador Perez (27, $3.75MM club option), Wilson Ramos (29), and Jarrod Saltalamacchia (32).

2018: Miguel Montero (32), Jose Lobaton (29), Jordan Pacheco (29), and Wellington Castillo (28).

This comes down to how important the catcher position is to the Atlanta Braves, and how soon they
decide to address the question. Jonathan Lucroy would be great fit and the Braves would be wise to wait for him, however he likely will not hit free agency until 2018 since his club option is a steal for the Brewers. Wilson Ramos would be an intriguing candidate, as well as Francisco Cervelli heading to the 2017 season. Cervelli has adapted very well to the NL and has had one of the best offensive seasons for a catcher in 2015.

The most interesting candidate, and the one sure to generate the most buzz this winter is Georgia Tech alum Matt Wieters. Wieters has struggled to stay on the field the past two seasons, but there is no question about his defensive ability behind the plate, and he has flashed offensive potential too.

While he struggles in the average categories (hitting for a career .251 average and .318 OBP), he possesses power upside, having clubbed 22+ HRs in the three seasons preceding his injury plagued 2014 campaign. He remains interesting because he will likely come at a relative discount and could provide a consistent backstop for the next 4-5 years, assuming health.

Next: Drawing a Roadmap