Baltimore Orioles: Catchers, Catchers Everywhere

Sep 5, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph (36) against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Baltimore Orioles 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Some people collect coins; others collect stamps or comic books. If you’re rich like Jay Leno, you might collect classic cars. But Baltimore Orioles V.P. Dan Duquette has a special interest in collecting catchers. They’re all over the place in the O’s organization. He’s the baseball equivalent of the crazy cat lady (cat, cat-cher … there’s maybe a connection?).

Oh yes, it’s not like DD does not also subscribe to the old adage that “you can never have too much pitching.” He does believe that. He collects them also, creating a great wonderment as to how all of these relievers and Rule 5 pitchers can possibly fit into a bullpen. So, I guess it stands to reason that if you have a lot of pitchers, you need a lot of catchers to … ah … catch!

Dan Duquette is the baseball version of the crazy cat lady when it comes to collecting catchers.

I’m pretty sure that the Orioles would have plenty of extra catchers around if it weren’t for the following, but it is true that the uncertain date of return of Matt Wieters plays into this, as does the fact that not a person in the world believes he will be with the Birds in 2016.

And there is not even space in this article to mention much about the presumptive catcher of the future for the Baltimore Orioles – Chance Sisco. The soon-to-be 20-year-old was a second-round selection of the Orioles out of a California high school in 2013. In 147 low-level minor league games he is batting .345 and looks the part of a can’t-miss ballplayer.

But what does the depth chart at this position look like for the Orioles as we approach the 2015 season?

Matt Wieters – When Wieters is ready, he is going to play. He will catch the most games physically possible for the Orioles in 2015. The Birds need to get the most out of their investment, and if healthy at all, everyone knows he is one of the premier receivers in the sport. And if he can get the bat going again like it was in 2014 before the injury took him down, this will be a great asset for the O’s.

Caleb Joseph – After the outstanding job that Caleb Joseph did in 2014 in filling in for Wieters, he is clearly the next in line as we make this list. His defensive work was simply stellar in handling the pitching staff and helping them to the best seasonal ERA for starters in many, many years. One would have expected his defense to lag, even as it would have been presumed that he could hit for a greater average than just a bit over the Mendoza line. But Joseph did go on that consecutive games home run streak, demonstrating what he can do. Perhaps after a full year in the big leagues he will come back much stronger at the plate.

Ryan Lavarnway – Surprised to see him here … listed higher than others to come? It is true that in only 301 plate appearances he is batting a mere .201 – not even as high as Joseph. But the 27-year-old sixth-round pick of the Red Sox in 2008 has very good numbers at AAA – where he hit .283 this past year. I just don’t see the dropoff for someone who has done this to be a full 82 points. He has to be able to hit better than .201, and I believe it is especially difficult for catchers to break in offensively at the big-league level. There is so much else to be thinking about besides your own hitting; and we saw how this was evident with Caleb Joseph in 2014.

P. Arencibia – Again, maybe a surprise to rank here. And again, another guy who only hits historically in the low, low .200s. But I’m talking about this year, not next year, so the 29-year-old might be a backup factor. He hit .279 with 14 home runs and 48 RBIs at AAA Round Rock last year under the tutelage of new hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh.

Michael Ohlman – This 24-year-old is well-liked by the organization, and he was the 2013 Carolina League batting champion. But in 113 games at AA Bowie in 2014, he only batted .236. That does not encourage me, and hence I’ve not ranked him highly.

Steve Clevenger – You always get the feeling with Clevenger that there is something unsaid and generally unknown as to why he always seems to play the position of “left out.” Although he had the great spring training last year, his career numbers are very similar to Lavarnway with about the same overall number of MLB at-bats. And again, you have to like the minor league numbers, where he batted .315 in 66 games in 2014.

Brian Ward – Here is another older catching prospect at age 29. He has a six-year career minor league average of .237, and only .227 at AAA in 65 games. The mountain looks pretty high that he’ll have to climb.

David Freitas

– Turning 26 this spring, the former 15

-round pick of the Nationals has a decent career batting average of .274, with AAA numbers of .286 in 37 games.