Atlanta Braves Catcher Choice Breakdown

In an interview last night with the FOX Sports South broadcast team, John Coppolella singled out Matt Wieters and Wilson Ramos as off-season free agent catching targets.  Let’s compare.

Setting aside the issue of whether Coppy was simply stating the obvious or was instead engaging in the actual tampering of another team’s players, there is a case to be made for trying to figure out who should be the primary catcher for the Braves in 2017.

This topic is relevant now as the last days of Jonathan Lucroy in Milwaukee are playing out and it’s still possible that the Braves are players in that sweepstakes… for reasons we’ll explore later.

Let’s start with that pair named above… and then expand our search a bit.

Wilson Ramos

• Will be 29 years old in 2 weeks
• RHH, 6’1″/255
• Home:  Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela
• Will be 1st time free agent in 2017; $5.35m in 2016 (Agency: SFX)
• Games played, last 5 seasons:  25, 78, 88, 128, 86 (current)
• Batt. Avg., last 5 seasons:  .265, .272, .267, .229, .333
• OPS+, last 5 seasons:  104, 110, 91, 65, 141
• bWAR, last 5 seasons: 0.4, 2.4, 0.9, 0.8, 2.5 (total: 7.0)
• Wins Above Average:  0.1, 1.4, -0.2, -0.8, 1.4 (total:  1.9)
• Caught Stealing %:  27%, 28%, 28%, 28%, 29%
• WP:  8, 26, 20, 26, 26.  PB:  2, 5, 4, 3, 7.  ERR:  1, 8, 5, 6, 3.

He’s been healthy this year and the numbers show it… nice timing, but that may present a quandry to bidding teams:  is he a high-production catcher or an average producer with an injury history?  Better numbers than Wieters regardless.

Of note:  Eddie Perez is also a Venezuelan… and so is newly signed teen Abraham Gutierrez.

Matt Wieters

• Turned 30 in late May
• SWH, 6’5″/230
• Home:  Goose Creek, SC (Ga Tech product)
• Was 5th overall pick of Orioles in 2007
• Will be 2nd time free agent in 2017; signed Qualifying Offer of $15.8m.  Agency:  Boras.
• Games played, last 5 seasons:  144, 148, 26, 75, 72 (current)
• Batt. Avg., last 5 seasons:  .249, .235, .308, .267, .245
• OPS+, last 5 seasons:  107, 90, 132, 100, 81
• bWAR, last 5 seasons:  3.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.4 (total: 6.0)
• Wins Above Average:  1.4, -1.3, 0.3, -0.2, -0.5 (total:  -0.3)
• Caught Stealing %:  39%, 35%, 8%, 31%, 36%
• WP:  27, 28, 4, 19, 29.  PB:  5, 5, 0, 2, 1.  ERR: 10, 3, 1, 5, 4.

Had Tommy John ligament-replacement surgery in 2014.  Also healthy this year, but power is down from 2013 high (.394 slugging… peaked at .500).

Because he’s still in play today…

Jonathan Lucroy

• Turned 30 in mid-June
• RHH, 6’0″/200
• Home:  Eustis, FL (Louisiana Layfayette)
• Was 3rd round selection of the Brewers in 2007
• Will be 1st time free agent in 2018 (once option picked up for 2017), having signed extremely team-friendly extension previously.
• Games played, last 5 seasons:  96, 147, 153, 103, 93 (current)
• Batt. Avg., last 5 seasons:  .320, .280, .301, .264, .300
• OPS+, last 5 seasons:  132, 116, 131, 95, 124
• bWAR, last 5 seasons:  3.6, 3.1, 6.7, 1.0, 2.7 (total:  17.1)
• Wins Above Average:  2.5, 1.2, 4.6, -0.3, 1.6 (total:  9.6)
• Caught Stealing %:  21%, 22%, 26%, 28%, 40%
• WP:  27, 37, 33, 38, 22.  PB:  2, 7, 5, 3, 5.  ERR: 7, 8, 4, 8, 6.

Back in full form this year after injury, Lucroy is clearly the best offensive-producing catcher available.

Next: Let's Check With A Couple Others