PROSPECT EVALUATION - THE CATCHERS

 The catching prospects in the Indians' organization was thinned by the trading of Yainer Diaz.  As was stated at the time, this was a good use of Diaz who was only playing low A ball.   He would have had to be rostered this winter and we really can't afford adding more dead roster space.  The trade of Diaz is EXACTLY the type of trade the Indians need to make with the excess players on their roster.   If you were a GM whose team was in contention for a playoff spot and traded your excess starting CFer with a limited skill set for help this year, you would also want a long-term asset thrown in, in case this year (or the veteran you traded for) blew up in your face.  By acquiring Maton and Diaz for Straw both sides got what they wanted.

So, on to our catching prospect situation vis-a-vis the Rule 5 draft. 

BRYAN LAVASTIDA

SUMMARY: Lavastida is really the only Rule 5 eligible catching prospect we have who should be under consideration for rostering.  He shows a good hit tool right now and will take his walks.  He has very little power right now but, as they say, power is the last thing to develop.  By what I understand, he has passable catching skills.

PROS: Lavastida has, for all practical purposes, conquered AA, meaning he will be, in theory, ready to help the Indians sometime next year.  He will likely be a prime target in this year's Rule 5 draft if he is left unprotected.   The Indians are set up if they protect Lavastida this year and Naylor (and maybe Melendez) next year for their catching to be young, talented and affordable by 2023 and in the future.  Plus making sure we keep Lavastida means that we will have an internal option next year in case of injury to our ML catchers.

CONS: We have to sign a ML catcher (either Perez or a veteran backup) to pair with Hedges.   That will cost us a roster spot.   Why not just save that roster spot and gamble that a guy like Lavastiday, only passable catching skills, little power, will pass through the Rule 5.

DECISION: ROSTER HIM - Yes we are in a roster crunch but as long as he continues to hit Lavastida is in our long-term plans at catcher because, frankly, there is no one else right now in the minors who could be counted on in 2022 and, maybe, even in 2023, depending on Naylor's development curve.

ANDRES MELENDEZ

SUMMARY - Melendez has the tools to be a ML catcher.   He is by all accounts a quality defensive catcher and is an improving hitter who is showing some power.   He has been a favorite of mine every since we acquired him from Milwaukee.  He has only reached low A and is still only 20 years old  

PROS:  He is a catching prospect who can hit which adds to his value.   Teams sometimes will take chances in the Rule 5 on guys who they can slot as utility infielders, third catchers or mop up relievers, especially now the 26-man roster is here to stay.  The most recent Rule 5 draft had a high number of players selected and a large percentage of them actually stuck with their drafting team, both of which are unusual results.  So the chances of him getting drafted AND us losing him are much greater than in previous years.

CONS: He is in low A.   He has not shown a dominant tool yet.   Until Diaz was traded he was the backup catcher and, frankly, did his best AFTER Diaz was traded.   He is unlikely to be selected as there is nothing that would indicate that he could successfully even be a #3 catcher on a ML roster right now.

DECISION: DON'T ROSTER - Very low risk gamble to leave him unprotected.   If he keeps his current upward development curve rate the story before next year's Rule 5 draft will be a very different one, however.

OTHER CATCHERS

The injuries to our veteran catchers this year have highlighted that (a) we have a dearth of ML-ready catching prospects and (b) that we do have a lot of guys who look NOW like journeymen minor league catchers but who may, in time, develop into ML backup catcher material if everything clicks.  

Mike Rivera, Gavin Collins, Gianpaul Gonzalez, Angel Lopez-Alvarez are all minor league catchers who fit that mold.  

None of these guys are worth protecting.   As we can't fit all of them on the off-season Colubmbus protected list, some of them may be selected in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft this year but none will be selected in the major league portion.