Around the System–Catcher

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Looking behind the plate, Sebastian Valle has taken it up a notch since the last report and if he can continue on this pace, could be major league ready in 2014.  AT 21, no reason to rush him, although with Chooch sometimes injury prone……

Lehigh Valley

Tuffy Gosewisch, 28, Phils 11th round pick in 2005, .223/.277/.355 in 121 AB’s; 3HR 12 RBI; 5%bb/14% k rates; .216 vs. LH, .226 vs. RH, .250 with RISP; .214 since May 1. 35 games caught; 7/31 CS (23%); 2 errors (.993); 3 passed balls. Calling a good game but very mediocre production.

John Suomi, 31, Re-Signed as a free agent on 2012; .361/.381/.607 in 61 AB’s; 3HR 9 RBI; 1SB; 3%bb/21% k rates. 7 games caught; 0/5 CS ; 1 error (.978); 0 passed balls; Has also played 5 games at 1B with 2 errors.  Suomi was scalding the ball before missing the last two weeks with a hip injury. Not good defensively.

Reading

Sebastian Valle, 21, SIgned as a free agent in 2006; .259/.277/.413 in 201 AB’s; 7 HR 28 RBI; 3%bb/26% k rates; .273 vs. LH, .250 vs. RH, .228 with RISP; Hitting .340 in June.  50 games caught; 13/50 (26%); 0 Errors; 5 passed balls. Valle has been very hot as of late and has been producing runs.  He continues to struggle with a very low walk rate but good progress from the youngster in AA.

Steven Lerud,27, SIgned as a free agent in 2012; .254/.353/.356 in 59 AB’s; 0HR 7 RBI; 11%bb/31%K rates. 17 games caught; 11/25 CS (44%); 1 errors (.993); 1 passed ball. Lerud has been solid in his back up role, and been excellent defensively.

Clearwater

Cameron Rupp, 23, Phils 3rd round pick in 2010; .226/.285/.341 in 164 AB’s; 4HR 21 RBI; 8%bb/19% k rates; .246 vs. LH, .212 vs. RH, .222 with RISP; .202 since May 1. 46 games caught; 18/68 CS (26%); 5 errors (.989); 4 passed balls. Has been good defensively but not worthy of his all star selection.  Needs to pick it up with the bat.

Kyle Lafrenz, 25, Phils 22nd round pick in 2009; .159/.196/.205 in 44 AB’s; 0 HR 2 RBI;12 games caught; 4/19 CS (21%); 2 errors (.980); 0 passed balls.  Lafrenz missed several weeks injured and has struggled when healthy.

Lakewood

John Hill, 23, .153/.196/.167 in 72 AB’s between Lakewood and Clearwater; 0 HR 7 RBI; Has caught 19 games; 11/33 CS (33%); 4 errors (.967) and 2 passed balls.  Throwing out runners at a very nice rate but quiet elsewhere.

Bob Stumpo, 24, Phils 33rd round pick in 2010; .287/.366/.339 in 115 AB’s between CLearwater and Lakewood; 0HR and 14 RBI; .355 with RISP; Hitting .345 in June. 26 games caught; 9/37 CS (24%); 2 errors (.989); 3 passed balls; Has also played 6 games at 1B with one error.  Stumpo has done a good job floating between Clearwater and Lakewood.

Williamsport

Logan Moore, 21, Phils 9th round pick in 2011; .177/.319/.271 in 96 AB’s in Lakewood; 1 HR 11 RBI; 14%bb/26% k rates; .190 vs. LH, .173 vs. RH, .167 with RISP.  9/52 CS (17%); 9 passed balls and 1 error in 30 games.Demoted to Williamsport from Lakewood prior to NYPL season starting.

Chace Numata, 19

Kevin Quaranto, 24

GCL

Willians Astudilo, 20, Signed as a free agent in 2008

Liam Bedford, 19, Signed as a free agent in 2011

Chad Carman, 23

ANgel Chevarin, 21, Signed as a free agent in 2010

19 thoughts on “Around the System–Catcher”

  1. For the 2013/2014 offseason the Valle/Ruiz dynamic is shaping up to be very similar to what Galvis/Rollins was this year. Like Rollins, Ruiz will be coming to the end of a team-friendly deal and will probably be looking for a 3 year contract. Like Galvis, Valle will likely need a year more seasoning offensively, but should be ready defensively. It’s a shame Ruiz’ contract doesn’t run through 2014.

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  2. Valle sure could use to take more walks and make contact better. His defensive game has come along well. His power is very infrequently bringing home runs. I still consider him a work in progress concerning these issues; nevertheless he is the best among those now in the system…

    Taking nothing else away from him, the bare cupboard re: catchers in the system is alarming. I’d thought they’d be drafting some catchers early and fill in more choices in the early teens. But that didn’t happen.

    Of course we all love Ruiz’ game but he is already in his early thirties and plays a LOT of games out of the 162. His secondary guy hasn’t ever hit much; with the offense so chancy now and in the immediate future, it would help to have a #2 guy who can hit 10 HRs and hit .270 w an OBA of .320.

    I see no valid reason for the FO to virtually ignore the status of this position in the system. It’s as if they knew nothing about players who can leave it on the field on a downgrade…Ruiz is not made of steel, only of flesh.

    My opinion is that good catchers in the system are as rare as players with long term contract performing well during the entirety of their contract…especially guys signed in their 30s.

    The time of buying free agents over the winter for this team is over. The repairs needed involve much more youth with superior potential which is missing from our higher levels, position players in particular, but also pitching.

    The trading of several of our better players (Lee & Hamels) should bring back some superior player-prospects, and even if Hamels is traded on a rental basis, wouldn’t it be possible to get some players for him and another if he signs a long-term contract with him? (Idea) Lee will gladly waive his limited trading teams for a shot at winning it all with Rangers and Angels in severe competition for him. They are both rich in prospects.

    Catcher(s)?, etc.

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    1. Remember Catcher is the hardest position to fill at an AS level. We value Ruiz so much and hes never even been there! There is 3 players this team traded away that I think we will regret in Gose, Singleton, and most of all D’Arnaud. You just dont trade Catchers with the ability he has, I know what we got in return and have no clue if it was him or no deal.

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      1. Most of the rumors at the time and after the fact had the Jays wanting d’Arnaud over everything else. We drafted him right before they tried to and they coveted him for years. He’s destroying AAA right now even when you adjust for playing in the PCL.

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    2. Under the old draft system, good catching prospects were usually drafted high, or if they fell (i.e. Andrew Susac) they would have cost alot of money to sign ($500K to $1M or more). The Phillies chose to not meet Susac’s demands. And never seemed aggressive about other recent opportunities either (Tyler Ross, Riley Moore, Austin Wright, Scott Tomasseti, etc).

      The Phillies have not invested a true premium pick (Top 50) or been willing to offer a big signing bonus to the Catching position since 2007. I agree they may have waited too long to address the position and the position seems bare right now.

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  4. What would the dynamic be right now if we had made D’Arnaud untouchable? He’s playing at LV hitting .330 while we have Ruiz hitting .360 in the bigs, with another year and a half left.

    Would the Phils plan to swap him for a big time 3B prospect near MLB ready? Would they – god forbid – trade Ruiz? Or have both of them in the bigs and teach one or both of them to play 1B or some other position?

    Sure would be interesting

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    1. He likely isn’t posting a high 900s OPS in Lehigh as he does play in an extreme offensive environment but he’d definitely be showing some major offensive skills.

      Odds are they would simply play out Ruiz’s contract and have d’Arnaud share time with him…as that would be the smart move.

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  5. But really the question going into 2014 becomes do you want Valle or Ruiz? Again, Valle will probably be a year away and Ruiz will probably want 3 years. So what so you do? I wouldn’t assume were trading for d’arnaud. That’s unlikely.

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    1. If Valle doesnt learn to take a walk, it will never be Valle.

      Still, he’s just 21 and in AA so he could sit in Reading for 2 more years and still be age appropriate…especially as a catcher. He’s still finding his power and working on his defense.

      A lack of any plate discipline will eventually sink him if he doesnt figure it out though.

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      1. Agree totally that he needs to learn to take a walk. That’s what’s so depressing about Castro, Valle, and James at Reading. They don’t lay off enough pitches to be major leaguers. It’s also why Gillies is a 2013 Of option if he stays healthy…

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        1. It’s weird because catchers should have an excellent idea of what the strike zone is. At some point I’m sure they’ll ask him to start focusing on it – and he’ll have a better shot than most of making the adjustment. It would really help his game….

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    2. Catcher is a whole different animal. Valle is very very young still. If hes in the minors till hes 25 thats fine. My is guess they sign Ruiz till he doesnt produce anymore and hope Valle is platooning with Chooch in 2015.

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  6. There’s no reason to look back and wish D’arnaud was still in the system. He got traded for Roy Halladay. 30 out of 30 GMs make that deal.

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    1. Agreed. The Halladay trade was the right move then and now.

      But I think it is entirely legit to look back and question whether they have been aggressive enough at trying to re-stock at C. RAJ traded away Marson and D’Arnaud. So far he replaced them Cameron Rupp.

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  7. Catcher isn’t looking real good right now in our system but at least Valle has time. When you realize that the next youngest catcher in the farm is at Williamsport and Valle’s in AA you see we’ll just need to be patient with him.

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