Around the System–Catcher, FInal Grades

Other Stuff

Lehigh Valley

Logan Moore, 28, Phils 9th round pick in 2011; .188/.289/.262 in 264PA; 3HR 14RBI; 11%BB/23%K; .176 vs RHP; .250 vs LHP; 75 games caught with 3 errors and 5 passed balls; 23/53 CS (43%); Moore continued as a plus receiver but was non existent with the bat.  With 8 full years in the organization, I expect the Phils to part ways with Moore.  Grade: D+

Nick Rickles, 28, Acquired from Washington in 2017; .245/.271/.394 in 199PA; 7HR 26RBI; 4%BB/22%K; .267 vs RHP; .217 vs LHP; 48 games caught with 1 error and 1 passed ball; 5/23 CS (22%); Rickles did a good job receiving and was adequate with the bat but mediocre throwing runners out.  Grade: C+; 2019: May be back for depth, but likely elsewhere.

Matt McBride, 33, Signed as a free agent in 2018; .242/.333/.479 in 223PA; 10HR 26RBI; 12%BB/19%K; 23 games caught with 3 errors and 2 passed balls; 5/23 CS (22%); 21 games at 1B with 1 error; McBride came home to likely finish his career and added some punch to the ‘Pigs lineup.  Grade: C

Reading

Deivi Grullon, 22, Signed as a free agent in 2013; .273/.310/.515; 21HR 59RBI; 5%BB/23%K; .313 vs LHP; .260 vs RHP; .250 post all star; .229 with RISP; 87 games caught with 12 errors and 10 passed balls; 28/85 CS(33%); Grullon really came into his own this season and was a EL All Star, showing both significant power with the bat and a very good arm.  Grade: A-; 2019: Lehigh Valley and added to the 40 man

Austin Bossart, 25, Phils 14th round pick in 2015; .273/.323/.438 in 176AB; 7HR 29RBI; 6%BB/20%K; .340 vs LHP; .244 vs RHP; .196 post all star break; .370 with RISP; 51 games caught with 2 errors and 7 passed balls; 23/71 CS(32%); Solid season as a backup plus for Reading.  The Bossart/Grullon combo put up 28HR 88RBI and threw out 33% of would be base stealers.  Grade: B+; 2019: Backup in Lehigh Valley

Clearwater

Henri Lartigue, 23, Phils 7th round pick in 2016; .251/.323/.357 in 409PA; 7HR 45RBI; 8%BB/21%K; .262 vs RHP; .230 vs LHP; .188 over last month; 71 games caught with 2 errors and 6 passed balls; 22/84 CS(30%); Very similar stat line to Lartigue’s 2017 in Lakewood although he did receive more playing time this season; His bat really faded towards years end; Grade: C+; 2019: Reading

Edgar Cabral, 22, Phils 11th round pick in 2015; .252/.322/.361 in 329PA; 6HR 39RBI; 9%BB/19%K; .251 vs RHP; .252 vs LHP; .259 since July 1; 60 games caught with 3 errors and 6 passed balls; 22/76 CS (29%); Very similar stats as Lartigue who acted as an effective catching combo for the Threshers; Grade: C+; 2019: Reading

Lakewood

Rodolfo Duran, 20, Signed as a free agent in 2014; .260/.304/.495 in 336PA; 18HR 46RBI; 6%BB/22%K; .300 vs RHP; .173 vs LHP;  81 games caught with 4 errors and 18 passed balls; 39/93 CS (42%); Hitting .319 since Aug 1; Duran needs work defensively(receiving) but overall, a very good season; Grade: B+; 2019: CLearwater

Gregori Rivero, 22, Signed as a free agent in 2013; .217/.243/.335 in 169PA; 3HR 21RBI; 3%BB/25%K; .231 vs RHP; .182 vs LHP; 31 games caught without an error; 3 passed balls; 5/18 (28%) CS; 12 games at 1B without an error; Solid defense, little offense.  Grade: C; 2019: After spending parts of the last 2 seasons in Lakewood, likely to move up to Clearwater in a back up role.

Colby Fitch, 23, Phils 13th round pick in 2017; .236/.351/.374 in 303PA; 5HR 28RBI; 12%BB/28%K; .243 vs RHP; .224 vs LHP; .170 over last month; 27 games caught with 1 error and 5 passed balls; 9/33 CS (27%); Fitch was hot early but really struggled late in the  season.  Likely either he or Rivero make it to Clearwater with the other let go when the new draft class arrives.  Grade: C

Williamsport

Rafael Marchan, 19, Signed as a free agent in 2016; .301/.343/.362 in 210PA; 0HR 12RBI; 9SB; 5%BB/9%K; 47 games caught with 4 errors; 9 passed balls; 20/68 CS (29%); Marchan was excellent with the stick and competent with the glove and will move along to likely be the starting catcher in Lakewood next season; Grade: A-

Jesse Wilkening, 22, Phils 14th round pick in 2018; .269/.347/.343 in 75PA between GCL and Williamsport; 0HR 7RBI; 20 games caught with 4 errors and 1 passed ball; 12/30 CS (40%); Did a nice job backing up Marchan, a role he is likely to continue next season.  Grade: B

Lenin Rodriguez, 20, Signed as a free agent in 2015; .213/.342/.295 in 73PA; 0HR 4RBI; 11 games caught without an error and 0 passed balls; 3/7 CS (43%); Very limited playing time for Rodriguez

Nerluis Martinez, 22, Signed as a free agent in 2015; Hit .120 in 28AB; I don’t expect Martinez back.

GCL

Jack Conley, 21, Phils 27th round pick in 2018; .,329/.447/.461 in 94PA; 2HR 11RBI; 27 games caught with 3 errors and 2 passed balls; 6/27 CS (22%); His bat has probably earned him a look in Williamsport next season

Carlos Oropeza, 19, Signed as a free agent in 2016; .281/.347/.337 in 99PA; 0HR 8RBI; 2SB; 25 games caught with 3 errors and 4 passed balls; 4/26 (15%) CS; Abysmal CS rate will hold him back.

Juan Aparicio, 18, Signed as a free agent in 2017; .339/.378/.518 in 119PA; 3HR 15RBI; 24 games caught with 2 errors and 0 passed balls; 5/20 (25%) CS; Very impressive offensive numbers

Mitchell Edwards, 19, Signed as a free agent in 2018; Hit .250 in 36AB; 12 games caught, 0 errors and 2 passed balls; 6/9 CS (67%)

Abrahan Gutierrez, 18, Signed as a free agent in 2018; .315/.362/.407 in 178PA; 1HR 30RBI; 6%BB/9%K; 28 games caught with 3 errors and 2 passed balls; 10/48 CS (21%)

Logan O’Hoppe, 18, Phils 23rd round pick in 2018; .367/.411/.532 in 124PA; 2HR 21RBI; 20 games caught with 2 errors and 2 passed balls; 9/27 CS (33%)

Nick Matera, 22, Phils 34th round pick in 2018; .224/.348/.303 in 92PA; 0HR 5RBI; 11 games caught.

6 thoughts on “Around the System–Catcher, FInal Grades”

  1. I realize Reading favors hitters, but still very impressed with Deivi Grullon. Never thought I’d see him have a season like this. .825 OPS? Just an incredible season for him.

    Will be interesting to see where he starts next season: make the jump to AAA or start him slowly in Reading, then move him up later in the season? He turns 23 right when the season opens. Either way, certainly on my short-list of players to follow next year.

    Still probably profiles as a defensive-first back-up C, but there’s value in that.

  2. Any thoughts on Logan O’Hoppe anyone? Is he a legitimate prospect? Nice stats. Has anyone seen him play?

  3. 5 GCL catchers hit over 280, spots at Williamsport will be tight, 3 will make it. Other catchers just move up the ladder as LHV catchers are released.

  4. CLW
    Lartigue year end clutch hitting and some power to replace power hitting loss of Pujols, Hall and Listi. Really optimistic but S/B moved position wise, ave arm, physically not catcher

  5. The guys, who played at LHV are only emergency catchers for the big leagues. Grullon and Bossart have shown a lot of ability at Reading. They should be the catching duo at LHV next year. Let’s see if these two can be, at the very least, reliable backups in the big leagues. I agree with another poster that Lartigue is not a long term catching prospect. I think his bat is intriguing and he’s always getting big hits in the situations he needs to get a hit. I like Cabral and would like to see how he plays in Reading. Duran was a huge surprise in the power area. He had 18 HRs last year in a league not really known for big HR outputs. When guys put up big HRs, especially in LKW, you have to sit up a take notice. But he only has 21 total HRs in 4 seasons. I hate to infer it but could he be on the juice? At 5’9″ and maybe 180 lbs, can he be that explosive? Marchan, Aparicio and O’Hoppe are 3 very intriguing prospects. Marchan will be in my top 30.

  6. I like how well Bossart plays for as little time as he gets to. That would seem to bode well for a potential big league back up.

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