Author Topic: Positional Analysis - Catcher (Read 6685 times)

VirtualBob · « **on:** February 12, 2012, 01:08:00 pm »

Spring will be here very soon, so I could not resist the temptation to dig into my notes from last year along with various scouting resources (none of the “insider” variety) and try to see who will end up where when the national anthem sounds for real. I’ll start with Catcher.

As far as I can tell, there are 21 catchers under Astros control as of now, and room for 10-12 on full season clubs.

I am assuming that either Q or Snyder will back up Castro with the other sharing time with Corporan at AAA, but I would not be surprised to see Castro start the season on the DL, which probably keeps Frostad on the AAA roster.

Rene Garcia did will in Lancaster last year, and I expect him to be the primary starter in Corpus this year, with Chris Wallace backing him up (and getting plenty of starts at DH). Frostad might end up in the mix here too as general purpose back-up and veteran “presence”. Either Garcia (if his bat is not ready) or Wallace (if they want him to really work on receiving) might end up starting at Lancaster.

Roberto Pena did pretty well at Lexington last year at age 19. The new regime may want him to repeat, but I expect him to move up to Lancaster. Ben Heath split time last year between Lancaster & Lexington (moving down when Wallace went to Corpus), and I expect him to start the season backing up Pena and getting some extra AB’s at DH. Comadena played some OF and some C, but I question whether there is a roster spot for him this year … unless, of course, Pena repeats at Lex.

It’s now or never for 23yo Bubby Williams, and 2011 draftee Miles Hamblin will also be 23. I figure they will both move up to Lexington to start the season, with Hamblin more likely to do most of the receiving, and Williams getting a bunch of starts at DH. Ryan McCurdy is probably another "odd man out" unless they carry three catchers somewhere.

My best guesses:

age	name	2011	2012
24	JCastro	DL	Houston (DL?)
32	HQuintero	Houston	Houston
31	CSnyder	FA	Houston (OKC?)
28	CCorporan	OKC/Hou	Oklahoma City
29	EFrostad	CC/OKC	Oklahoma City?
23	CWallace	Lex/CC	Corpus Christi
22	RGarcia	Lancaster	Corpus Christi
23	BHeath	Lan/Lex	Lancaster
26	JComadena	Lancaster	Lan?
19	RPena	Lexington	Lancaster
23	BWilliams	Tri-City	Lexington
23	MHamblin	Tri-City	Lexington
24	RMcCurdy	various	Lex?
22	LAlvarez	Greeneville	SS
20	EGenoves	Greeneville	SS
22	CMoronta	Greeneville	SS
24	KGonzalez	GCL	SS
23	JMeskin	GCL	SS
23	JWitkowski	GCL	SS
19	KDiaz	GCL	SS
19	AGonzalez	GCL	SS

roadrunner · « **Reply #1 on:** February 12, 2012, 01:40:13 pm »

This is great. I'm looking forward to the rest of the positions.

Catcher still feels like such a shallow position in this system. Hopefully Wallace proves that last year was legit. The Q/Snyder situation will be interesting to watch, too.

Hornstros · « **Reply #2 on:** February 12, 2012, 03:49:17 pm »

i hope Luis Alvarez gets a look at Lexington. He missed 2010 because of a knee injury and repeated Greeneville last year. Not sure what the story is with his defensive skill set, but his offensive numbers are sure encouraging.

VirtualBob · « **Reply #3 on:** February 12, 2012, 04:04:35 pm »

Quote from: Hornstros on February 12, 2012, 03:49:17 pm

i hope Luis Alvarez gets a look at Lexington. He missed 2010 because of a knee injury and repeated Greeneville last year. Not sure what the story is with his defensive skill set, but his offensive numbers are sure encouraging.

Yeah ... his numbers last year were pretty consistent with those before his injury ... I guess that is encouraging. I figure both he and Genoves will move up one stop to Tri-City this year, but I suppose either could get a look in Lexington.

VirtualBob · « **Reply #4 on:** February 12, 2012, 05:19:04 pm »

I seem to have left out Jair Fernandez. He is actually pretty interesting and may be in the mix at AA or AAA. Probably an upgrade on Frostad or maybe even a threat to Corporan's continued employment.

Reuben · « **Reply #5 on:** February 13, 2012, 09:27:54 pm »

Which one is the kid that Duman or Jacksonian were really high on- Roberto Pena, or was it Garcia? Great with the glove/arm, and good potential with the bat, from what I recall.

VirtualBob · « **Reply #6 on:** February 14, 2012, 12:29:27 am »

Quote from: Reuben on February 13, 2012, 09:27:54 pm

Which one is the kid that Duman or Jacksonian were really high on- Roberto Pena, or was it Garcia? Great with the glove/arm, and good potential with the bat, from what I recall.

That could describe either of them. Pena is my favorite though. I suppose Duman & Jackson will weigh in in due course.

jaklewein · « **Reply #7 on:** February 14, 2012, 02:53:33 pm »

Outstanding write up. Thanks.

astrosfan76 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2012, 09:24:40 am »

Catcher just got a little bit deeper, with McTaggart & Levine tweeting that Kvasnicka has moved back to catching full-time. Don't know if they'll have him repeat at Lexington to refine his defensive game or promote him to Lancaster, but catcher is where a lot of teams would have drafted him.

juliogotay · « **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2012, 11:01:15 am »

Quote from: astrosfan76 on February 20, 2012, 09:24:40 am

Catcher just got a little bit deeper, with McTaggart & Levine tweeting that Kvasnicka has moved back to catching full-time. Don't know if they'll have him repeat at Lexington to refine his defensive game or promote him to Lancaster, but catcher is where a lot of teams would have drafted him.

I suppose that means they don't see his offensive game as getting him to bigs as a 3Bman.

astrosfan76 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 20, 2012, 11:13:03 am »

Quote from: juliogotay on February 20, 2012, 11:01:15 am

I suppose that means they don't see his offensive game as getting him to bigs as a 3Bman.

Maybe, though power was never going to be a big part of his offensive game. This could be a Luhnow decision based on what he saw from him in '10. If he's able to become a competent backstop, he obviously has more value at that position.

Ron Brand · « **Reply #11 on:** February 20, 2012, 12:41:35 pm »

Quote from: astrosfan76 on February 20, 2012, 11:13:03 am

Maybe, though power was never going to be a big part of his offensive game. This could be a Luhnow decision based on what he saw from him in '10. If he's able to become a competent backstop, he obviously has more value at that position.

And then they can ship Castro to the Rays for 2014's front-line pitcher.

BUWebguy · « **Reply #12 on:** February 20, 2012, 06:59:48 pm »

Quote from: juliogotay on February 20, 2012, 11:01:15 am

I suppose that means they don't see his offensive game as getting him to bigs as a 3Bman.

Somebody on Twitter (Steve Campbell, maybe?) interpreted it as indicating their view of Castro (i.e., needing more in the system at catcher).

juliogotay · « **Reply #13 on:** February 20, 2012, 07:57:57 pm »

The prospect requested the switch after last season. http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastros/2012/02/20/astros-catcher-jason-castro-eyes-return-for-opening-day/

Travis · « **Reply #14 on:** February 20, 2012, 10:39:11 pm »

Quote from: BUWebguy on February 20, 2012, 06:59:48 pm

Somebody on Twitter (Steve Campbell, maybe?) interpreted it as indicating their view of Castro (i.e., needing more in the system at catcher).

Sorry if this offends anyone, but Steve Campbell doesn't seem to know jackshit about the Astros. Several deviations worse than the work by Levine (who is great).

astrosfan76 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 21, 2012, 07:51:04 am »

Quote from: BUWebguy on February 20, 2012, 06:59:48 pm

Somebody on Twitter (Steve Campbell, maybe?) interpreted it as indicating their view of Castro (i.e., needing more in the system at catcher).

The last sentence of julio's link (quoting Luhnow) would seem to affirm that view:

Quote

He's been here since early February working out, and if he can do the job, he'll be the catcher of the future in our organization."

BUWebguy · « **Reply #16 on:** February 21, 2012, 09:30:44 am »

Where did you see that quote from Luhnow? I don't see it here (julio's link):
http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastros/2012/02/20/astros-catcher-jason-castro-eyes-return-for-opening-day/

astrosfan76 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 21, 2012, 09:57:57 am »

Quote from: BUWebguy on February 21, 2012, 09:30:44 am

Where did you see that quote from Luhnow? I don't see it here (julio's link):
http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastros/2012/02/20/astros-catcher-jason-castro-eyes-return-for-opening-day/

Never mind, I found it on McTaggart's article.
http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120220&content_id=26765808&notebook_id=26765948&vkey=notebook_hou&c_id=hou

VirtualBob · « **Reply #18 on:** March 20, 2012, 06:38:18 pm »

As someone pointed out in the corner infield thread, Kvasnicka is back in the mix at catcher again. I've been thinking about that since the announcement ... trying to figure out where he might be slotted. It basically comes down (I think) to him and Pena both starting, so the question is ... which one gets the promotion to Lancaster? Kvasnicka is ahead of Pena with the bat, and I really do not know whether it makes a difference for him to re-learn catching at one level or the other. Anyone with better insight on that than me, please jump in. For now, though, I am going to stick with Kvas at Lancaster and Pena repeating at Lexington. If last year is any indication, though, none of them should sign long-term leases where they start.

Meanwhile, has anyone noticed how HUGE the latest addition to the receiving corps is? Landon Powell is going to give EL Caballo a run for his money at the buffet table. I figure his signing is probably bad news for Emerson Frostad, while Kvasnicka's move is probably bad news for Bubby Williams.

VirtualBob · « **Reply #19 on:** March 20, 2012, 06:42:47 pm »

Another thought occurred to me in all of this. Luhnow was quoted the other day as wanting three quality catchers at every level. That would mean a lot of DH at bats for the extra catchers at the expense of someone else. It would also mean that a guy like Jordan Comadena who can play the OF reasonably well would be a welcome presence on a roster with an extra slot devoted to catching.

moriartp · « **Reply #20 on:** March 20, 2012, 11:09:54 pm »

Quote from: VirtualBob on March 20, 2012, 06:42:47 pm

It would also mean that a guy like Jordan Comadena who can play the OF reasonably well would be a welcome presence on a roster with an extra slot devoted to catching.

Comadena said on Twitter that he was released this morning, but overall I agree with your point.

VirtualBob · « **Reply #21 on:** March 21, 2012, 02:57:20 pm »

Quote from: moriartp on March 20, 2012, 11:09:54 pm

Comadena said on Twitter that he was released this morning, but overall I agree with your point.

I'm not really surprised ... he has always been a spare part at every level, though his stats are OK. Hope he catches on somewhere.

VirtualBob · « **Reply #22 on:** March 30, 2012, 06:28:02 am »

Bubby Williams was released, too and Tags is speculating that Kvasnicka will indeed remain at Lex to reacquaint himself with the tools of ignorance. If so, it looks like my original guess that Pena will be in Lancaster is correct. That might leave Hamblin as the backup in Lex, or someone like Alvarez or Genoves might get a shot at full-season ball.