Cincinnati Reds positional preview vs. NL Central: catcher

The Cincinnati Reds have one of the best defensive catchers in the division. How does Tucker Barnhart compare to others in the NL Central?

Argue if you must, but for my money, the catcher’s spot is the most grueling position in the sport of baseball. The Cincinnati Reds are blessed to have one of the best defensive catchers in the game in the form of Tucker Barnhart. But, is Barnhart the best catcher in the National League Central? Let’s see how ranks among his counterparts in the division.

The Cincinnati Reds lay claim to the greatest catcher to ever don the tools of ignorance. Hall of Famer Johnny Bench crouched behind the dish in Cincinnati from 1967 to 1983, racking up 14 All-Star appearances, 10 Gold Gloves and two NL MVPs. Bench was the best to ever do it at his position.

As we fast-forward to 2020, the Reds have a duo of Tucker Barnhart and Curt Casali. Though neither has made an All-Star appearance during their career, the platoon of Barnhart and Casali are solid. While they may not put up spectacular offensive stats, Barnhart and Casali call a great game behind the plate, as evidence by the spectacular pitching performances we saw in 2019.

While we don’t yet know when the 2020 season will commence, Blog Red Machine has been examining how the Cincinnati Reds stack up against the competition in the National League Central Division. After taking a look at all the infield spots over the past several days, we now turn our attention to the catcher position. Who’s the best backstop in the NL Central?