Cincinnati Reds positional preview vs. NL Central: catcher

1 of 4

ST LOUIS, MO – APRIL 21: Tucker Barnhart #16 of the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

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?

PITTSBURGH, PA – APRIL 06: Curt Casali #12 of the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /

5. Jacob Stallings, Pittsburgh Pirates

Jacob Stallings played in just 71 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates last season, but he’s the likely starter behind the plate for the Buccos this coming season. Stallings hit .262/.325/.382 with six home runs and 13 RBIs in 53 starts as the Pittsburgh backstop in 2019.

Stallings is basically a career minor leaguer with 513 games played and a career batting average of .253 in the minors. Stallings has just 95 big league games under his belt. However, if Pittsburgh is looking for an upgrade, it won’t come from its farm system. According to MLB Pipeline, the Pirates have no catchers among their Top 30 prospects.

4. Tucker Barnhart, Cincinnati Reds

Some Reds fans may feel that this is bit too low for Tucker Barnhart, but after a subpar 2019 campaign, it’s hard to rank the former Gold Glove winner any higher. Barnhart hit just .231/.328/.380 and missed some time in 2019 due to an oblique injury.

Barnhart’s slow start also allowed for Curt Casali to find some more playing time during the 2019 season. After being traded from the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018, Casali found a home as Tucker’s backup and eventually found himself in more of platoon situation with Barnhart.

The Reds also have Kyle Farmer on the active roster, but with the limited infield candidates available to backup Freddy Galvis at shortstop, he’s unlikely to see much time behind the plate. However, top catching prospect Tyler Stephenson may receive a September call-up or make his major league debut sooner if he continues to develop.

CINCINNATI, OH – AUGUST 15: Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals chases down a fly ball against the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /

3. Omar Narváez, Milwaukee Brewers

Not many Reds fans even know who the Milwaukee Brewers starting catcher is. After saying goodbye to former Cincinnati farmhand Yasmani Grandal in free agency, the Brewers traded for Omar Narváez of the Seattle Mariners. Narvaez has a big bat that will likely play well in the hitter-friendly confines of Miller Park.

After putting up a slash line of .278/.353/.460, Narváez was dealt to Milwaukee in exchange for Adam Hill and a draft pick. Narváez is a solid pickup for a Brewers lineup who lost a lot of talent this offseason, but his defense is well-below league average. Narváez recorded -18 defensive runs saved in 2019 according to FanGraphs.

2. Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals

Ugh, I know Reds fans. We don’t want to admit it, but Yadier Molina is still very good. The 37-year-old is not near the player he was when he was instigating fights with Brandon Phillips, but Molina is still putting up solid numbers and started 108 games behind the plate last season.

Cincinnati Reds fans do not like Yadier Molina, and with good reason. Over his 16-year career, the Cardinals backstop has wreaked havoc on the Queen City. Hitting .289/.328/.448 with 24 home runs and 110 RBIs during 216 games against the Reds, Molina always seems to come up clutch against our beloved Redlegs.

The scary thing for Reds fans is that soon enough Cincinnati will have a new enemy behind the plate. Top catching prospect Andrew Knizner is likely to see some time in the big leagues this coming season. Knizner was recently optioned to Triple-A Memphis, but he’s an offensive-minded catcher who could make an impact in the future.

CINCINNATI, OH – MAY 20: Willson Contreras #40 of the Chicago Cubs looks up for a foul ball behind the plate during a game against the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

1. Willson Contreras, Chicago Cubs

Willson Contreras has steadily asserted himself as the best catcher in the National League Central. While his defense leaves a lot to the imagination, there’s no denying the offensive prowess that Contreras possesses in his bat.

Last season, Contreras hit .272/.355/.533 with 24 home runs and 64 RBIs. Contreras put up ands impressive .888 OPS and 125 OPS+ en route to his second consecutive All-Star selection. Contreras was fifth on the Chicago Cubs in both homers and RBIs, but led the club in slugging percentage.

Having a catcher with that kind of pop in the bat is a rarity. Contreras trailed just Yasmani Grandal (28) and J.T. Realmuto (25) in home runs last season and led all National League catchers who had over 300 at-bats with a .533 slugging percentage.

Chicago has a bit of a quandary on their hands, however, as Victor Caratini showed what he can bring to the table as well. Caratini slashed .266/.348/.447 in 95 games last season, 59 of which came behind the plate. It’ll be interesting to see how former Reds catcher and now Chicago Cubs manager David Ross handles the backstop position in Chicago.

Next. Top 5 HRs in Reds history

So there you have it. While the Cincinnati Reds may not have the best backstop in thee National League Central, the future appears bright if Tyler Stephenson develops as many scouts believe he can. Until then, the duo of Tucker Barnhart and Curt Casali are more than capable of holding down the fort until the Reds top catching prospect is ready for The Show.

Home / Reds News