Blue Jays have options for next catcher
Catching prospect Danny Jansen has impressed at the big league level this season. Photo Credit: Amanda Fewer
By Cole Shelton
Canadian Baseball Network
Ever since the Toronto Blue Jays signed Montreal native Russell Martin to a five-year contract back in 2014, he has been the Blue Jays’ starting catcher.
However, the 2018 season was not kind to Martin who struggled quite a bit at the plate but was still a solid defensive catcher. The 35-year-old slashed just .194/.338/.325 and belted 10 home runs. On the defensive side, Martin had just four errors behind the plate good for a .996 fielding percentage, but his arm started to fade as he caught just 16 runners stealing, good for just 22%.
Ultimately, Martin lost most of his playing time down the stretch to rookie catchers Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire. With the Canadian spending much of the season’s final month on the bench, he has taken more of a leadership role with the team. Martin will, in fact, serve as the Blue Jays’ manager in the final game of their season on Sunday.
With Martin still under contract for 2019, it is likely he will be relegated to the backup catcher role and may see some time at third base.
Jansen and McGuire are the prime contenders to assume starting catching duties for the Blue Jays in 2019. Obviously, Jansen has the upper hand given he was the first catcher called up and has played more than McGuire.
Jansen is slashing .256/.359/.449 in 78 at bats and has clubbed three home runs. While Jansen is having moderate success at the plate, he is struggling to hit the ball hard. Through September 28, Jansen’s hard-hit percentage is just 26.6, and his exit velocity is 84.8.
While Jansen is not hitting the ball hard, he is putting it into play. So far, the 23-year-old is whiffing on just 15.5% of the pitches thrown his way and making contact on 90.1% of pitches that are in the zone. Jansen is protecting the plate when he goes up to bat, something many young players have trouble with early on in their big league careers.
Defensively, Jansen is showing he can handle catching major league pitching and calling a game. Jansen has bonded well with young starters Sean Reid-Foley, Ryan Borucki and Thomas Pannone. Jansen is setting them up to have the most success as possible, while also proving to be a capable defensive catcher. In 199 innings, Jansen has recorded just two errors while also helping turn one double play. He has , however, thrown out just four runners for a 13% caught stealing percentage.
Jansen is still young and has the chance to strengthen his arm, but for now, he is looking like the catcher of the future and possibly the present for the Blue Jays.
Another name to throw out there is McGuire as he has played sparingly in September and is showing success at the plate and behind it as well.
In just 28 at bats, McGuire is slashing .286/.333/.500 with one home run and three RBIs. But like Jansen, McGuire is also struggling to hit the ball hard. The 23-year-old’s exit velocity is just 82.6 and his hard hit percentage is just 19%. McGuire is also swinging and missing at a lot of pitches. So far, he is whiffing 29.4% of the time and chasing pitches 28.1% of the time, according to baseball-savant. The young catcher has made contact on 77.1% of the pitches he swings at that are in the zone, lower than Jansen’s number.
It is a smaller sample size than Jansen, but McGuire will need to start putting the ball into play more and making more contact.
Where Jansen is better at the plate, McGuire may have the advantage behind the plate. In just 75 innings, McGuire has yet to commit an error and has a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage along with three assists.
Who Toronto decides will be their starting catcher in 2019 may come down to who plays better in spring training between Jansen and McGuire, as both have shown they are deserving to start. Not only that, scouts also have mixed reviews of which one is better. The offseason will be an important one for both of them as spring training comes sooner than many think.