White Sox 2019 Season Preview: Catcher Analysis

The White Sox have two catchers on the 25-man roster: Welington Castillo and James McCann. The two will need to adjust their approach to the plate if the team can contend this year and beyond

Ever since the departure of A.J. Pierzynski, the White Sox have had trouble finding a steady catcher to deliver consistently offensively and defensively. This struggle is broken down and evaluated in this Prospect Profiles article of Zack Collins.

There is still a bit of time until we get to see Collins in MLB. Despite this, it seems the White Sox catching staff is in better shape than previous years. In those years, the team has had either strong defensive players but were weak and underwhelming offensively, like Tyler Flowers and Geovany Soto. The team has also seen young players who showed promise offensively, but lacked the defensive skills and quite frankly never saw enough playing time to progress, like Omar Narvaez and Kevan Smith.

Pierzynski really had it all. His framing ability is what made him beloved by the pitchers he caught and was the envy of the opposing batters. His offensive awareness is what made him beloved by the fans. Who can forget the dropped third strike play in the 2005 ALCS? He was also known to be one of the hardest hitters in baseball to strikeout.

His personality was very outgoing which connected him to the fans through the media. He was also a team leader, something a catcher should be. He always demanded more from his teammates and was always able to inspire them to play to the best of their ability.

Over a broadcast against the Cubs on Sept. 23 of last year, Pierzynski tells Steve Stone and Hawk Harrelson what he and Mark Buehrle talked about before a historic perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays in 2009.

"Mark came in that day late, and running and mad. We had lockers next to each other the whole time I was here and said ‘ah, I can’t pitch today. I didn’t get my energy drink and I’m late.’ and I’m like ‘just be quiet, you’re facing the Rays just go out and throw a no-hitter.’ Then Mark looks at me and goes ‘nah, I already done that.’ Then I go, ‘alright then Mark, shut-up just go throw a perfect game.’ He goes ‘you know what, I’ll go throw a perfect game today.’ I promise you on my life he said that. Then he went out there a threw a perfect game."

As phenomenal of a story that is for Buehrle and his ability to deliver, the leadership and team chemistry he had with his teammates was just exceptional.

Will Collins be the next Pierzynski? Who is to say? But, again, we have to wait. Until then, the team actually has an above-average catching duo expected to make the 25-man roster: Welington Castillo and James McCann.

Castillo embodies more of an offensive productive catcher, while McCann shows to be more of a defensive catcher. Since the days of Pierzynski behind the plate, the team has not had a balance like these two. It is nice to see this balance and hopefully it will pay off this season.