3 new potential backup catchers for the Chicago White Sox

When the Chicago White Sox signed Yasmani Grandal in 2020 they invested $73 million to solidly the catcher position for the next four years. So far, it has worked out nicely for the White Sox. The backup catcher position has been a different story.

Heading into the 2021 season, it was a heated battle for the number two job behind Grandal. It was a four-man race. Longtime prospect Zack Collins battled Seby Zavala, Yermin Mercedes, and veteran Jonathan Lucroy, who was brought in to compete for the job. They say competition breeds excellence. In this case, the competition produced Zack Collins who emerged from spring training with a spot on the roster.

In 2021, Collins got his first real chance to show what he could do at the Major Leagues. While the other players got a chance to experience growing pains in the Major Leagues, Collins was blocked by Wellington Castillo and James McCann.

In 2020 the White Sox added Grandal so once again Collins was the odd man out. The concern for Collins was his poor defense behind the plate but after working with Jerry Naron throughout the offseason, it looked as if Collins was finally ready to take the next step.

He did not. Collins struggled mightly costing the White Sox a -43 Rtot/yr (considers both a player’s range, their error totals, along with other data such as arm strength and catcher data) which is far below the major league average.

He also had difficulty controlling baserunners. No matter what defensive metric you use it wasn’t pretty. His struggles continued at the plate. In 2021, he batted .210/.330/.338 with 69 strikeouts. He was hailed for his ability to draw walks in college but only took 34 free passes. Collins was also only able to muster up 4 home runs and 26 RBIs.

The Chicago White Sox haven’t had the best luck with their backup catchers.

Midway through the season, Grandal went down with a knee injury giving Seby Zavala some opportunities behind the plate. He didn’t fare much better. Like Collins, he struggled to control baserunners and posted a -26 Rtot/yr.

The pair of catchers ranked near the bottom of almost every defensive metric amongst catchers. While Zavala did have an incredible three home-run game in July, he struggled at the plate as well. He slashed just .183/.240/.376

Grandal can’t catch all 162 games so if neither Collins nor Zavala can get the job done adequately, then it might be time for an upgrade. A backup catcher isn’t the splashiest move to make but if there is room for improvement then why not try and improve?

There are options available in free agency if Hahn wants to target an upgrade once the lockout ends. That list of catchers includes some veterans which would be an added plus but none of them jump off the page in terms of splash value. Perhaps the White Sox opts to stay with either Collins or Zavala and address other needs. If not, here are three potential solutions to the backup catcher position.

Willson Ramos

Wilson Ramos would make a solid addition to the 2022 Chicago White Sox.

Wilson Ramos is a grizzled 12-year vet who would provide a steady hand behind the plate. He has appeared on seven different teams during his 12-year span in the show. During that time, Ramos has made two-time All-Star teams and took home the Silver Slugger in 2017 with the Washington Nationals. For most of the previous decade, he was one of the best offensive catchers in baseball.

His numbers have been taking a steady dip since 2018. He batted .308 with the Rays and Phillies before taking his talents to Queens to play with the Mets. He hit .288 in his first season in New York but his average plummeted to .239 in the shortened 60-game COVID season. In 2021 he split time between two of the White Sox division rivals, the Tigers and Indians, and hit a combined .205.

While those numbers look similar to Zavala’s and Collins some context is needed. Ramos had almost no lineup support around him then dealt with back issues. A lumbar spine strain kept him out of the lineup for more than a month. After being released by the Tigers shortly after he signed with Cleveland but tore his ACL in August.

What a healthy Ramos can provide the White Sox is over 3,700 plate appearances and 7,880 innings of experience. He is 34 years old with plenty of mileage but he wouldn’t have to carry the bulk of the workload with the White Sox. He knows how to handle a pitching staff and is familiar with the division. He could provide some positive intel on the Tigers and Guardians at the bare minimum.

Kevan Smith

Kevan Smith returning to the Chicago White Sox could make some sense for 2022.

The White Sox already tried bringing back Adam Eaton for a reunion last season with disastrous results. Could Kevan Smith fare better in a return to the Southside?

Many fans forget that Smith was actually a solid player during his three-year tenure with the White Sox. In 2017, he batted .283 with 21 extra-base hits. The following season, he hit .292. He and Omar Narvaez combined for the best offensive numbers between every backstop in baseball.

The 33-year old has hit for average for the majority of his career. Heading into 2021, Smith had a career .272/.321/.384 slash line. However, Smith does not hit for much power. In six major league seasons, he has only hit 13 round-trippers.

In the 2020 offseason, he signed a minor-league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. Two weeks later he traded to the Atlanta Braves and logged 101 plate appearances. He hit just .165 with a 28.7 strikeout rate during that time and cleared outright waivers before electing for free agency last August.

Smith can still provide a lot of organizations with some catching depth and for a minor league deal, he is worth bringing in to compete for the job. He hasn’t hit the same since leaving Chicago so a return to Guaranteed Rate Field could be what he needs to revive his career.