Tom Brennan - The Remarkable Lack of Internal Development of Catchers Over 60 Years by the Mets

Before I begin:

REALITY IMMEDIATELY SETS IN IN METSVILLE:

No sooner is the CBA approved than Pete Alonso narrowly avoids grave injury in a broadside high speed hit to his vehicle, which rolled his vehicle over 3 times and hopefully will have no effects on the Polar Bear's performance other than one cut on his arm a huge sigh of relief and thanks to God.  

Then, today, more reality...the NY Post reports that, unbeknownst to us - but now knownst: 

Taijuan Walker’s right knee might be the biggest threat to the Mets opening the season with their starting rotation intact.  The right-hander underwent surgery to remove damaged tissue in the knee on Jan. 14, according to manager Buck Showalter, and there is “a chance” he will be ready to begin the season.

Later, the team issued a statement saying Walker has been cleared for baseball activity and is throwing off a mound. He will remain in a running progression before he is cleared for full-game activity.  If Walker isn’t ready to start the season it would provide an opportunity for a depth piece such as Trevor Williams, Tylor Megill or David Peterson to join the rotation.

And, of course, reality news reports that Starling Marte has oblique soreness and did not work out Monday.  Serious?  I guess we'll find out. Hopefully, just normal soreness - we'll know soon enough.  

Fantasy baseball is fantasy baseball - the Mets play real baseball and I sure hope will avoid real setbacks.

Speaking of reality, I can't stop hoping that Francisco Alvarez will turn into Pete Alonso in shin guards.

But then I started thinking that each big league team has a starting catcher and a back up catcher.

Most of the starting catchers are decent players, although admittedly, good hitting catchers are hard to come by.

It got me to thinking how poorly the Mets have developed bona fide catchers over the years, at least offensively.

Last year, their catchers hit a miserable .210 with 50 RBIs...one of those mask wearers was a $10 million a year import in 2021.  NOW THAT IS UGLY REALITY FOR YA.

Prior to that, the Mets have had some fine catchers, to be sure -  that were also imported: 

Jerry Grote, Gary Carter, Mike Piazza, to name 3 who gave them quite a few excellent seasons.  The acquired John Stearns was a very solid catcher and hitter for quite a few years.  Other imports have given them at least one solid offensive year, like Wilson Ramos in 2019.  

Let's not forget the "great" early catchers, Choo Choo Coleman, Chris Cannizzaro, and Jesse Gonder.  Well, maybe those 3 weren't not great, but they were early. 

But wait, let me not disparage - Coleman did hit .250 in 1962 in 152 at bats and threw out 50% in 58 steal attempts, and Chris hit .311 in 164 ABs in 1964 and Gonder hit .304 in 158 at bats in 1963.  Compared to McCann and Nido, those numbers sure look danged good to me.  

Continuing on, an acquired squatter like Charlie O'Brien hit poorly, but he could really catch.  Ramon Castro was a veteran when he showed up for 269 games spanning 2005-09 - he did fairly well.  

More acquisitions: Todd Pratt gave them a nice 5 year stretch.  Mackey Sasser hit nicely, but threw erratically.  Tough guy Paul LoDuca gave them a few strong years.

Collectively, the catchers they've acquired (above) have done quite well (c'mon, McCann, don't drop the "I was acquired, so I have to hit well, too" ball here - start hitting, dude).

But who have the Mets developed in-house in 60 years, that have risen to prominent Mets' catching careers?  Few, few, few.

Todd Hundley - he did hit robustly there for a few seasons, but was that PED-aided?  You tell me.   

After that, WHO, really?  

Alex Trevino hit a powerless .262 with the Mets spanning 256 games, but he was moved on after a few seasons. 

Josh Thole had a little over 1,000 at bats in 4 seasons and hit a powerless .261.  

Ron Hodges remarkably was a Mets' back up for a span of 12 seasons, in which he played in 666 games and hit .240 in just 1,426 at bats.

Jason Phillips was a 24th rounder who gave them one fine offensive season and one weak season.  

Vance Wilson had a nice 5 year stint - as a back up - for Mikey Pizza.  

Barry Lyons was mostly a back up catcher from 1986-90, hitting .240 as a Metsie.  

Duffy Dyer was a decent enough back up to Jerry Grote for 7 years.

Currently, Pat Mazeika and Tomas Nido, both being 7th or 8th rounders, have come up through the system, but even combined, they have had little major league offensive impact to date.

You ask me, and I'll tell ya - it is incredible to me (and even embarrassing) how little, in 60 years, they've gotten out of signed international catchers (just Trevino) and drafted catchers (all the others noted).  

In-house, they've essentially developed almost exclusively back up catchers and punch-and-Judy hitters for those few catchers who were starters (other than Hundley).

In-house historical Mets catcher development prior to Francisco Alvarez?  

I mean, look again at that list.  It makes me ask myself...

Who on earth did the Mets' catcher drafting all these years?  Good grief!  Their drafting of "tools of ignorance" guys displayed a lot of ignorance.

Overall, even with Hundley, I'd have to give the Mets an F on their 60 years of in-house catcher development.

What say you?

Me?  I'm speculating that since they got screwed drafting Steve Chilcott 1st overall in 1966, rather than future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, they've been gun-shy drafting catchers in the top 5 rounds, in part (I imagine) because they can so easily get hurt and permanently degraded by injury in a grueling position.  

The only top 5 round guys I can recall off the top of my head were Blake Forsythe (3rd rounder, 89th overall, in 2010 and Comp Round pick Kevin Plawecki. 

Forsythe crapped out in AA, and Plawecki hit just .218 with the Mets, then found freedom and liberty in Boston where he (naturally) has hit .305 in 239 at bats spanning the last 2 seasons.  Plawecki stinks at throwing runners out, though - just 3 of 40 nailed in 2021.  Remember, Coleman nailed 50% (29 of 58) in 1962.   If Plawecki was a security guard, no perps would be caught stealing, that's for sure.

No doubt, though, that having left the Mets, Plawecki will be "Jeff Kent with a catcher's mask" from here on out.

It seems their default model has been to sign proven free agent catchers or trade for catchers, instead.  

An expensive approach, but it has worked fairly well.  The catchers they've acquired?  The Mets done good with 'em.

Now, with Alvarez, it's time to change all of that.  Alvarez will be a Bench player...as in Johnny Bench.