LA Angels: Three Catchers To Target This Offseason

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 18: Kevan Smith #44 and Hansel Robles #57 of the Los Angeles Angels celebrate the 3-2 win over the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 18, 2019 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

The LA Angels are obviously going to be all-in on free agent pitching this offseason. However, they’re also in need of a catcher to work with any pitcher they sign.

The LA Angels, as it stands now, have three options at catcher going into 2020. Kevan Smith, Max Stassi, and Anthony Bemboom are all under team control. Smith is a solid offensive bat, while Stassi is a negative at the plate but one of the best defensive catchers/framers in baseball. Bemboom rates out as average across the board.

With these three in tow, it’s likely the Angels would go for an offensive/defensive platoon with Smith and Stassi, while Bemboom resides in Triple-A Salt Lake.

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As a unit, this free agency class doesn’t have many star catchers hitting the market. However, there are interesting names in every category. Whether you want to spend big on a catcher, find a consistent starter, or just some more depth, this free agency class of catchers can provide you with that.

So while the Angels already have three catchers who bring different skill sets to the table in tow for 2020, let’s take a look at three different free agent catchers: one big money deal, an ol’ reliable type, and a bounce back candidate for the LA Angels.

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 09: Yasmani Grandal #10 of the Milwaukee Brewers is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a two-run homerun during the fourth inning of a game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 09, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Yasmani Grandal: The Golden Boy

Last winter, one of the best free agents available was Yasmani Grandal. Despite that, it took him longer than it should have to find a new team. The Milwaukee Brewers signed him to a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2020. And after the season Grandal had, he’d be ludicrous not to opt-out and cash in while he’s still young enough.

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Playing in 153 (!!) games for the Brewers this season, Grandal was an iron man for the eventual Wild Card Game losers this season. His defense remained elite, and he produced the best season at the plate of his career. He’ll be 31-years old at the start of next season, but he’s shown no signs of slowing down thus far.

Honestly, it’s hard to think of a better free agent acquisition from the 2019 class that helped their team more than Grandal did the Brewers. He was their catalyst on offense, especially after reigning MVP Christian Yelich went down with a season-ending injury. The fact that 2019 was his best season to date is encouraging after teams were cautious last offseason as Grandal approached 30.

However, if the Angels want to land Grandal, it will cost them. They were reported to have been interested in him last year after watching him star for the Dodgers for years. Grandal’s price has likely gone up after his superstar 2019 season, though. The Angels’ focus will be on starting pitching, but don’t count them out as a dark horse team to sign Yasmani Grandal.

HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 05: Catcher Travis d’Arnaud #37 of the Tampa Bay Rays scrambles to grab the ball in the dirt during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros in Game 2 of the ALDS at Minute Maid Park on October 05, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

Travis d’Arnaud: The Regular

After starting the season with the New York Mets, Travis d’Arnaud was released early on in the 2019 campaign. He eventually found his way to the Rays, and d’Arnaud went on to have a career year at the plate.

After slashing .263/.323/.459 during his time with the Rays, the 30-year old looked the part of a full-time starting catcher for a club in need. He showed once again that when he stays healthy, d’Arnaud can be one of the better, most consistent all-around catchers in the big leagues.

While he is only a so-so defender, d’Arnaud’s bat is going to earn him a nice payday this offseason. While he won’t be any team’s headliner signing in free agency, d’Arnaud is the type of player who, a year from now, media and fans alike will be pointing at and asking ourselves, “How’d he sign for so little?”.

Francisco Cervelli: The Comeback

The story of Francisco Cervelli has been well documented. He has suffered a flurry of head injuries during his time as a catcher in the MLB. The number of concussions he’s gone through even threatened his career last season.

Overall, 2019 looked like a forgettable season for Cervelli. However, after moving from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Atlanta Braves, Cervelli seemed to have found new life. In a limited sample size Cervelli hit .281 with the Braves in the regular season.

So while his overall numbers look poor, he showed late signs of light at the plate. With Albert Pujols slotted to move back to the designated hitter spot next season as Shohei Ohtani returns to the mound, Cervelli could be plugged into the Angels’ plans flawlessly, splitting time between first base and catcher depending on where he’s needed.

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Once again, the Angels are going to be uber-focused on acquiring enough starting pitching to make a push towards the Wild Card Game next season. However, they can’t sign every pitcher, and these three catchers could provide a significant boost to the current catching group in Anaheim.

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