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Pittsburgh Pirates enjoying surprise depth at catcher position

By Jason Rollison |

Pittsburgh Pirates suddenly have a ton of depth at an unlikely position

With Elias Diaz receiving praise from Baseball America by way of their ‘Captain’s Catcher’ award, and Reese McGuire receiving good marks from his time in the Arizona Fall League, the Pittsburgh Pirates suddenly find themselves with an enviable roadmap at the catcher position.

And that is before remembering that Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart are still under team control for 2016.

When Russell Martin priced himself out of Pittsburgh via a career year in 2014, the backstop story for the Pirates was filled with question marks. Pirates GM Neal Huntington acted quickly, bringing in Cervelli even before Martin had officially signed elsewhere. In the span of one season, Cervelli – by virtue of leading the team in batting average and asserting himself as its emotional center – is now seeing his name swirl about in extension talks. Stewart, characterized by our own Steve Kubitz as “everyone’s favorite singles hitter,” has done enough to warrant a look as a backup catching option for at least another year.

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Both of the major-league catchers are entering their final year of arbitration. Together they are projected to make just over $4 million in 2016, which is an incredible deal for the value returned.

How does Diaz’s continued defensive prowess at Triple-A and McGuire’s projected 2017 arrival affect plans for a position that is perhaps more important to the Pirates than it is to other teams?

In a vacuum, Cervelli has certainly shown enough to warrant a small multi-year extension. Stewart is a tougher call, as his value comes from his relationship with Gerrit Cole and comfort with the organization’s pitching philosophies. Would the Pirates carry three catchers for a large chunk of 2016 with Diaz in tow? Manager Clint Hurdle has considered it as early as last year, before Tony Sanchez played his way out of favor. Overall, it’s not very likely – it’s clear to see that the organization would rather give that roster spot to a player with positional flexibility.

What about Chris Stewart? With a light return offensively, investing another year in Stewart – even with a projected salary of only $1.6 million – could represent a wasted opportunity to sign a project elsewhere such as the bullpen.

Would McGuire be held back another year should Cervelli be extended? This scenario is possible, and it may be decided by where McGuire ends his season in 2015. Should McGuire find enough pop in his bat while staying sound defensively, he may end up in Triple-A sooner than later in 2016. If he does not, plans may shift and another year of seasoning may be in the cards. Regardless, McGuire’s future with the team is clear.

What does the team do with Diaz? Seemingly ready – at least defensively – by all measures, Diaz could be used in a trade, though with a relatively quiet bat, teams will not give up much for a backup catcher whose primarily value comes only behind the plate.

What about Chris Stewart? With a light return offensively, investing another year in Stewart – even with a projected salary of only $1.6 million – could represent a wasted opportunity to sign a project elsewhere such as the bullpen.

As these things often do, it may come down to money. Huntington will have to think long and hard about how much he wants to tie the Pirates’ figurative wagon to Cervelli. The questions are many – Can he replicate his 2015? Can he play another full season? Even though he has less mileage than most, would the team feel comfortable with a 30 year old catcher signed to a multiyear deal? Can the team truly be better served with Stewart’s $1.6 million being spent elsewhere?

Did Diaz simply get squeezed out by Cervelli’s surprising play?

The Pittsburgh Pirates haven’t had as many questions at catcher since Martin officially signed on the dotted line with the Blue Jays.

They found an answer then. But it was a different question. Now, the question is multiple choice.

The hard part? All of the answers are viable.

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