Baseball’s top catching prospects: 2010 outlooks and future stat projections

Jesus Montero / C/1B / New York Yankees
2010 thoughts:
Montero should face Double-A competition for most of the year, but a Triple-A stint is probable at some point.

Carlos Santana / C / Cleveland
2010 thoughts:
Santana should be a classic June call-up case. As long as he picks up where he left off last year, no current catcher on Cleveland’s roster will stand in his way.
Average-year projection:
.272 / .366 / 25 HR / 32 2B / 1 3B / 94 RBI / 85 R / 86 BB / 101 SO / 1 SB / 1 CS
Prime-year projection:
.282 / .383 / 30 HR / 34 2B / 1 3B / 103 RBI / 94 R / 95 BB / 93 SO / 2 SB / 1 CS

Buster Posey / C / San Francisco
2010 thoughts:
Despite whispers of San Francisco allowing Posey to split time between catcher and first base in the majors in order to find him at-bats, I expect him to spend a majority of the season at Triple-A Fresno. With success, I expect him to then get a 2011-preparation look by the time August hits.
Average-year projection:
.293 / .378 / 19 HR / 34 2B / 1 3B / 86 RBI / 82 R / 77 BB / 96 SO / 2 SB / 1 CS
Prime-year projection:
.304 / .399 / 25 HR / 36 2B / 1 3B / 95 RBI / 90 R / 85 BB / 89 SO / 3 SB / 1 CS

Tyler Flowers / C/1B / Chicago White Sox
2010 thoughts:
Most are in agreement over Flowers’ poor spring training. At this point logic would dictate that Flowers spends the entire year at Triple-A Charlotte.
Average-year projection:
.268 / .356 / 18 HR / 28 2B / 1 3B / 78 RBI / 72 R / 73 BB / 117 SO / 2 SB / 2 CS
Prime-year projection:
.280 / .379 / 23 HR / 31 2B / 2 3B / 87 RBI / 81 R / 80 BB / 109 SO / 4 SB / 2 CS

Derek Norris / C / Washington
2010 thoughts:
Norris should start at Advanced-A Potomac and finish with Double-A Harrisburg.

Jason Castro / C / Houston
2010 thoughts:
Castro should move fast, and if J.R. Towles fails again as Houston’s everyday catcher, Castro could hit the majors in the blink of an eye. Playing it safe, I anticipate that he will split most of the year between Double-A and Triple-A, and then get a September call-up.

Hank Conger / C / Los Angeles Angels
2010 thoughts:
The Angels’ catching situation seems to be set in stone, giving Conger a full but necessary year at Triple-A Salt Lake.
Average-year projection:
.286 / .360 / 11 HR / 26 2B / 1 3B / 68 RBI / 63 R / 62 BB / 84 SO / 1 SB / 1 CS
Prime-year projection:
.296 / .374 / 16 HR / 28 2B / 2 3B / 77 RBI / 70 R / 69 BB / 78 SO / 2 SB / 1 CS

Tony Sanchez / C / Pittsburgh
2010 thoughts:
Sanchez should make three stops this year, beginning at Advanced-A Bradenton and ending in Triple-A Indianapolis.


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Daniel
13 years ago

Adam Moore doesn’t make the cut?

bob anderson
13 years ago

Where is the Tigers Avila?

D Leaberry
13 years ago

Absolutely correct regarding the Nats’ Derek Norris.  If he hits at Potomac, he’ll be in Harrisburg sometime in mid-summer.  The earliest he’ll catch in the big leagues is 2012, maybe in September.  He doesn’t become the starter until 2013.

SharksRog
13 years ago

Regarding Buster Posey, I’m guessing he will be called up on June 18th, the day the Giants begin their second of two series of interleague road play.

But I would think the actual date would be determined by:

.  Super Two considerations (which I think will go away around mid-June).

.  How he develops as a catcher (although Giants manager Bruce Bochy says his catching has now caught up to his hitting).

.  How catcher Bengie Molina and first baseman Aubrey Huff perform, as well as their health.

.  Whether the Giants stay in the playoff race.

Jason
13 years ago

No Wilson Ramos?

CG
13 years ago

Jesus Montero will be in AAA this year.  From this site “He’ll spend this season in Triple-A Scranton, where hopefully a final determination of his position can be made.”

KY
13 years ago

I call the Wilson Ramos question, and raise a Lucroy and a Salome. 

Those OBP numbers look awfly high for a group of catchers.  Basically these guys are slated to all become better then all but 2 catchers currently in the majors?  Seems suspect.

Jacob Rothberg
13 years ago

No mention of either D’Arnaud or Arencibia?