• Nats Report+
  • All News
  • Contribution
  • Subscribe
The Nats Report
Contribute
  • Quicknotes
  • The Rochester Red Wings Report
  • Nationals News
  • Washington Nationals Minor League
    • Fredericksburg Nationals
    • Wilmington Blue Rocks
    • Harrisburg Senators
    • Rochester Red Wings
  • MLB News
No Result
View All Result
The Nats Report
  • Quicknotes
  • The Rochester Red Wings Report
  • Nationals News
  • Washington Nationals Minor League
    • Fredericksburg Nationals
    • Wilmington Blue Rocks
    • Harrisburg Senators
    • Rochester Red Wings
  • MLB News
Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Nats Report
No Result
View All Result

Thankfully, the Nationals Finally Figured out the Catchers Position

After years of underperformance and the steady-but-uninspiring upgrades, the Nationals have their most exciting catchers’ room, perhaps, in franchise history.

Richard by Richard
January 7, 2022
in All News, Perspectives
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
0
Perspective: The Catching Dilemma for the Nationals in 2022

Image via Joe Territo/ Rochester Red Wings

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterEmail to a friend

With the recent acquisitions of Riley Adams and Keibert Ruiz, and Tres Barrera already being in the Nationals minor league system, the Nationals are set at players to catch the next new wave for the first time in a long time of Nationals pitching rotation. It’s nice after years of Matt Wieters underperformance and the steady-but-uninspiring upgrade to Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki; the Nationals have their most exciting catchers’ room, perhaps, in franchise history.

Before those two catchers and this next crop of catchers, the Nationals’ last offensive catcher on their roster was Wilson Romos back in 2011. During his seven years with the Nationals, Ramos had a batting average of .268, an OPS of .743, and a slugging percentage of .430. Romos played in 578 games, 2,109 at-bats which yielded him 83 home runs, 320 RBI’s. Romos’ was also solid behind the plate on defense.

Let’s take a closer look at the new trifecta of catchers that will lead the Nationals into the future.

Keibert Ruiz

The 23-year-old is widely considered one of the Nationals’ best prospects, if not the best. MLB Pipeline and Baseball America have him as the club’s number one, while FanGraphs has him second, behind only Josiah Gray (who the Nationals also have acquired). In his 23 games that he played with the Nationals this past season, Ruiz had a batting average of .284, an OPS of .743 with two home runs, three doubles with 81 at-bats. Not a bad way to kick off your career with the Washington Nationals. In Triple-A with the Dodgers and the Nationals, Ruiz put up impressive numbers to back up that prospect status. In 72 games between the two organizations, he has a line .310/.377/.616, producing a wRC+ of 141. If Ruiz can produce anything close to that at the big league level, that would make him one of the best offensive catchers in the game.

Riley Adams

The 25-year-old Adams debuted with the Toronto Blue Jays before being traded to the Washington Nationals at the 2021 trade deadline for closer Brad Hand. Adams played for the University of San Diego. In April of 2021, Adams was promoted to major league baseball when then Blue Jays backup catcher Alejandro Kirk was placed on the 10-day injured list. On June 8, Adams made his MLB debut as the starting catcher against the White Sox, where he got his first career hit and a double. Riley Adams made his Nationals debut after the trade from the Blue Jays on August 7, 2021, where he hit his first home run and RBI.

Riley finished the 2021 season with 99 at-bats, two home runs, a batting average of .222, an slugging percentage of .384, and an OPS of .742. His time with the Nationals has already been impressive. Adams has already played in 35 games, had 71 at-bats, and has had two home runs, a batting average of .268, a slugging percentage of .465, and an OPS of .887.



Tres Barrera

The Washington Nationals drafted the 27-year-old Tres Barrera back in 2016 in the 6th round of that year’s amateur draft and was signed on June 16, 2016, to the Nationals. Barrera has been bouncing back and forth from the Nationals minor league system ever since; however, he has made many starts during that time. Barrera was a part of the 2019 Washington Nationals, where he played in two games. He played in 30 games this past year and started in 27 of those 30 games.

This past season, Barrera had a batting average of .264, an OPS of .758 a slugging percentage of .385. The 27-year-old hit 10 RBI’s, two home runs, and only committed two errors behind the plate.

Conclusion

These stats are extremely impressive and what’s even great about these players is that they are all in the early years of their careers, which means that they will be part of the Nationals core for years to come. It also puts the organization’s mind at ease that they no longer have to worry about the catching position to focus on someone else? We will not say who, but we think you know exactly who we are talking about.

Tags: Washington Nationals
Previous Post

New York Times to buy sports site the Athletic in $550 million deal per Report (updated with quotes & New York Times Confirms)

Next Post

The Morning Briefing: The Nationals Finally Figured out the Catchers Position

Next Post
Relive These Five Memorable Washington Nationals Playoff Moments

The Morning Briefing: The Nationals Finally Figured out the Catchers Position

Latest on the Nats Report

Quick Notes: Oakland A’s have a strong interest in Vegas strip site for a baseball stadium

Quick Notes: Major League Baseball Owners to waive relocation fee for Athletics’ move to Vegas

June 5, 2023
Florida Complex League

Quick Notes: 2023 Washington Nationals Florida Complex League Roster

June 5, 2023
2023 Dominican Summer League

Quick Notes: Washington Nationals Dominican Summer League Roster

June 5, 2023
Washington Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg

Quick Notes: Stephen Strasburg is completely shut down from physical activity again via Washington Post

June 4, 2023
Game Preview: The Washington Nationals’ future is on full display in Bowie, MD

Game Preview: The Washington Nationals’ future is on full display in Bowie, MD

June 1, 2023
Quick Notes: Game Recap: Rochester Red Wings Hang On To Win Series Finale, 3-2

Quick Notes: MLB and MLB Players, Inc. Form New Partnership to Increase Player Marketing

June 1, 2023
Infielder Jake Alu

Game Recap: Rochester Red Wings completed their fourth straight

May 31, 2023
Game Preview: Fredericksburg Nationals via Delmarva Shore Birds

Game Preview: Fredericksburg Nationals via Delmarva Shore Birds

May 31, 2023

CATEGORY

  • All News
  • Breaking News
  • Business of Baseball
  • Editor's Picks
  • Fan Favorites
  • Fan Shots
  • Featured
  • Game Recaps
  • GameNotes
  • In the ClubHouse
  • Interviews
  • Lockout 2022
  • Major League Baseball News
  • Minor League Baseball
  • Minor League Baseball News
  • Minor League Baseball Prospects
  • Perspectives
  • Player Profiles
  • Politics
  • Quicknotes
  • Random
  • Series Preview
  • Special Reports
  • Technology in Baseball
  • The Morning Briefing
  • The Rochester Red Wings Report
  • Washington Nationals Minor League News and Headlines
  • Washington Nationals News
  • Washington Nationals Prospects

SITE LINKS

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepage
  • Quicknotes
  • Washington Nationals News
  • Subscribe

Get the latest headlines, news, anaylsis and more about the Washington Nationals and thier minor league affliates delievered to your inbox every morning with the Morning Breifing.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Go to mobile version