Who is the catcher for San Diego Padres in 2020 and beyond?

The San Diego Padres have addressed several needs so far in this 2019 offseason. Improving the roster was a stated goal going into 2020, a much needed improvement is in the area of starting catcher.

San Diego Padres catcher Austin Hedges has long been lauded as one of the best, if not the best, defensive catcher in the MLB.

Lacking a Gold Glove award due to his sub par offense, Hedges consistently rates high in pitch calling, framing, blocking and handling his pitchers.

He possesses an above-average throwing tool with fewer and fewer runners attempting to steal on him.

The obvious downside to Hedges’ game is his offense. Once considered by many to be the top catching prospect in baseball, Hedges has failed to develop a consistent offensive approach and has been unable to sustain any offensive momentum.

As an elite defender, most teams would accept a .230 or so average from their catcher. Hedges has some pop and contributes 10 or more home runs per season but his strikeout rate and inability to make contact to even put the ball in play effectively make his spot in the batting rotation a black hole.

His career .208/.252/.360 slash line in 1,163 AB falls far below the offensive minimum for any player.

He was particularly abysmal in 2019 with a .176/.252/.311 line, which could be partly explained by his job sharing position and inconsistent at-bats.

In an attempt to retain Hedges’ services while increasing the offensive output at the position, the Padres acquired Francisco Mejia from the Cleveland Indians for Brad Hand and Adam Cimber mid-season of 2018.

What about 2020?

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After watching Mejia catch over the past season it is doubtful if that progress can occur quickly enough to enable the Padres to become the contenders they claim to aspire to be in 2020.

I found myself wanting to throw things at the TV as he allowed so many passed balls that Hedges would have obviously handled easily.

And his stabbing at pitches while receiving led to many strikes being call balls by the umpires, the exact opposite of the effect Hedges has on framing.

It can’t make the pitchers happy when they locate a pitch on the outer part of the plate only to see it called a ball because Mejia carries the ball off the plate with his catching motion.

Catching isn’t easy. It is arguably the most difficult position to play in baseball. But if the Padres claim to want to contend starting in 2020 it is one of the most important positions on the roster, without a doubt.

So are the Padres really content to go into 2020 with the Mejia/Hedges combo?

My suspicion is that the only reason we are still dealing with this issue is that the Padres have been unable to make an upgrade.

Talks of a trade with the Cubs for Willson Contreras have circulated for a while with the bottom line rumored to be too high a price in Padres’ prospects

If the Padres are stuck with Hedges and Mejia for 2020, what can we expect?

Other than the black hole in the lineup when Hedges catches, Mejia’s offense hopefully contributes to some wins. But will his defense cost the Padres some games?

Especially if we see top prospect Mackenzie Gore make his debut in 2020, a strong catching performance is especially needed when the rotation has a tendency toward young, inexperienced pitchers (Lamet, Paddack, Lucchesi).

If the Pads are serious about contending in 2020 they will need a solution to the catching problem.

My argument is that a short-term solution is all that is needed as the Padres have a prospect in the minors who is the top catching prospect in the Padres system. He will be playing Double-A ball in 2020 with a projected arrival to  MLB in 2021.

Catcher of the Future

Luis Campusano checks all the boxes. He projects to be an average to above-average defender who has a strong arm with a plus hitting tool, developing power and low strikeout rate.

As the Padres #5 prospect and #86 for MLB, Campusano has made rapid progress over the past season with more projection for him to grow into.

The 2020 season will be crucial for him if there is a chance for him to make the 2021 lineup at any point.

Even if 2022 will be his arrival as a regular contributor, Campusano can move up in the prospect rankings quickly if he is able to show consistency this season to follow up on his breakout 2019.

High-A Lake Elsinore made him their regular catcher in 2019 in his 21-year-old season. He slashed .325/.396/.509 in 442 at-bats with 31 doubles and 15 home runs to go along with 81 RBI.

He walked 52 times and struck out 57 times with a 13% strikeout rate. He is a career .304 hitter at this point with a 15% strikeout rate.

A average to above-average catcher, skills on both sides of the ball with an elite arm and plus hitting would be a welcome arrival in San Diego.

The Hedges/Mejia platoon would be a big problem for a contending team. The Padres decision on this issue will go far to telegraph to the fan base whether they are serious about winning in 2020.