A Look at the D-Backs Catching Depth and Prospects

When the Diamondbacks designated Carson Kelly for assignment, it left them with just two catchers on the 40-man roster, Jose Herrera and Gabriel Moreno. Should either of them get hurt, the Arizona Diamondbacks would be in a tough spot since that would mean they'd have to clear a spot on the 40-man roster to bring up an additional catcher. No wonder then that GM Mike Hazen spoke about continuing to search for another catcher. However, this doesn't mean that the D-backs don't have some good catchers developing in their minor league system.

Down on the Reno Aces in Triple-A, the team has two catchers, a veteran one that has seen some playtime in the majors and a prospect that's ranked 34th by FanGraphs in the D-backs system. Let's start with the veteran, his name is Ali Sánchez. He was acquired off waivers late last season. The 26-year-old has appeared in the big leagues with both the Mets and Cardinals though has only appeared in seven MLB games between the two. This year, he's hitting .317/.377/.484 with a wOBA of .379 and a wRC+ of 106. That's in Reno however which is a hitter's paradise similar to Coors Field. You can't fully trust the baseline stats, hence why his wRC+ is only 106. He does have eight home runs, 27 runs, and 35 RBI. All of these marks are career highs. It's possible he's finally developed a quality bat, but the likelier is that these are just mirages. He isn't an MLB-quality player, at least not yet.

The prospect is Adrian Del Castillo, a second-round pick in the 2021 Draft. Del Castillo projects to be an average backup catcher in the MLB. He doesn't have any plus tools or attributes. He's a decent blocker and has an average arm. His offense is a sleek swing without the ability to hit for average or power. He has doubles power which is fine for a backup catcher. The one truly interesting facet of Del Castillo's game is his eye at the plate. He's got a knack for drawing walks and working the count. He's extremely patient, evidenced by an 18.2% walk rate in Reno this year. He has struck out 25.5% of the time, but with that high a walk rate, it's fine. He's only hit .244/.382/.400 with a 96 wRC+. Should Herrera or Moreno go down, the 23-year-old Del Castillo is the safest bet to be called up.

In Double-A Amarillo, the Sod Poodles have four catchers on their roster, though only one is truly a catcher to know for the present and the future. Two of the four catchers are outfielders that can play catcher. Their future doesn't project to be behind the plate. Their names are Nick Dalesandro and Caleb Roberts. The Snakes also have another veteran catcher in Juan Centeno down in Double-A. Centeno is a 33-year-old veteran that's likely seen the last of his playing time in the MLB. He hasn't been there since 2019. He's an average glove and a meager bat.

The name to know though is JJ D'Orazio. He was the player to be named later in the Joakim Soria trade to the Blue Jays back in 2021. D'Orazio is ranked as the 35th-best prospect by FanGraphs and the 25th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline. He started this year in High-A before being promoted to Double-A at only 21 years old.  He's got above-average hit tool and power for a catcher. As he grows into his 6'1 body, the catcher has the ability to hit for double-digit home runs and 20+ doubles. However, don't expect him to hit for a high average as he is still a slow runner and has a high strikeout rate. Luckily, he has a discerning eye too that has enabled him to offset that strikeout rate to some degree with an above-average walk rate.

The true talent of D'Orazio lies in his glove and work behind the plate. He's been excellent at throwing out base stealers with an above-average arm. He could be moved quickly through the system as he is Rule-5 eligible and has to be added to the 40-man roster this winter to avoid being taken. If he can shore up his framing ability and continue to make strides with his bat path through the zone and his glove, he could debut next year should the D-backs fail to find another catcher in free agency.

The Diamondbacks have a truly special catching prospect in High-A Hillsboro on the Hops. His name is Christian Cerda. FanGraphs ranks him 27th and MLB Pipeline has him 24th in the Arizona system. Cerda was acquired last year at the Trade Deadline from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for the Freight Train, David Peralta. Cerda has the ability to be an MLB-starting catcher at some point in his future should he fully develop. Cerda has an elite eye at the plate and continues to draw an impressive amount of walks and works the count. He's had at least a 15% walk rate at every stop so far. Cerda has impressive power as well that could be graded as above-average if he can develop a quick enough swing to tap into it.

His defense is the big issue. There are beliefs that his glove will be what determines if he'll ever reach the big leagues as the bat can play eventually. If he can improve his arm strength and receiving ability, then the sky is the limit. Luckily, he has plenty of time as he's only 20 years old and this is his first full season in the minor leagues. He has a ton of upside to becoming an everyday catcher, but it will take time. There's a lot of promise with him.

The other two catchers, Shane Muntz, and David Martin, are backup catchers that are not likely to ever sniff the MLB. They could, but it would be quite a while before then. They are pure organizational depth. The Diamondbacks have a litany of catchers in Single-A and the Arizona Complex League that are over three years away from Triple-A. As for potential free agents available right now? Those are far and few between. Hazen really missed out on adding a veteran catcher at the deadline like Austin Hedges. That's because the only "decent" names out there right now are Robinson Chirinos and Wilson Ramos. Neither has played this year at all. Chirinos is 39 years old and Ramos can barely run anymore.

Thus, the onus is on Herrera and Moreno to stay healthy. Their catching depth took a massive hit with Carson Kelly now off the team. There is a lot of hope for additional catching help to come over the next couple of years. However, if they need one right away at any point over the rest of this season, they are in a tough situation. The Diamondbacks don't have an MLB-caliber catcher on the roster or that they can get in free agency right now.