Is Soto more valuable to the Cubs in a trade?

Share

HardballTalk's Matthew Pouliot continues his preseason projections heading into spring training with the Top 10 catchers.

The Cubs' Geovany Soto made the list at No. 8, coming in at a projected .799 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) in 422 at-bats.

Buster Posey of the Giants heads up the list with an .878 OPS projection. Only he and Brian McCann of the Braves are projected for a better OPS than Soto in the National League.

Soto's OPS in 2011 was .721 in 421 at-bats, but that includes a low .310 OBP -- the lowest of his career -- and a .228 batting average contributed largely to that low total.

In 2010, Soto hit .280 with a .393 OBP and .497 SLG, good for an .890 OPS. By Pouliot's projections, that would put the Cubs backstop atop all catchers.

Pouliot's prediction brings about two questions, and neither are related to Soto's final numbers.

For one, who will make up those other 150 or so at-bats at the catcher position? Koyie Hill appeared in 46 games last year for the Cubs, putting up a horrible .545 OPS in 134 at-bats. But Hill is gone and the Cubs are left with three options right now -- Steve Clevenger, Welington Castillo and Jason Jaramillo.

Jaramillo is a veteran with significant MLB experience while Clevenger and Castillo are young up-and-comers. Will the new Cubs management team of Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and Dale Sveum be comfortable with Clevenger or Castillo taking the backup catcher role in 2012? Or will Jaramillo be the choice based on experience?

The other question is Soto's status with the team. His numbers will be there so long as he's on the field. Injuries are impossible to predict, but he very well could wind up in a different uniform by the time the season ends.

The 29-year-old catcher remains one of the Cubs' best trade chips and several contending teams could enlist in his services before the year is out.

Let's just assume for a second that Pouliot's projections will be exactly how things play out. Only two of the catchers ahead of Soto on the list played for playoff teams in 2011. Posey's return should make the Giants contenders once again and the Indians and Braves would not be huge surprises if they earn a postseason berth in 2012.

The Phillies, Brewers, Cardinals, Yankees and Rays do not have a catcher on this list. These five 2011 playoff teams all expect to contend for 2012 on some level. If the second Wild Card is added for each league this year, that will just create more challengers who could be looking for an upgrade at catcher.

With the Cubs in the midst of rebuilding and not expecting to contend in 2012, Soto may be more valuable to the long-term prospects of the team in a trade, rather than suiting up in the blue and red catcher's gear for 135 games.

Contact Us