Welcome again to the 2025-26 version of Smash or Pass, by which we study potential free agent and commerce targets to find out whether or not the Crimson Sox ought to pursue them and what it could take to land them. In the present day we have a look at a catcher who reveals versatility and energy on the plate.
Who’s he and the place does he come from?
He’s Victor Caratini. He’s bounced across the league lately however most not too long ago was an Astro for 2 seasons. He additionally served as a catcher on the Cubs immediately after their drought-breaking World Sequence win, the Padres and Brewers.
Sure and no. He’s positively higher than any substitute degree catcher (learn: Connor Wong). He has some capability to drill the ball, as his remoted energy was .145, inserting him squarely within the “yeah, that works!” class within the metric. And he had 12 dwelling runs final 12 months, inserting him twenty second within the league amongst catchers and doing so with fewer at-bats (386 in 114 video games) than all however 4 of these in entrance of him. To optimize alternatives the place he’d be capable of come off the bench behind a budding Carlos Narvaez or simply present an insurance coverage choice, he additionally swap hits. Plus he’s affected person: Baseball Savant places his chase fee (23.5%) within the prime twenty percentile, and his strikeout fee (16.8%) and whiff fee (19.8%) land him simply outdoors it.
He’s positively not the quickest choice, although. He’s in simply the second percentile of dash pace. That lack of pace extends to his arm, the place he threw out simply 5 of 46 tried base-stealers. That places him among the many very worst within the league, and for a workforce that wants defensive outs the place they’ll get it, it seems like a missed alternative. It was the worst he’s executed at this all through his profession, and, at 32 (turning 33 in August), it could not be a stretch to recommend it might worsen in 2026 and past. He’s not in whole shambles defensively, although: his .998 fielding share with simply two errors was tied for second on the place.
TLDR; simply give me his 2025 stats.
.259/.324/.404, 12 HR, 35 RBI, 2 E
Why would he be a very good match on the 2025 Crimson Sox?
The Crimson Sox have reportedly kicked the tires on signing J.T. Realmuto earlier this offseason, and whether or not or not that was an “curiosity kings” trope, Caratini is cheaper than him, albeit a downgrade. Even with signing a brand new deal, many could be uneasy figuring out that Connor Wong is trotting into 2026 Opening Day as a lock as a backup catcher. Carlos Narvaez had a meniscus tear that was ailing him on the tail finish of 2025, leaving Wong to choose up extra at-bats and lots of (myself included) to shut their eyes throughout these at-bats. Caratini supplies extra energy, swap hit versatility, and a a lot decrease strikeout fee ought to he be thrust into that function.
Why wouldn’t he be a very good match on the Crimson Sox?
Newly acquired Willson Contreras performed catcher for 9 years earlier than a forearm harm plagued his pop pace and total capability behind the plate, however he may very well be a very good “break glass in case of emergency” choice. Plus, as Mike Carlucci not too long ago wrote, the Crimson Sox are simply considered one of two groups alongside the Colorado Rockies to not make a free agent signing this season, and Caratini would value cash, as Fangraph’s crowdsourced AAV estimator locations his worth at about $6 million a 12 months. For a man who’s certainly on the 26-man roster, that’s not dangerous, however for a substitute, it would make the hairs on John Henry’s pockets wrist rise up.
Present me a cool spotlight.
This ball most likely shouldn’t have been hit for a house run, nevertheless it was.
It’s a go at this second, however a conditional one. If Connor Wong proves to be expendable to this 2026 workforce (LOL) and Caratini remains to be out there, it may very well be price kicking the tires. Whereas Caratini received’t be the quickest man on the roster, he does supply a defensive ground to a workforce that wants it whereas offering some energy to a workforce that lacks a amount of men that may present it. Carlos Narvaez is a Gold Glove candidate and may very well be a starter for years to come back, however it may be necessary to have a man with a beginning pedigree as your backup catcher, and Caratini supplies that.
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