How should the Phillies handle their catcher situation?

The Phillies have three catchers that could be on the major-league roster next year, but only two of them will be when the season starts.

The Phillies have three catchers on their 40-man roster and all three saw significant time behind the plate in 2017. Will all three of these catchers stay with the team next year?

Heading into 2018, all eyes will be on Jorge Alfaro to see how the young slugger handles his first full season at the MLB level. Alfaro was a major piece that came back in the Cole Hamels deal, and the organization and fans alike were excited to see how he would produce in the big leagues.

In his first extended period in the Major Leagues, Alfaro impressed with an average of .318 with 5 home-runs, 14 RBI an 12 runs scored in 29 games.

The question for Alfaro will be how many games will the team start him behind the plate. Alfaro was acquired with an injured ankle, which caused him to miss extended time. While he had a full recovery, there is always the concern that this injury could creep up down the line if he were to log a lot of innings behind the plate.

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Given this concern, along with the fact he is still young, the team should look into a couple of options to surround him, starting first with what is already on the roster.

The two other catchers on the roster are Andrew Knapp and Cameron Rupp. Andrew Knapp should be kept on the team, as he can spell Alfaro behind the plate, as well as play some first base if needed.

Although an injury-plagued 2017 had Knapp finish with an average of .257, three home runs, 13 RBI and 26 runs in 56 games, Knapp has shown flashes that give the organization hope that he is a player that can help contribute.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 19: Catcher Cameron Rupp /

With regards to Rupp, the team should cut ties with him in one way or another. They would be better off looking for another veteran via free agency, as they can find another player who would serve a similar role with more production, as Rupp does not contribute enough at the plate , or defensively.

The free agent market is thin for the catcher position, however two names jump out. The first is former Phillie, Carlos Ruiz. Ruiz would be an ideal addition to the team as he would be a low-cost option who could be had for a 1 or 2 year deal. With Ruiz back in the dugout, he would be a role model for Alfaro, and teach him the right way to play the game.

Ruiz is still an above average defensive catcher, and could help Alfaro develop defensively to help him learn how to better call a game, and become a field general behind the plate. While Ruiz cannot catch as many innings as he had in the past, a mix of him and Knapp can give Alfaro a break when needed, which would be a nice approach to the catcher position.

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The other free agent that would spark interest is Wellington Castillo. Castillo is another proven vet who would be an asset to the team. In 2017, Castillo batted .282 with 20 home runs, 53 RBI and 44 runs scored in 341 at-bats. Castillo could split time fairly evenly with Alfaro behind the plate, which would help preserve Alfaro, as well as give the team a comparable bat in the lineup when Alfaro was to sit.

While Castillo would be a fit, there are a few problems with potentially signing him. First is that the free agent catching class is weak this offseason, making Castillo is the top catcher on the market.

As a result, Castillo will be overpaid, and will likely demand a long contract to capitalize on the market he is in. This is not an ideal fit for the Phillies, as they would not want to lock up an aging player to an overpriced deal.

The team would rather keep flexibility in cap space to be able to make a splash with a younger talent.

Along with the cost, Castillo may not want to come to a team where he has to split time as much as he would here. Although he split time last season, it was mostly because he was working back from an injury, and they wanted to preserve his innings behind the plate,

Now that he is seemingly fully recovered, he may be looking for a team where he can have the lion’s share of innings behind the plate.

Next: Joseph a potential trade target for Cleveland?

The Phillies have a lot of options for how they want to proceed at catcher. However, one thing is for certain, whatever plan the team decides on, it should be with the interest of Jorge Alfaro and his development in mind.

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