Phillies 2019 season preview: Catcher J.T. Realmuto
Will J.T. Realmuto follow in the footsteps of his ex-teammates and dominate with the Phillies? Or will the All-Star regress in 2019?
I have been writing for TBOH for 22 days. And in those 22 days, I have written nine articles (including my application piece). Four of those articles have talked, in some regard, about J.T. Realmuto, and this will be number five. That alone should tell you how excited I am to have this guy on the Phillies.
I caught for half of my baseball career, and I love watching good catchers. Realmuto has the stuff to maintain the mantle of “Best Catcher in Baseball,” a title that Yadier Molina and Buster Posey split for the last decade in my opinion.
2018 was an impressive year at the plate for Realmuto, when comparing him the rest of the catchers in the league. He led all catchers in batting average (.277), doubles (30), hits (132), and OPS (.825), while hitting the third most RBIs (74) and the fourth most home runs (21). He significantly increased his power production, decreasing his at-bats per home run from 31 to 23, and his 21 home runs led the Marlins in 2018.
Of course, Realmuto was expected to shoulder the load of the run production when the Marlins shipped out three of their top four home run/RBI guys from 2017 (Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, and Christian Yelich). Yet, even with his strikeout rate increasing, his OBP increased due to the 38 walks he drew (8% walk rate).
What makes Realmuto great is his combination of offense and defense, much like Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez. **No I’m not saying J.T. = Pudge. Their games are just similar** He has averaged a pop-time of 1.9 seconds over the past 3 years, which is best in the league. He also threw out 35% of stolen base attempts in 2018, finishing second behind defensive-specialist Martin Maldonado. By no means is Realmuto a Roy Campanella-reincarnate, but his athleticism allows him to put up some impressive defensive numbers.
Realmuto’s role in 2019
When the Phillies shipped their top pitching prospect (Sixto Sanchez) and one of their previous top hitting prospects (Jorge Alfaro) to Miami, they were solidifying the catching position for the next 5-8 years. Realmuto has developed a different part of his game every year since he’s been in the league.
Realmuto came in as an athletic beast, hitting seven triples in 2015. In 2016, he focused on his approach at the plate, increasing his batting average from .259 to .303. 2017 saw an increase in run production, from 48 RBIs to 65. Finally, in 2018, the efficient power of 21 home runs in only 477 at-bats was the proverbial “kicking the door in” to his arrival as the league’s best catcher.
More from That Balls Outta Here
- Prospect Andrew Baker could help Phillies bullpen in 2023
- Bryce Harper’s absence should lead to Phillies lineup tinkering
- Phillies rumors: Club targets Seth Lugo for possible bullpen role
- Pirates’ bizarre Vince Velasquez hype video will make Phillies fans laugh
- Acquiring Brandon Marsh gave the Phillies flexibility
As for Realmuto’s role, I believe he’ll be exactly what he was in Miami: a stabilizing force in the lineup and consistency behind the plate. The catching position is undeniably his, a position that hurt the Phillies last year, shuttling three different catchers in and out. Having Realmuto behind the plate for 120-140 games will allow him to develop a relationship with the pitching staff, and understand their habits and tendencies.
The biggest hurdle that Realmuto will have to overcome is the number of wild pitches that the Phillies had in 2018. They had the 5th most in the majors, while Miami had the 6th least, which I think J.T. had a lot to do with.
The Phillies had the third-youngest pitching staff in the league (26.8) last year, and Miami was ranked eighth (27.6). Realmuto is used to working with young pitchers, and Philly has desperately needed a steady guy behind the plate since Chooch caught 132 games in 2011. From 2015 to 2018, Realmuto has appeared in at least 125 games each season. He’ll get to that 125 mark again in 2019.
Projections for Realmuto in 2019
As I said earlier, Realmuto has improved an aspect of his offensive game in every season he has been in the league. In 2019, I think he’ll put it all together. He batted seventh before the Marlins blew up their team, in a lineup that consisted of Dee Gordon, Marcel Ozuna, Giancarlo Stanton (2017 MVP), and Christian Yelich (2018 MVP).
More from Phillies News
- Bryce Harper’s absence should lead to Phillies lineup tinkering
- Pirates’ bizarre Vince Velasquez hype video will make Phillies fans laugh
- Acquiring Brandon Marsh gave the Phillies flexibility
- Former Phillies starter Zach Eflin shares heartwarming goodbye message
- Is Rhys Hoskins the future at first base for the Phillies beyond 2023?
Will Realmuto continue the trend of a former Marling winning MVP?? Unlikely, as awesome as that would be. Yet, his production will definitely see a boost, considering this is the best lineup that he has been in over his career. Four former/current All-Stars, two former MVPs, and one of the best young hitters in baseball in Rhys Hoskins. I anticipate Realmuto will thrive in this environment and will see significantly better pitches with the amount of talent around him.
In terms of stats, here’s how I see Realmuto’s 2019 going: .310 BA, 20 home runs, 70 RBI, 40 doubles, 40 walks, 40% caught stealing rate and another All-Star appearance. Competition for catching in the All-Star Game is pretty fierce for the NL, with Willson Contreras, Molina, and Yasmani Grandal always making their cases. But Realmuto has the all-around talent to beat them out, especially when his BA is .310, his OBP is over .350, and his OPS is up around .900.
Next. Drew Anderson impressive with new cutter. dark
The Phillies’ future changed this offseason. After several years of below average/horrible performances, management went out and got game-changers at multiple positions. Realmuto’s production in his first year in Philly will be a huge determinant for how his tenure will go. If he stays consistent at the plate and behind it, Philly will love him and he’ll help lead the Phillies to the playoffs.