Position-by-position look at Red Sox roster: Catcher

This is Part 1 in a series in which we'll examine the Red Sox roster by position. Each day, we'll focus on one spot around the diamond, examine the incumbent player(s), look at prospects in the system and comment on the state of the position within the organization in general.

TODAY: CATCHER

INCUMBENT: Christian Vazquez
CONTRACTUAL STATUS: Multi-year contract, with salaries of $4.2 million in 2020; $6.25 million in 2021 and a team option for $7 million in 2022 with a $250,000 buyout.


THE SKINNY:  Vazquez had a breakout season at the plate in 2019, with career highs in virtually every offensive category, including games played (138), at-bats (482), runs (66), hits (133), doubles (26), homers (23), RBI (72), slugging percentage (.477), OPS (.798) and total bases (230). He also excelled in controlling the running game, throwing out 38 percent of would-be base stealers (nabbing 22 of 58), well above the 27 percent league average. However, he was sloppy at times in his receiving, with nine passed balls and a whopping 55 wild pitches. His game-calling, too, was often suspect.

BACKUP: None
On Monday, hours before they were required to tender contracts to all unsigned players, the Red Sox traded catcher Sandy Leon to Cleveland in exchange for minor league righthander Adenys Bautista. Leon was expected to earn approximately $2.8 million through salary arbitration and the Red Sox, understandably, believed he wasn't worth that value. Leon was designated for assignment shortly before the 2019 season, cleared waivers and assigned to Pawtucket. He was brought back several weeks later when the Sox DFA'd Blake Swihart and Leon remained with the club for the remainder of the season, slashing just .192/.251/.297.
With no other catchers in the system, the Red Sox must now sign someone in free agency or make a deal for an experienced backup. Don't rule out the return of Juan Centeno, who spent last year at Pawtucket before being promoted when rosters expanded in September, only to be released after the season. He's familiar to Alex Cora, who coached him in Houston.
Other low-cost free agent possibilities include Drew Butera, Francisco Cervelli, Austin Romine, and Martin Maldonado.

PROSPECTS: It's not a stretch to suggest that the catching spot is perhaps the thinnest in the Red Sox organization. The Sox thought they had their catcher of the future when they signed Daniel Flores in the summer of 2017 for $3.1 million. But Flores tragically passed away four months later from an aggressive form of cancer. For now, 22-year-old Kole Cottam is probably the best prospect in the system. A fourth-round pick out of Kentucky in 2018, he's got good raw power, though is considered only average — at best — defensively. Jaxx Groshans, a fifth-round selection last summer from Kansas, has some intriguing offensive upside, but needs a lot more development.

OVERALL:  This has the potential to be an area of concern for a while. In the short-term, the Sox need at least one experienced backstop, even if it's only a catch-and-throw type like Centeno. Vazquez is under team control for as many as the next three seasons at reasonable money and at 29, he should be entering his prime. But the Sox desperately need someone who's caught in the big leagues since, as Cora is fond of saying, your starting catcher is only a foul tip away from a trip to the IL.