Keep An Eye On: Tigers’ Catcher James McCann
By Wayne Cavadi
The Detroit Tigers have the consensus worst farm system in Minor League baseball. Hard hitting Steven Moya and harder throwing Bruce Rondon are the two biggest names that casual followers of prospects know. There just may be someone lurking on the bench ready to contribute this year.
James McCann, the Tigers No. 5 overall prospect, has made his first Opening Day roster. He will start the season as the backup catcher to the Tigers’ longtime backstop Alex Avila. The question is how long is it until he takes over the job?
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McCann, the 24-year old right handed hitting catcher, has made a name for himself behind his stellar defense. He made a 14-game debut after the Tigers selected him in the second round of the 2011 draft, but McCann showed his prowess behind the plate the following year, his first full season. He threw out 49 of 113 attempted base stealers for an impressive 43 percent rate and made just nine errors in 818 chances over two levels. He struggled a bit with passed balls (allowing 12) but has reduced the mental errors each and every ensuing season.
What was holding McCann back from getting his chance was his bat. Last year, however, his first go in Triple-A, McCann put together a solid season offensively. He slashed .295/.343/.427 which were career highs across the board and belted 7 home runs, one off his career high set the previous season. It earned him a September call up where he had the opportunity to catch David Price and Justin Verlander in his first two career starts. They were the first two to congratulate him when making the 2015 Tigers squad.
"“Those are the two guys I got to catch in my two first starts,” McCann told the Detroit Free Press. ”That’s something they’ll never be able to take away from me — my first two starts were Cy Young Award winners. To have their backing, for them to be excited for my success, that makes me feel pretty special.”"
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After an impressive spring in which he posted a .341/.383/.409 slash line, McCann rolls into the season as the backup. How long will that last? Avila has been in a three-year downward spiral since his 2011 breakout season. His batting average has lowered each ensuing season while his strikeout rate has risen. He is more than sufficient behind the plate, throwing out 34 percent of would be base thieves last season (which came in 7 percent higher than the league average) and has career .994 fielding percentage.
If McCann shows he has the same sound defense as Avila, ho long do the Tigers’ go with the 28-year old veteran who seems to be in the decline? As long as McCann bides his time and plays well when he gets his chances, Avila days may be done in Detroit, especially with Tigers’ No. 10 prospect Grayson Greiner lurking in the minors.
“At the same time, it’s just a matter of being prepared,” McCann said of his new role as a backup. “It’s all about catching bullpens, getting your swings in, preparing yourself so that, at any moment, you can be ready to go.”