Washington Nationals Backup Catcher Options for 2018 Season
By Tim Boyle
Pedro Severino
The favorite to backup catcher option for the Nationals next year is Pedro Severino. The homegrown talent is a fine defensive player who has yet to find his stride at the plate. While he did hit very well in his 34 plate appearances back in 2016, Severino struggled in 2017 during a full year with the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs and again in 31 chances with the Nationals.
Still, the Nationals seem to have high hopes for Severino. He’s probably not the answer long-term as a starter, but his defensive skills can certainly keep him on in MLB if his offensive talents improve.
The greatest benefit of Severino backing up Wieters is that he’s cheap. He’ll only cost the league minimum which would help the Nationals use finances elsewhere; like the bullpen.
The Nationals must find many bench pieces from their minor league system. They may have done so with infielder Wilmer Difo whose 2017 performance should allow them to move on from Stephen Drew. Severino could be the next Nationals’ farmhand to play an important role in Washington.
As the franchise slowly transitions into what will become the Victor Robles Era, the Nationals will need to begin testing out which young catchers deserve the most playing time.