All-Decade Cincinnati Reds Infield
Ryan Hanigan, Catcher
- Years: 2010-2013
- HRs: 15
- Average OPS+: 92
The Reds featured three catchers for most of the decade, and the resume of each has drawbacks.
Devin Mesoraco enjoyed the longest calendar tenure, playing from 2011 through 2018. Reds scouts almost always projected Mesoraco to have star potential. He showed that potential in 2014, batting .273 with 25 home runs and 80 RBIs.
But Mesoraco really only had two healthy seasons, 2013 and 2014. In four of his seasons, he played fewer than 25 games, hobbled by injuries to his hip, foot, shoulder and also by concussions.
Tucker Barnhart has caught since 2014, and he’s been regular since 2016. But Barnhart has never hit above .270, his career average is .252, and his prime seasons 87.75 OPS+ is decidedly below-average.
That leaves Hanigan, the incumbent backstop at the start of the decade, who became regular in 2009. He’s hardly an inspiring choice. Still, in four seasons as a semi-regular, he did average 85 games and in his best season, 2010, he did bat .303. Hanigan’s .270 batting average and 103 average OPS+ are hardly inspiring, but they’re the best of the logical candidates and they’re at least above average.