MLB: Dollar values of the best catchers
By Bill Felber
3 Mitch Garver, Minnesota Twins, $3.139 million value; $575,000 salary
Garver helped carry the Twins to the AL Central title with some of the best offensive numbers for any MLB catcher. He delivered 31 home runs, 67 RBIs, a.273 average and a solid 156 OPS+ that stamps him as the position’s rising star.
That all added up to $3.098 million in offensive value, second best in the majors.
Garver’s lackluster defensive numbers drag down the rest of his rating. He was a total neutral behind the plate, producing 0 runs saved, and that translated to a $0 value, just 23rd best among his peers.
As a pitch framer, Garver didn’t do much better. He saved one run all season via his framing, that justifying another $41,000 in value. It ranked him 15th in framing.
Garver, then, is illustrative of the concept of the offensive catcher. Literally 98 percent of his value comes from that ability, making his profile the least balanced among the game’s backstops.
If he improves his defensive work – and he’s only in his second season – Garver’s value to the Twins should increase substantially. Since he isn’t even arbitration-eligible until 2021, the upcoming season will be a stress-free opportunity for him to do so. It might even net him some length of an extended contract.