St. Louis Cardinals: Yadier Molina still worth a two year deal

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina is looking for a two year deal in free agency. He may well get it.

Yadier Molina is not the catcher he once was. While he still has a strong arm and excellent glove, he just has not been the stalwart behind the plate for the St. Louis Cardinals that he had been. Age has caught up to the last remaining Official Molina Brother, who had considered retirement before stating that he wanted to continue playing beyond 2020.

Molina is also now looking for more than a one year deal. His agent, Melvin Roman, noted that the future Hall of Fame catcher is looking to get a two year deal.

It is fair to wonder how much Molina has left in the tank. While he continued to be the same high contact player he had been in the past, the thunder was not quite there in his bat. In his past 608 plate appearances, he has posted a .268/.310/.388 batting line, with 26 doubles and 14 homers.

Although those numbers may seem to be mediocre, there is a caveat due to his position. Offense from the catching position has been on the decline as of late, especially as more teams focus on defense and pitch framing. Molina’s 85 OPS+ is actually right around average for a major league catcher over that same two year span.

Any team that looks to sign Molina would likely be hoping for that level of production at the plate, while hoping the defense remains in place. If so, then he would certainly be worth a two year contract, especially given the state of catching in Major League Baseball these days.

The question is whether or not that will come from the Cardinals. At some point, St. Louis will need to find a replacement for Molina, be it this year or after the 2022 campaign. Brandon Knizner may not have produced in the majors just yet, but he has been considered a top prospect. And it is tough to find a rhythm in the majors without consistent playing time. However, there is mutual interest in continuing the relationship, and ensuring that Molina retires as a lifetime member of the organization.

Yadier Molina wants a two year deal in free agency. He would certainly be worth that price based on his respectable offense and strong defense.