Miami Marlins 2021 Position Preview: Will Catchers Catch On?

There’s plenty to be excited about at catcher for the Miami Marlins, but also plenty to suggest it is the team’s weakest position in 2021.

Two years ago, the Miami Marlins thought they had at least acquired a plug and play everyday starter at catcher when they dealt budding superstar J.T. Realmuto to Philadelphia.

Two years later, the jury is still out on whether or not Jorge Alfaro is going to deliver on that promise.

Which brings us to the first 2021 Miami Marlins position preview, and a look at the catcher position. As with most of the roster, Miami has largely decided to run it back this season, with a Spring Training invite for veteran Sandy Leon the only new wrinkle. There’s a lot to like at backstop, but also some serious questions. Starting with…

Who starts?

The presumptive answer is Alfaro. He has more power, is a .262 career hitter, and just saw his salary balloon to the $2 million range. He’s arbitration eligible next year, and a small payroll team like Miami really needs to end 2021 with a verdict on whether he needs to part of the plan going forward.

However, backup Chad Wallach started every game for the Miami Marlins in the playoffs. He also started three of the final four games of the regular season, at a time when every game essentially was a playoff game for the Fish. And technically, he outhit Alfaro last year, edging him out .227 to .226 by season’s end.

More importantly, Baseball Savant had Wallach as significantly better at pitch framing last year, ranking 48th among qualified catchers. Alfaro was 58th, only beating out four players at his position in terms of ability to, ummm, catch a game. Jordan Mcpherson and Andre Fernandez had 2020 Manager of the Year Don Mattingly on record as saying Wallach handles the staff better, or at least did down the stretch. That’s not nothing.

On the other hand, those same Baseball Savant numbers have Will Smith as baseball’s worst catcher in terms of pitch framing- and MLB GMs would be hard pressed to name five catchers they would rather have on their roster than Smith. Power plays at the catcher position, and Alfaro’s offensive upside should get him one more long look.

Could the Miami Marlins do anything to mix up that catcher competition though?  Time to talk…