Sean Murphy, the Atlanta Braves’ catcher, is expected to miss four to six weeks after sustaining a rib injury. With Murphy and Chadwick Tromp the only catchers on the 40-man roster, Atlanta must make a decision ahead of Opening Day. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Braves are considering signing one of two catchers: Yasmani Grandal or James McCann. Both players are unsigned and might be acquired for a one-year contract worth a few million dollars.
The Braves will have to assess the cost of bringing in a veteran if Murphy’s absence is limited, especially since Tromp is out of options and a roster move is probable once Murphy returns.
Braves Considering Free Agent Catchers After Sean Murphy Injury
Grandal, a switch-hitter, played in 72 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season, batting.228/.304/.400 in 243 plate appearances. That was his highest offensive performance since a 23-home run season with the White Sox in 2021. Grandal is well-known for his pitch framing abilities, which he continues to excel at. However, he struggled with passed balls, giving up five in 560 1/3 innings. He also caught only six of 72 base stealers (8.3%) and had the slowest pop time among 83 qualified catchers, according to Statcast.
McCann had good seasons with the Chicago White Sox in 2019 and 2020. That won him a four-year, $40.6 million contract from the New York Mets that offseason. However, his offense dipped after the signing. The Mets traded him to the Baltimore Orioles in December 2022, with New York paying the majority of his remaining money. Over the past two season, McCann hit .228/.274/.382 in 459 plate appearances and 134 games. Despite his problems, McCann’s ability to play more than a backup position enabled the Orioles to keep Adley Rutschman in the lineup as a designated hitter.
While McCann and Grandal bring experience to the plate, the Braves also have a high-potential prospect in Drake Baldwin. Baldwin, one of baseball’s best catching prospects, hit.276/.370/.423 with 16 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A last season. He spent more than half the season at Triple-A Gwinnett and will turn 24 shortly after Opening Day. Baldwin could make his debut this year, potentially securing a starting berth while Tromp remains in the backup role.
