6:06pm: McCann and righty Alex Wilson will both be non-tendered, Fenech tweets.
3:55pm: The Tigers are likely to non-tender catcher James McCann before tonight’s deadline, per Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. MLB.com’s Jason Beck offers a similar sentiment, tweeting that McCann will be non-tendered “barring a last-minute surprise.”
McCann, 28, hit .253/.318/.415 with a career-high 13 home runs as recently as 2017, but his offense cratered in 2018 as he slashed just .220/.267/.314 with eight home runs in 457 plate appearances as Detroit’s primary catcher. More troubling, perhaps, was the fact that while the right-handed-hitting McCann had previously been a force against left-handed pitching, he batted a woeful .176/.229/.284 when holding the platoon advantage in 2018.
On the defensive side of the coin, McCann has continually been sensational in terms of controlling the running game. He’s registered at least a 30 percent caught-stealing rate in each of his four full big league seasons, including a 36 percent mark in 2018 and an overall rate of 37 percent. He’s been well below-average in terms of pitch framing across the past two seasons, though, and has struggled similarly in terms of blocking balls in the dirt.
MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected McCann to earn $3.5MM in arbitration, but it seems he’ll instead hit the open market and join a top-heavy but nonetheless crowded crop of free-agent catchers. Yasmani Grandal, Wilson Ramos, Martin Maldonado, Jonathan Lucroy, Robinson Chirinos, Devin Mesoraco, Matt Wieters, Nick Hundley and Rene Rivera are among the available options, to say nothing of trade candidates like J.T. Realmuto and Francisco Cervelli. Suffice it to say, McCann will have competition as clubs weigh their options — especially considering he’s likeliest to be looked at as a candidate to fill a backup role.
First
Doesn’t mean much unless you type something meaningful. Second.
I read the headline without reading the blog then quickly commented. I beat one of the commenters. Bet he’s pissed! 16th
And last
Does this mean Greiner starts, or Hicks maybe? As a Tigers fan, Im doubtful theyll look to FA for any type of replacement.
Greiner and Hicks will start the season behind the plate but this move is to open up the catchers spot for Jake Rodgers who is a top 10 prospect in their system
I like Rogers a lot. Needs to work on his hitting though. Best case scenario is he improves enough where he gets called up in September after good runs in Erie and Toledo.
@Diller
What are you talking about? Open up the C spot? It was by no means closed. McCann was a competent place holder on a yearly deal. He was in no way blocking anyone. Rogers will be lucky to get a Sept call up. If he’s the future, they won’t rush his time clock.
As for McCann, the Tigers won’t be signing anyone better in FA, and McCann looked better defensively than either Greiner or Hicks. Seems like the young pitchers deserve better.
Not likely. Rogers is not ready yet and needs at least a season before he will be ready. More than likely the Tigers will sign a veteran place holder who can better game manage and pitch frame than McCann. That catcher and Griener will do most of the catching, with Hicks occasionally pitching in and playing back up to Miggy at first, and some DH.
They won’t sign a veteran catcher and keep both Hicks and griener on the roster. Because it’s not worth carrying Hicks if he will be your 3rd catcher and maybe play some 1b. But I think he won’t play 1b at all and that will be goodrums spot behind miggy and the tigers will sign a veteran 2b instead of catcher. And yes Rodgers may not be ready until late this season but they wanted to move on from McCann
McCannon gone? Rigers has a lot more upside and the Tigers arent going anywhere for awhile. Greiner and Hicks are short timers too. Expect in 2020 they sign a good vet backup who can mentor a young blue chip staff and let Rogers have the major chunk of time…
That young staff needs someone in ’19, though. McCann was the best choice of the 3, and it’s not like that arb projection would break the bank. Hope a deal gets done between them.
What young staff? Not too many of Detroit’s hurlers are just breaking in. Maybe some if the prospects get a few innings late in the year, but most of their guys don’t need to be relying on their catcher for a ton of help.
Greiner and Hicks will be fine. Rogers can’t hit well but is a darn good defensive catcher. It’ll be fine without McCannon.
Tigers will have 1 new young starter in Burrows & you never know if one of the other guys pulls a Porcello & comes up after trade deadline.
Tigers have no one that will pull a Porcello
@jacob
How about Fulmer, Boyd, Norris, Burroughs, Jimenez, and a cast of no names in the bullpen?
Pull a Porcello? Is that allowing 9 runs in less than an inning? (2013 against the Angels.)
I don’t see the Tigers replacing McCann with a free agent. Obviously they are trying for a top draft pick again. There are many options out there to improve their 25 man roster and they aren’t interested. They have guys like Mahtook and Rodriguez listed as regulars when there are many better options available on waivers and as free agents.
I liked Alex Wilson, he was a solid reliever. Better than many others in their pen. Shane Greene is still arbitration eligible and he was worse than Wilson.
Casey Mize
It’ll be years
1 year tops. He already has the hardest thing for pitchers to learn, command.
Rogers will come up if he hits if not he’s a September call up for sure.
Rogers needs to show he can stay above Mendoza
Also true
Really thought he was gonna be good. Too bad but Avila seems to like to draft catchers. He needs to draft catchers that can hit though.
Tribe may want to look into McCann after dealing Gomes to WAS. He’s no world beater at the plate, but he’s better than Roberto Perez.
You are better than Roberto. There are dead people better than Perez at the plate.
I came here to say the same thing. McCann and Perez would be pretty bad offensively, but behind the plate they’d be a good duo.
One thing for sure: CLE will have to acquire another catcher, and if Gomes was jettisoned for his salary they must be budgeting less than $5M to fill that slot.
Greiner will get a chance to start if he hits but will play a lot if Hicks plays 1b & Cabby DH’s. I like Greiner & he’s a better contact hitter for sure. Homers will be scarce but in a smaller parks he can get a few.
I understand not signing McCann, but I never thought Alex Wilson would be non-tendered. I still hope to see both these guys on the team this year. I don’t know why, but I think James will go on a terror this year.
how’s kramer, bob?
I agree…JM on a terror.
I think we still may see both of these non tenders wearing the old English D…