Should Pirates Upgrade at Catcher Prior to Trade Deadline?

With four catchers on their 40-man roster, the Pittsburgh Pirates have plenty of depth at the position, but should they look for an upgrade?

Joey Bart and Yasmani Grandal have been handling the catching duties in Pittsburgh. Henry Davis is searching for answers at Triple-A Indianapolis where Jason Delay, who played 70 games for the Pirates last season and seven this year, also resides.

Bart has proved to be a solid pickup by the Pirates after they acquired the 2018 No. 2 pick from the San Francisco Giants early in the season. In 38 games, Bart has slashed .238/.331/.438 with six homers and 20 RBIs. Additionally, he’s thrown out 24% of attempted base stealers.

Grandal has struggled mightily at the plate this season. In 45 games, the seasoned veteran is under the Mendoza Line with a .185 batting average and has a lowly .213 on-base percentage. He’s connected on three home runs and has 17 RBIs.

Despite his struggles at the plate, Grandal grades well as a defender. He’s also become the personal catcher of star rookie Paul Skenes. Grandal has served as Skenes’ battery mate in 10 of his 12 starts this season, including each of his last eight.

Because of the relationship the 35-year-old Grandal and the 22-year-old Skenes have built, the odds of the Pirates looking to add a catcher via trade are probably lower than they should be, but there are several catchers who could be available and make sense for the Pirates.

Danny Jansen (Blue Jays)

There’s an obvious connection with Jansen, who has spent his entire professional career with Toronto after he was drafted in 2013. His tenure in the organization coincides with Ben Cherington’s time working in the front office.

Jansen has served as a part-time catcher for the Blue Jays for most of his career after his debut in 2018. In 470 career games, Jansen has been a league-average performer with a .222/.308/.425 slash. He’s hit 72 doubles, 71 home runs and has driven in 214 runs.

Behind the plate, Jansen has been responsible for six defensive runs saved in his career and has a caught stealing rate of 21%.

This year, Jansen has taken a step back on both sides of the ball, but he still could present the Pirates with a more compelling option at catcher. In 61 games, Jansen has slashed .212/.303/.369 with 19 extra-base hits including six homers.

Jansen, and the next two options, for that matter, could serve as a stopgap behind the plate as all three will hit free agency after the year.

Elias Díaz (Rockies)

Díaz appeared in 210 games with the Pirates between 2015-19 before being cut loose and latching on with the Rockies before the start of the 2020 season.

The 33-year-old has been the Rockies’ primary catcher over the last few years and took home All-Star Game MVP honors in 2023.

Díaz is having a fine season at the plate this year. The right-handed hitter has played in 71 games and is batting .279 with a .724 OPS, 15 doubles, five homers and 31 RBIs. 55 of those games of come behind the plate, where he’s already posted six defensive runs saved and has caught 29% of potential base stealers.

Jacob Stallings (Rockies)

Another former Pirates’ catcher who is now with the Rockies, Stallings is in the midst of his best season with the bat of his career.

Stallings, 34, is slashing .273/.369/.453 with 12 doubles, a triple, five home runs and 24 RBIs. His strong season at the plate isn’t just a result of the hitter-friendly Coors Field, either. Stallings has a .784 OPS away from his home stadium this year. He’s producing at the plate while still offering solid defense.

Stallings played the first six years of his career with the Pirates and became the team’s main backstop in 2021, the year he won a Gold Glove.

During his time in Pittsburgh, Stallings was revered for his ability to handle a pitching staff. The Pirates have always put an emphasis on that ability in their catchers since Cherington and Derek Shelton took over. Maybe they will opt for some familiarity.