Friday, February 2, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
As the Los Angeles Dodgers prepare for the 2024 season, the Dodgers have many question marks even though they have spent over a billion this offseason. Catching is not an area where the Dodgers have any questions. Will Smith and Austin Barnes are two of the best catchers in the major leagues.
Coming off a season when he had a concussion and a cracked rib, Smith wants to improve his offensive statistics. In 2023, he hit .261 with 19 home runs, 76 RBI, and a .797 OPS. During last season, Smith worked with over thirty pitchers beautifully, including many rookies. From 2019, Smith’s defense has improved. Two years away from free agency, Smith wants to solidify his position as one of the best catchers in the majors. The Dodgers haven’t talked about a contract extension with Smith, disappointing many Dodger fans.
Since Barnes is a poor offensive player, many Dodger fans want to release him. In 2023, Barnes hit .180 with 2 home runs, 11 RBI, and a .498 OPS. Barnes knows how to work with pitchers and helps Smith with his pitch calling. He is a good pitch blocker while the pitchers like to throw to Barnes’ low target. When Barnes catches once a week, the Dodgers can deal with his weak offensive production. If not, the Dodgers have more pressing problems than their backup catcher.
The Dodgers have two young promising catchers, Diego Cartaya and Hunter Feduccia. Neither is ready for the majors. They shouldn’t be a backup catcher since they need to play regularly to continue their development. However, if either Smith or Barnes gets injured, either Cartaya or Feduccia can take over for a short time as a major league catcher.
Since 1948, the Dodger organization has had many terrific catchers. The time for being, it appears the Dodgers will have dominant catchers.
