The Atlanta Braves have seen Sean Murphy and Travis d’Arnaud handle the catching duties over the last few seasons. While this duo has been solid for Atlanta, the Braves decided to let d’Arnaud walk in free agency. With d’Arnaud landing with the Los Angeles Angels, the Braves are left with just Murphy. Just months after letting d’Arnaud walk, the Braves are already left kicking themselves in the behind. It was recently announced that Murphy suffered a cracked rib and could miss at least a month as he recovers from the injury.
With a physically grueling position like catcher, a cracked rib could linger a lot longer than the reported four to six weeks. With that in mind, the Braves should find a new catcher to bring into the rotation. One intriguing name to watch is Minnesota Twins catcher Diego Cartaya. Cartaya was with the Los Angeles Dodgers and was continually ranked among the best prospects in baseball until the Dodgers shockingly designated him for assignment this offseason.
After landing with the Twins, he’s been glossed over. But the Braves could likely land him in a trade for next to nothing. But would it be worth it? Atlanta has a top catching prospect, Drake Baldwin, of its own. Baldwin is seemingly ready for the big leagues, but it’s unclear if Atlanta will give him the shot during Murphy’s absence.
Adding Cartaya would be a low-risk, high-reward move for Atlanta, as long as it can acquire him for cheap. If Cartaya works out and turns his career around, the Braves will have brought in a potential star for cheap. If he continues to flop, the Braves could release him and utilize Baldwin instead.
While Baldwin seems like the better option, and likely is, it wouldn’t hurt Atlanta to bring Cartaya to the team.