Bleacher Report’s look at the top 100 players available for the 2016-2017 MLB offseason got started with the top 15 corner infielders. Now come the top 10 catchers.
These 10 catchers are either free agents or trade targets pulled from rumors and/or plausible speculation. They’re ranked based on how they fared in the following scoring system:
- Talent Outlook: Out of 70. This is where we look at how guys have performed recently and consider the outlook of their skills going forward. Think of 35 out of 70 as a league-average player and 70 out of 70 as a Mike Trout-like talent.
- Durability Outlook: Out of 20. This is where we probe track records and injury histories for a projection for how guys’ bodies will hold up. Think of 10 out of 20 as signaling a toss-up as to whether guys will remain durable, with 20 out of 20 indicating no concerns whatsoever. To keep things fair, we’ll allow a ceiling of 15 points for players in line for short-term commitments.
- Value Outlook: Out of 10. This is where we try to project what kind of contract or trade package it’s going to take to acquire a guy and then determine if he’d be worth it. Think of five out of 10 as a fair deal, with zero being a megabust and 10 being a megasteal.
In the event of ties, the nod will be given to the player we’d rather sign or trade for.
Along the way, you’ll find links to relevant data at Baseball-Reference.com, FanGraphs, Brooks Baseball, Baseball Prospectus, Baseball Savant and StatCorner.
Now that you know everything you need to know, it’s time to take it away.