The Philadelphia Phillies re-signed J.T. Realmuto to a three-year, $45 million contract last week to address their catcher dilemma after failing to sign Bo Bichette. According to reports, Philadelphia was the only team interested in the veteran.
The Phillies’ short-term need at the position is filled by the move, but it doesn’t address the long-term problem of who will catch after Realmuto’s playing days are over.
The Phillies’ key players aren’t getting any younger, but they are still a postseason contender. Realmuto will turn 35 in March, so re-signing him won’t solve this problem.
Will manager Rob Thomson give the backstop more rest during the regular season? It hasn’t happened yet. It’s hard to see a healthy Realmuto continuing to play more than 130 games annually for that long, or whether it’s in his or the team’s best interests going ahead.
J.T. Realmuto’s return just punts Phillies’ question about their catcher of the future down the road
Can Rafael Marchán, the backup, take over as the Phillies’ starting catcher in the future? In the event that Realmuto misses time due to an injury or needs additional recuperation this season, the 26-year-old will take over. It’s unclear if Marchán is capable of playing a starting role. He finished the previous season with two home runs, 13 RBIs, a slash line of.210/.282/.305, and an OPS of.587 in 42 games.
Since 2019, Realmuto has been an important member of the team, but Thomson must start reducing his effort this season. Over the past few years, his hitting has decreased.
Eduardo Tait was a potential catcher for the Phillies in the future. Last year, he was making good progress in Single-A with the Clearwater Threshers. In 75 games, he had 11 home runs, 51 RBIs, a slash line of.251/.322/.436, and an OPS of.758. The 19-year-old recorded six RBIs, a.296/.286/.407 line, and a.693 OPS in seven games with the Jersey Shore BlueClaws in High-A.
Fans of the Phillies won’t know, though, if he could have played catcher for the team in the future. At last year’s trade deadline, the team annoyingly sent Tait and rookie pitcher Mick Abel to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for reliever Jhoan Duran. The Phillies wouldn’t have needed to make another mid-season deal for a late-inning reliever if they had re-signed Carlos Estévez or Jeff Hoffman in the previous winter or if the signing of Jordan Romano had been successful.
Tait represented their best chance of a young catcher who might be prepared for a starting position with the Phillies by the time Realmuto’s new contract expires at the end of the 2028 season, given that MLB Pipeline ranked him as the fourth prospect in Philadelphia’s minor league system at the time of the trade.
Right now, Caleb Ricketts (No. 22) and Alirio Ferrebus (No. 27) are the only prospects in their Top 30 MLB Pipeline ranking. According to their MLB Pipeline scouting reports, Ferrebus might be used as a first baseman in the minor leagues, although Ricketts’ major level peak is as a backup. Which position—catcher or first base—will he play if he makes it to the major leagues?
Who will start at catcher for the Phillies after Realmuto remains a mystery. It’s annoying that the team chose to re-sign a veteran as the team is becoming older, missed this chance to go younger, and still doesn’t know who it will be.
