Who Should Catch?

A lot of you are pretty passionate about Bryce Harper’s future position. In Tuesday’s post, where I suggest that moving Harper to the outfield is in the best interests of the game, people raised the question of whether every catcher who can hit should be moved to another position to preserve their offensive abilities. Given that I’ve argued that the Twins have made the right decision to keep Joe Mauer behind the plate for now, I figured I should clarify my position on just who should catch at the big league level.

I believe that most players have, at any given time, a natural position that is the best fit for their overall skillset. Long striders who can cover ground and throw should play center fielder, where their physical abilities can be maximized. Stocky left-handed throwers with limited speed should play first base. None of this is revolutionary. Players should be, and usually are, put at positions where their strengths are magnified and their weaknesses hidden.

Using Mauer as an example, his physical skills include below average speed, a rocket arm, and good footwork. Additionally, he’s generally given off-the-charts reviews for his leadership abilities and communication skills. Regardless of how much offensive ability Mauer had, those abilities profile perfectly behind the plate. It is not just the position where he has the most offensive value, but the position where his defensive abilities are maximized as well. It’s a natural fit for his skills. He should be a catcher, not just because his bat makes him a rare commodity, but because his defensive profile fits the position.

It’s not always so cut and dry, of course. Take Jayson Werth, for example. Coming up through Baltimore’s farm system, he offered potential as an offensive minded catcher with a bat that would have been well above average for the position. However, he was not very good behind the plate, as his footwork left a lot to be desired. At best, he would have been below average defensively as a catcher. His athleticism, however, plays very well in the outfield, where he’s become one of the better defensive corner guys in the game. He has the physical skillset of an outfielder, and the Blue Jays made the right decision to move him out from behind the plate in 2003.

Harper is much more Werth than Mauer as an athlete. He runs well and has the abilities to become a plus defensive corner outfielder. He would need a lot of work to be even average behind the plate, and the time and effort required for him to get to that level would take away from the development of the rest of his game. Like Werth, Harper has a chance to be an asset defensively in the outfield, while few project him to be anything more than a liability behind the plate. The difference in defensive performance could easily make up for the scarcity issue, and that’s without getting into the benefit that his offense would receive from not catching.

I am not arguing that every single good hitting catcher should be moved. Mauer belongs behind the plate (for now). Brian McCann is playing the correct position for his skills. Matt Wieters should stay behind the plate, as should Kurt Suzuki. Bryce Harper, though, profiles better in the outfield.