Free agent catchers who could replace Travis d’Arnaud

In a surprise move, the Braves decided not to exercise their $8 million team option on Travis d’Arnaudmaking him a free agent. MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reported shortly after that the door wasn’t slammed shut on d’Arnaud’s return, but the Braves did want that money available to address their other needs first.

Catcher may not be at the top of Atlanta’s list of priorities this offseason. Sean Murphy is still in development, but there is no doubt that it is still needed. Drake Baldwin He’s an exciting prospect who could be ready for MLB Opening Day, but will the Braves feel comfortable with Baldwin and Chadwick Tromp as the only options behind Sean Murphy? The situation will become very dicey if Murphy is out for an extended period next season, and Brian Snitker was forced to rely solely on a player with zero MLB experience and a third-ranked catcher.

Braves free agent targets: Catchers

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The group of free agent catchers is pretty rough, especially considering the Braves clearly aren’t trying to spend money on a backup, even if they would like to add some insurance in case of injury. It’s possible the Braves will make a small bet on one of these guys, but I think the big takeaway is that Travis d’Arnaud is going to be scooped up by another team in free agency.

Other teams that don’t have a guy like Sean Murphy will value a seasoned veteran like D’Arnaud much more. With the number of free agent catchers available to say the least, any competitive team looking for a catcher this offseason will love D’Arnaud. He should probably get at least a one-year, $8 million contract as a free agent, and there might even be something else in store for him. Unless d’Arnaud is willing to take advantage of a hometown discount to remain with the organization, he will likely play elsewhere next season.

If this is the case, then it is quite possible that Chadwick Tromp Next season begins in Atlanta under Sean Murphy, with Drake Baldwin waiting for his chance. Because this list of free agent catchers is far from encouraging.

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