Detroit Tigers: Veterans to battle for backup catcher role

The Detroit Tigers will have a returner battling with a pair of minor league free agents to be the back up catcher behind starter James McCann in 2018.

The Detroit Tigers will have plenty of position battles to settle during spring training. While some positions (first base, shortstop, etc.) are established, many others will be determined in the next few months.

The Tigers will likely have four spots for bench hitters. It will likely be a backup catcher, a utility infielder, an outfielder and one final spot.

Rule 5 draft selection Victor Reyes is in line for the fourth outfielder role. Since the team would be required to send him back to the Diamondbacks if they did not keep him on the 25-man roster, he will claim that spot.

The battle for the utility infielder role is on and there are numerous players vying for that spot.

The final roster spot will either go to one of the other utility infielders or JaCoby Jones if the Tigers choose to carry five outfielders.

The last competition is for the backup catcher role.

James McCann will head into 2018 as the starting catcher. He is under team control through 2020, so the Tigers are likely going to hold onto him at least for a few seasons.

The future of the position belongs to uber prospect Jake Rogers, who was recently ranked as one of the top-10 catching prospects in all of baseball.

25-year-old prospect Grayson Greiner will look to fit into the equation somewhere as well, likely in the next year or two.

Rogers and Greiner may be the future of the position, but neither are ready to take over as McCann’s back up in 2018. That said, the Tigers have three veteran guys who are all eyeing the opportunity to be on Detroit’s 25-man roster as the backup catcher next season.

First up is last year’s back up and the current front-runner for the position:

John Hicks

Hicks has the upper hand heading into 2018, simply because he filled the backup catcher role last season. The 28-year-old was Detroit’s primary backup catcher last season after Alex Avila was traded. He also played quite a bit of first base, filling in for Miguel Cabrera while he was injured. Overall he posted a .266/.326/.439 line with six home runs, 22 RBI and a 102 wRC+.

Hicks was originally drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the fourth round of the 2011 MLB draft. He made his big league debut in 2015, going 2-for-32 with 18 strikeouts.

The Mariners placed him on waivers after the season and the Twins claimed him. After 33 at-bats in Triple-A he was placed on waivers again. This time the Tigers claimed him. He split the rest of the season between Double-A and Triple-A, before playing in one game with Detroit at the end of the season.

Hicks started 2017 in Triple-A, hitting .269 with seven home runs and five stolen bases. He was called up for good after the Avila trade.

Hicks’ experience at first base will work in his favor as he battles for a spot on the opening day roster. Should either of the veterans beat Hicks out for the backup catcher role, he could still snag the final roster spot as a backup first baseman. Additionally, should injury befall either Miguel Cabrera or Victor Martinez Hicks is a good bet to fill in at first base.

Regardless of his role out of spring training, expect Hicks to see plenty of at-bats in the Motor City in 2018.

Next is a veteran catcher who is starting his second stint with the Tigers.

Derek Norris

The Tigers signed Norris to a minor league deal back in December. Even though he is just 28, he has considerably more experience in the big leagues than fellow 28-year-old Hicks.

Norris was originally drafted by the Washington Nationals in the fourth round of the 2007 draft. He was traded to the Oakland A’s in a prospect package for Gio Gonzalez.

He made his big league debut in 2012, hitting .201 with seven home runs in 209 at-bats. Norris put together a strong half season in 2013 before breaking out in 2014.

That season, Norris made his first (and only) All-Star game. He finished the year hitting .270/.361/.403 with 10 home runs and a 123 wRC+.

His numbers have rapidly declined since then, culminating in an ugly .201/.258/.380 line in 2017 with the Rays. All told Norris has hit .230 for his career with 63 home runs in 680 games.

He was suspended under baseball’s new domestic violence policy for the last month of the 2017 season. He became the fifth player to face punishment under the policy.

Norris comes with considerable baggage, and his performance on the field does not merit him winning the job over Hicks or Pena.

However, he has seen success at the major league level. And at just 28 years old, the Tigers are willing to take a chance on him. If he can regain some of what made him so successful a few years ago the Tigers will have found a gem in the bargain bin. If not, he can just serve as depth at Triple-A or be released, costing the Tigers next to nothing.

Next: A look at the 2018 Infield

James McCann will do the vast majority of the catching next season. However, the more depth you have behind the plate the better. Hicks, Pena and Norris all provide experience behind the dish and should make a solid catching core while Rogers and Greiner continue to develop in the minors.