Oakland Athletics’ Potential Call-Ups: Catcher Carson Blair
Who Is Oakland Athletics’ Catcher Carson Blair?
Earlier this week, MLB.com beat writer Jane Lee was asked about September call-ups in her mailbag column. After naming a few pitchers, she commented that the Oakland Athletics would likely want a third catcher. Most teams typically do try to add a third backstop to their roster in September, and Lee believes the A’s will select Carson Blair, although he will need to be added to the 40-man roster before that can happen.
So who is Carson Blair, and how has he performed this season?
Blair is a veteran minor leaguer, having been drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2008. He signed with the Athletics over the winter, after electing free agency following six seasons in the minor leagues. The catcher has hit .257/.356/.438 in 2015, splitting time between Double- and Triple-A.
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While Blair has some interesting potential, he’s also drawn comparisons to players like Adam Dunn, due to his “three true outcome” ability. Blair’s strikeout rate hovers between 25 and 30 percent – far higher than league average. He also has a walk rate that typically ranges between 12 and 16 percent each season, although he hasn’t had as much luck in Nashville.
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The third outcome, home runs, is probably where he lacks the most consistency. Home runs can be very hard to judge in minor league parks. Players aren’t typically fully developed in terms of strength yet, pitchers aren’t necessarily throwing as hard, and park sizes and conditions vary wildly. There’s also a lot of movement among players. In the majors, most rosters are fairly stable, excluding one or two fringe players. Hitters get to know the pitchers in the league, as well as the ballparks. Minor league players are constantly moving between levels, making it difficult to learn the pitches of any particular opponent.
With all that being said, Blair is certainly not pounding the ball out of the park on a consistent basis, as players like Dunn tend to do. He has just eight home runs this season (although they were in fairly pitcher-friendly leagues), and he had only 11 in 2014 with the Red Sox. If he wants to stick at the major league level, he would need to show a little more regularity in the power department.
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To put it simply, if Blair is called up as Lee expects, it won’t be done with the intent of seeing whether he deserves a spot on next year’s roster. The Athletics are set at the catcher position, with two very capable catchers in Josh Phegley and Stephen Vogt. Blair’s signing in December with a depth move, meant to give the Athletics a little help after two of their own long-time minor leaguers elected free agency at the end of the 2014 season.
It’s not to say there’s absolutely no chance he’ll come up and perform well, but mostly, he’ll just be around to give Vogt and Phegley a break behind the plate.