Oakland Athletics: Catcher Only Position Unlikely to Change in 2016
It is obvious that the Oakland Athletics are going to go through a major rebuild this offseason. Whether it is building from within or acquiring new players, there are many areas that need some extra help including the bullpen, the starting rotation, and the outfield. However, there is one position that will probably not go through any change this offseason – the catcher.
The Athletics’ catcher position is basically already locked down for next season and for many seasons to come – that is if Oakland’s catchers continue to play well. Currently, the A’s have two quality catchers on their roster with many more waiting in the wings. Just like this past season, fans will likely see Stephen Vogt and Josh Phegley behind the plate in 2016.
Vogt has been a blessing in disguise for the A’s. He may have started the 2014 season in Triple-A, but he has since become the Athletics’ starting catcher as well as a leader in the clubhouse. 2015 was the first season that Vogt played in more than 100 games in the MLB and he did a great job both offensively and defensively. This past season, Vogt played in 136 games and batted .261 with 18 homers and 71 RBI. Defensively, Vogt maintained a .996 fielding percentage behind the plate.
Additionally, he is a versatile player, which the A’s always find valuable. This past year, Vogt played 25 games at first base and has also fielded a little in right and left in 2014. Even though he will be 31 years old by spring training next year, he will not become a free agent until 2020, and Oakland has no plans to trade Vogt anytime soon.
Backing up Vogt is Phegley. Initially, Phegley seemed like a small part of the Jeff Samardzija trade that also netted the Oakland Athletics Marcus Semien and Chris Bassitt. However, Phegley made a name for himself in Oakland this season. And like Vogt, Phegley will not be a free agent until 2020.
Phegley had an ok bat, hitting .249/.260/.388 in 2015. But, what really caught everyone’s attention was his defensive ability. Like Vogt, Phegley had a .996 fielding percentage with the green and gold this season, but his arm strength really shined as he successfully threw out 18 out of 28 opposing runners trying to steal. One game in particular that stands out was against the Detroit Tigers in May 2015. Phegley easily threw out three base runners trying to steal second during that one game including former Athletic Yoenis Cespedes.
The Oakland Athletics definitely have some quality catchers on their roster and that will not change for 2016. It is very unlikely that the A’s will trade Vogt or Phegley because they have made great contributions to the team. Expect to see these two both behind the plate next year.