The Boston Red Sox traded for catcher and outfielder Blake Sabol from the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, and this move likely signals that they are set at the catcher position for the start of the 2025 season.
While they might look to add another player closer to the trade deadline depending on how the season progresses, the team is expected to enter spring training with Connor Wong as the starting catcher, while Sabol and Carlos Narvaez will compete for the backup spot.
The Red Sox have a lot of infield depth, both on the major league roster and in the minors. Considering this, it may have made more sense to use shortstop Marcelo Mayer in a trade package for Garrett Crochet, rather than catcher Kyle Teel. The Red Sox could have also used such a trade to pursue a veteran third baseman.
However, despite the White Sox already having a catcher of the future in Edgar Quero, they preferred Teel over Mayer. While Boston needed to make this trade, the addition of a strong starting pitcher like Crochet resulted in the loss of a promising young catcher in Teel.
Currently, the Red Sox have limited depth in their farm system at catcher. Connor Wong has four years remaining before he hits free agency, but his potential beyond his current performance is uncertain. At 29, Wong has only played two full seasons in the majors and hit .280 in 2024.
However, his batting average was helped by good luck on balls in play, as Statcast gave him a .231 expected batting average. Additionally, his defensive performance declined from 2023 to 2024.
Instead of trying to secure a veteran catcher from the weak free-agent market, the Red Sox decided to acquire younger catchers in Carlos Narvaez and Blake Sabol. This move makes more sense given the lack of solid options available on the market.
Danny Jansen, for example, was the highest-paid catcher this offseason with an $8.5 million contract for one year, but he struggled during his time in Boston. Older catchers like Kyle Higashioka and Travis d’Arnaud received the next substantial contracts, but most of the free-agent catcher pool included players like James McCann, Yasmani Grandal, and Elias Diaz, who were not ideal solutions for the team.
With Kyle Teel now traded away, the Red Sox are unlikely to find their future starting catcher from within the organization. Nathan Hickey’s stock has fallen, and Johanfran Garcia, a promising 20-year-old catcher, is still recovering from an ACL injury and is years away from being ready.
Brooks Brannon, another young catcher, is currently playing in Low-A and may not remain behind the plate for long. The team might look to repeat their “Teel Route” by selecting a college catcher in the 2025 MLB Draft, hoping to develop him into a starting option by 2027.
Looking ahead, free-agent catchers like J.T. Realmuto and Mitch Garver will be available in a year, but they will both be in their mid-30s. While Realmuto still has talent, it is hard to see the Red Sox investing heavily in a top-tier free agent until it happens.
For the time being, the Red Sox have a short-term plan for their catcher situation, with Wong, Sabol, and Narvaez as their main options. However, they will need to start planning for the long-term future at the position.
