Blake Swihart was the Boston Red Sox's top prospect last season. The catcher made his MLB debut and hit .274/.319/.392 with 47 runs scored, 5 home runs and 31 RBI in his first 84 career games. However, fellow catcher Christian Vazquez is making his way back from Tommy John surgery and could disrupt the hierarchy at the catcher position in Boston.
Vazquez, 25, played only 55 MLB games before injuring his elbow and requiring reconstructive surgery. However, he told reporters this weekend that he "feels great" and is "going to be ready 100 percent" when pitchers and catcher report to camp on Feb. 19.
As a result, rumors suggest there could be a battle for the No. 1 catcher position on the roster.
"Unless Blake Swihart really improves his defense, Christian Vazquez has a great chance of taking the Red Sox' No. 1 job at catcher once he gets a little playing time at [Triple-A] Pawtucket and tests his Tommy John-repaired elbow," writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the Red Sox are committed to Swihart as their No. 1 catcher heading into 2016, but Vazquez can soon be a part of that discussion once he gets back into a rhythm. Rumors from last year indicated Swihart was the team's catcher of the future due to his superior athleticism, but his defense isn't nearly as polished as Vazquez's.
"The Red Sox pitching staff could benefit from throwing to 'Mini Yadi,' their nickname for Vazquez since his defensive prowess resembles that of perennial All-Star Yadier Molina," writes Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald.
"Swihart, who played shortstop, first base and the outfield in high school before he started catching in 11th grade, could potentially move to another position in the event that a healthy Vazquez eventually steals the starting job."
(Note: Dombrowski said the team is NOT considering a position change for Swihart at this point.)
Vazquez underwent Tommy John surgery last April after injuring his elbow in spring training. He's been recovering ever since, specifically with focus on his swing, losing weight and building his shoulder strength this offseason, Mastrodonato adds. While Swihart's strength is his bat, Vazquez's is his defense, which could play a role in the team's decision making.
It won't be easy to unseat Swihart at the onset of 2016, but if Vazquez can show his defense is still sharp and perhaps improve his offense, he'll certainly have an opportunity to facilitate the discussion for a change at catcher on the MLB roster.
Then again, watch out for trade rumors to surface. Back in November it was reported Boston's young players were garnering a lot of interest throughout the league and Dombrowski might find it prudent to get value for one of these talented backstops.
