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KC Royals Prospects: Does Omaha have a catching problem?

By Mike Gillespie |
/ Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
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While Minnesota silenced the KC Royals 2-0 for the second straight time Saturday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium, their Omaha Triple-A affiliate busied itself thrashing Indianapolis 12-1. Somewhat surprisingly, the Storm Chasers accomplished the feat despite hitting only two home runs.

The first came in the fourth when catcher Logan Porter tagged Indy pitcher Caleb Smith for a solo homer, but that was merely a prelude to the grand slam with which designated hitter Jakson Reetz, also a catcher, punished Smith an inning later. Reetz finished the day 3-for-5 with five RBIs while Porter went 1-for-5.

That Porter and Reetz both homered was, of course, just fine with Omaha. But it also hints at a problem of sorts the Storm Chasers, and their parent Royals, must sooner or later resolve.

Having three catchers at Triple-A Omaha poses some issues for the KC Royals

The Chasers' talent-rich roster boasts three catchers with major league potential. That may be a nice problem to have at Triple-A for some organizations, but it could complicate decision making for Kansas City, which has Salvador Perez and MJ Melendez at the top of its crowded system catching depth chart. Even with Bobby Witt Jr. starting his second big league season, Perez, just named team captain, is still the face of the franchise and Melendez plays regularly in the outfield when he isn't catching, Neither is going anywhere anytime soon.

The Royals don't have to act now, but something may have to give yet this season—at some point, Omaha carrying three good backstops capable of playing every day likely becomes a problem.

Let's see why.

Three capable catchers who can all hit give the KC Royals choices at Omaha

Envy Omaha manager Mike Jirschele, who could, without making a mistake, pick any one of his three backstops as his everyday catcher. Especially offensively, all are excellent candidates.

Porter's hot spring—he slashed .348/.444/.435 in 18 Cactus League games as a non-roster invitee—underscores the potential of his bat, which many noticed for the first time last season when he hit a combined .301 with a .442 OBP and 13 homers across stints at Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Omaha. He carried a four-year minor league career .293 average and .428 OBP into Friday's season opener, and that he can and does play first base is a resume plus.

Reetz can also hit, and with power. Last year, he homered 22 times for Biloxi, Milwaukee's Double-A club, and hit .281 with a stellar .392 OBP, before the Brewers bumped him up to Triple-A. He hooked on with Kansas City after Milwaukee suddenly cut him in August and hit five home runs in 21 games at Omaha. Reetz may have an unimpressive .238 career minor league average, but he's beginning to prove he can handle the bat, and his .350 career minor league OBP shows he knows how to get on base.

And Fermin? Count many as surprised when the Royals decided they didn't need a third catcher and optioned him to Omaha a week before major league spring camp closed. The three games he played with Kansas City suggest he might have a leg up on the first shot at KC this season if injury befalls Perez or Melendez. He can, like Porter and Reetz, swing the bat: in 87 games with the Storm Chasers last season, he batted .270 with 15 home runs and a .365 OBP.

Yes, Porter, Reetz, and Fermon are all good, but the Royals can't make room for them all forever. So, what's next?

What are the KC Royals to do with three good Triple-A catchers?

That's the question Jirschele and Kansas City share: Jirschele has to figure out how to give Porter, Reetz and Fermin ample playing time, and the Royals must decide their eventual fate with the franchise.

Again, any decision Jirschele reaches about catching won't be wrong. But whoever he selects to catch on any given day leaves one catcher on the bench if the other DH's and, although Porter can play first, he won't get much chance there as long as Nick Pratto is in Omaha trying to get his hitting back in order.

Kansas City's organizational problem is more difficult. The Royal brass needs to determine what to do with Omaha's catchers in the long run, a problem made more difficult by the current progression up the system ladder of Luca Tresh, another catcher and KC's 13th-best prospect per MLB Pipeline. He slashed .263/.333/.421 for the Royals in the Cactus League and will start the season at Northwest Arkansas Thursday.

Without question, and in a perfect world, the Royals would love to keep Porter, Reetz and Fermin. But baseball isn't a perfect world or a perfect business, and at least one, and maybe two, of Omaha's three catchers may become trapped in a developing numbers crunch that only a transaction or two can resolve.

Why? Perez is going to finish his career with Kansas City; his retirement is still a few years away. Improving Melendez's defense behind the plate is a continuing project, but the Royals want him to catch, and they don't want to lose his bat. The club probably doesn't want to waste Porter on the bench, but he gives them a bit of versatility they may need if Pratto doesn't hit and Melendez becomes a permanent outfielder-DH.

Reetz hasn't hit well enough long enough to assure a long-term relationship with the club. And Fermin may be a better backup than a regular.

Look for Jirschele to move his catchers around for the next few weeks. But if the midsummer trade deadline approaches with Melendez still catching with no end to that task in sight and Tresh trending in the right direction, expect the Royals to seriously consider trading Porter, shopping or releasing Reetz, and keeping Fermin.

dark. Next. What to expect from MJ Melendez

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