Chance Sisco...

[weams]

Wasn't Caleb Joseph considered to be poor defensively. If he is an athlete he can learn to catch. If he doesn't have the arm for it, he never will. Would the O's waste their time developing him as a catcher if it's unlikely? IMO it would be lousy to have a good hitter with no place to play because they kept him at catcher.

I do not believe that Keith Law is the correct judge for a catching prospect at this point in his advancement. Let Don Werner tell us that after he works with him for two years.

[DrShorebird]

Chance Sisko took a hard hit from a foul-back ball in tonight's (Thur 7/31) game. He had to leave the game but was able to walk off under his own power (with Trek's assistance). The umpire blocked my view, but it looked as if he could have been hit in the throat/neck area and possible leg too. I have no report of the seriousness of the injury. Perhaps he can play Friday, but I hope they give him at least a day's recovery time.

[DrShorebird]

Good news! Chance played, went 3 for 5 and drove in 2. He caught another fine game.

[Fiver]

Didn't we draft a couple of other catchers relatively high last year also? Anyone know what those guys are up to?

[eb45]

Didn't we draft a couple of other catchers relatively high last year also? Anyone know what those guys are up to?

Jonah Heim (4th round) was a plus defensive catcher at draft time whose bat, in part due to his cold-weather (Buffalo) origins, was considered a project. He's gotten great reports on his defense but his bat hasn't come around yet.

Alex Murphy (6th round) was a local product (from Calvert Hall, my alma mater) who wasn't the quality athlete Sisco and Heim were, but had more power projection (and present power) than either. Doesn't have the present hit tool of Sisco or the glove of Heim but he's got some real offensive upside and he's holding his own (showcasing some decent pop as well) at Aberdeen as a 19 year old.

All three have everyday catcher upside, with very different profiles. Sisco's the best prospect of the three but Heim and Murphy are certainly interesting as well.

[EagleOriole]

I would be tempted to move Sisco to 3B or 2B for the simple reason that his bat will likely advance quicker as a non-catcher and that his offense will not be affected by the phsycial demands of catching. Bryce Harper was a catcher. The Nationals moved him for the exact reason I stated above. People here often disregard Keith Law's comments on Oriole prospects and players but he always seems to be right a lot more than wrong. I would certainly like to read something a little more in depth than "he can't catch" but that is alarming and I don't take it lightly.

There has been a history of doing this, I would be cool with moving him to 3B or 2B. I would think because of where we are as an organization that 2B would be the more likely.

[UMDTerrapins]

There has been a history of doing this, I would be cool with moving him to 3B or 2B. I would think because of where we are as an organization that 2B would be the more likely.

Jayson Werth immediately comes to mind.

[eb45]

I would be tempted to move Sisco to 3B or 2B for the simple reason that his bat will likely advance quicker as a non-catcher and that his offense will not be affected by the phsycial demands of catching. Bryce Harper was a catcher. The Nationals moved him for the exact reason I stated above. People here often disregard Keith Law's comments on Oriole prospects and players but he always seems to be right a lot more than wrong. I would certainly like to read something a little more in depth than "he can't catch" but that is alarming and I don't take it lightly.

I get this viewpoint, but I also get the viewpoint that his value is much higher as a catcher and you want to maximize future potential value.

I don't know, his bat probably plays at 2B, but people who have seen him more than Law think he could become a decent catcher. I'm tempted to say stick with it until it becomes a genuine problem. His 23% CS rate isn't awful and the O's have kept worse guys at catcher (Sawyer, Ohlman).

Law's evaluation is worrisome, though. It's certainly enough reason not to pencil Sisco in as the O's starting catcher from 2017 on.

[Ruzious]

Jayson Werth immediately comes to mind.

Craig Biggio comes to mind.

[Stotle]

Jayson Werth immediately comes to mind.

Craig Biggio comes to mind.

Werth was a very, very different player. Biggio's ability to catch was never in question, was it? Didn't he shift out later in his career.

I'd think of someone like Will Myers as a hopeful outcome.

[Ruzious]

Werth was a very, very different player. Biggio's ability to catch was never in question, was it? Didn't he shift out later in his career.

I'd think of someone like Will Myers as a hopeful outcome.

Biggio switched fairly early in his major league career because of the toll Htn thought it would take - and because he was athletic enough to play other positions - which may end up being the case with Sisco. Dale Murphy was another who started out as a catcher, but he threw so wildly as a rookie that they couldn't keep him there. The interesting there is - it appeared the Braves didn't hold him back from advancing to the majors because of his defensive shortcomings. But he was such a good natural talent that he adjusted very quickly to CF. That'd be a question about Sisco - if catcher doesn't end up being his position, what other positions could he play, and how quickly would it take him to adjust?

[UMDTerrapins]

Werth was a very, very different player. Biggio's ability to catch was never in question, was it? Didn't he shift out later in his career.

I'd think of someone like Will Myers as a hopeful outcome.

I wasn't implying they are similar players...thought that was apparent by context. I was replying to the posts about catchers who's offensive development is hindered by playing the position and become more viable ML players after a position switch. Werth is an obvious example since he was an Oriole catcher prospect and high draft pick who didn't develop the way people had expected until after an organization change, and then position change.

[Stotle]

Biggio switched fairly early in his major league career because of the toll Htn thought it would take - and because he was athletic enough to play other positions - which may end up being the case with Sisco. Dale Murphy was another who started out as a catcher, but he threw so wildly as a rookie that they couldn't keep him there. The interesting there is - it appeared the Braves didn't hold him back from advancing to the majors because of his defensive shortcomings. But he was such a good natural talent that he adjusted very quickly to CF. That'd be a question about Sisco - if catcher doesn't end up being his position, what other positions could he play, and how quickly would it take him to adjust?

I think the questions surrounding Sisco are more "can he grow into a serviceable catcher". So logging 400+ games behind the plate at the MLB level would be a pretty resounding "yes" if Sisco can match Biggio. Murphy might be a better example, I agree, as he was bad enough to not really get any extended time behind the dish.

[Ruzious]

Jonah Heim (4th round) was a plus defensive catcher at draft time whose bat, in part due to his cold-weather (Buffalo) origins, was considered a project. He's gotten great reports on his defense but his bat hasn't come around yet.

Alex Murphy (6th round) was a local product (from Calvert Hall, my alma mater) who wasn't the quality athlete Sisco and Heim were, but had more power projection (and present power) than either. Doesn't have the present hit tool of Sisco or the glove of Heim but he's got some real offensive upside and he's holding his own (showcasing some decent pop as well) at Aberdeen as a 19 year old.

All three have everyday catcher upside, with very different profiles. Sisco's the best prospect of the three but Heim and Murphy are certainly interesting as well.

And they have yet another 19 year old catcher on one of their Dominican teams - Ronald Soto - doing very well there after a rough start in the GCL. He's a big guy listed at 6'4 220. I think he was a highly regarded signing a year or so ago.

[NCRaven]

I get this viewpoint, but I also get the viewpoint that his value is much higher as a catcher and you want to maximize future potential value.

I agree with this. A bat like Sisco's probably plays anywhere on the field. You could argue that you'd like to see more power from a corner player, but he's only 19 and facing 23 year old pitchers in the Sally League. I suspect that there's more power to come as he develops.

But, his bat certainly has far greater value if he can grow into a league average catcher, defensively. After all, Machado could play left field, but why? If Sisco can catch - still to be determined, IMO - then why move him now when you still have plenty of time to make that change?