Catcher Matt Wieters remains among the top players available in free agency, but his market appears to be heating up with multiple teams showing interest.
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Braves, Nationals Among Teams Vying for Wieters
Thursday, Dec. 29
According to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports, the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals appear to be Wieters’ top two suitors.
Per Heyman, Atlanta has long stood out as a landing spot for Wieters, but the Nats have jumped in to replace some of the production lost by the departures of catcher Wilson Ramos and infielder Danny Espinosa.
Heyman also named the Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets as possible fits, although they may all be content with their current catching situations.
Wieters is coming off a 2016 season that saw him hit .243 with 17 home runs and 66 RBI for the Baltimore Orioles. He was also named to his fourth All-Star team in eight MLB seasons.
The 30-year-old veteran boasts considerable power for the position with three seasons of 20 or more home runs, and he is also capable defensively with two Gold Gloves to his credit.
Staying healthy has been Wieters’ biggest issue in recent years, however, as he appeared in just 101 games combined in the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
Wieters bounced back to play in 124 contests last season, and he is easily the best backstop still available.
Teams being cautious when it comes to offering Wieters a big contract in both money and term is understandable considering his durability issues, but he is a solid, reliable presence behind the plate when healthy.
Strong all-around catchers are at a premium in Major League Baseball, and both the Braves and Nationals would receive a significant boost by signing him.
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