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Chicago Cubs Rumors: Showing interest in Pirates’ Gerrit Cole
Caratini ready to go?
Victor Caratini is the other part of the deal and is major league ready now. As it stands, the Cubs would likely go with him as their backup catcher entering the season. But if he was dealt, you can expect the Cubs to make another signing for a backstop.
Caratini doesn’t have a whole lot more to prove in the minors at the plate. In 83 games at Iowa, he batted .342 with 10 home runs and 61 knocked in. In Double-A the year before, he hit .291 in 115 games. If anything, the Cubs would like him to get some more experience behind the plate. With Willson Contreras bound to get most of the action, there wouldn’t be a sufficient amount of innings to go around for Caratini.
Hence, the Cubs problem with him. Do they give him a go as the backup catcher and hope he picks things up? Or do they sign a veteran guy to backup Contreras and trade away Caratini?