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Cubs Rumors: 3 catchers who could replace Willson Contreras

By Jake Misener |
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New York Mets v Oakland Athletics / Thearon W. Henderson/GettyImages
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Monday night brought plenty of excitement, ranging from the possibility of the Cubs not landing one, but two of the remaining three free agent shortstops to Tom Ricketts giving the front office the 'green light' to spend what's necessary to get the team back on track in 2023.

But the needs of this team go far beyond adding some star power back into the mix. Chicago will need to add an everyday center fielder, shore up the pitching staff - especially the starting rotation - and determine who will succeed Willson Contreras behind the plate, assuming he doesn't return in free agency this winter.

You might have missed the chatter on the backstops amidst all the chaos of the Winter Meetings - but here are three guys the Cubs have been connected to here early on in the offseason.

Cubs Rumors: 3 catchers to replace Willson Contreras - #3: Sean Murphy

Initially, it seemed like, of all teams, the Atlanta Braves were the front-runners for Oakland Athletics backstop Sean Murphy in trade discussions. But that quickly proved not to be the case and multiple other teams have since been connected to the former Gold Glove catcher.

On Monday, the Cubs were mentioned as a potential fit for the first time which, at least on paper, makes sense. They have a major need behind the dish heading into 2023 and Murphy would certainly fit the bill.

Murphy won't become a free agent until 2026 - and given he's one of the better all-around catchers in the game, he's going to be a hot commodity on the trade market. Atlanta, St. Louis, Houston, Chicago (both the Sox and the Cubs), Cleveland, Minnesota, Boston and Tampa Bay have all been linked to the 28-year-old catcher to this point.

Given the free agent options out there, I'm not so sure a trade is the answer as Chicago looks to extend the depth chart behind the plate. There's a need, to be sure, but I'd rather hold those trade chips in the organization to go after a Pablo Lopez and hand catching duties to a proven veteran who's available in on the open market.

Detroit Tigers v Seattle Mariners
Detroit Tigers v Seattle Mariners / Steph Chambers/GettyImages

Cubs Rumors: 3 catchers to replace Willson Contreras - #2: Tucker Barnhart

No one seems quite sure why everything went off the rails for the Detroit Tigers in 2022 - but almost every major addition the former front office regime made in the offseason underperformed as the team crawled to a 66-96 finish in the AL Central.

Veteran catcher Tucker Barnhart was no exception to that rule. The soon-to-be 32-year-old catcher, who has never been what you'd call an offensive juggernaut, managed just a 64 OPS+ in 94 games, slashing .221/.287/.267 on the year. A two-time Gold Glove winner, it's not hard to envision a scenario where the Cubs pair Barnhart with Yan Gomes in 2023 in hopes that Miguel Amaya finally stays healthy and is ready to make his big league debut in 2024.

Barnhart represents the most cost-effective option of these three backstops we're looking at given his struggles with Detroit last year. He's known to be looking for a starting role, but I think there's a path forward in Chicago where Gomes turns 36 next July and isn't an everyday catcher at this point.

If the Cubs are looking to prioritize game-calling and receiving over offense - and want to allocate their financial resources in other areas, a buy-low deal with Barnhart could check a box and give the team two experienced receivers in the mix come 2023.

Championship Series - Houston Astros v New York Yankees - Game Three
Championship Series - Houston Astros v New York Yankees - Game Three / Elsa/GettyImages

Cubs Rumors: 3 catchers to replace Willson Contreras - #1: Christian Vazquez

Last, but certainly not least, we come to Christian Vazquez, who was traded by the Red Sox to the Astros at the trade deadline and struggled with that transition initially, only to win a World Series ring with Houston - the second of his big league career.

Vazquez was reportedly less than thrilled about not being the go-to guy behind the plate, but veteran Martin Maldonado is beloved by the pitching staff and the organization, as a whole. Now on the open market, the 32-year-old Vazquez is seeking a starting role - and he could be a perfect fit for a Cubs team with a young pitching staff on the rise.

Chicago would face stiff competition for his services - as many of the same teams interested in exploring a trade for Murphy also have interest in Vazquez. That makes sense because, like I said, there are going to be teams (like the Cubs) who have other needs to address via trade and may be more comfortable simply paying in free agency rather than losing prospects in a deal for a catcher.

Next. Cubs expected to submit offer to Xander Bogaerts. dark

A Vazquez-Gomes combination might not be the sexiest catching tandem in the league and it may lack the 'wow' factor Contreras brought to the North Side, but make no mistake: it's also a quality pair of veterans more than capable of guiding this staff moving forward.

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