Previewing the Pirates: Finding backup to Jacob Stallings at catcher a top priority

As the Pittsburgh Pirates prepare for the start of spring training next week in Bradenton, Fla., the Tribune-Review takes a look this week at players in each of the position groupings.

Derek Shelton remains steadfast in his belief the Pirates had the best defensive catcher in the National League last season in Gold Glove finalist Jacob Stallings.

Finding a backup at backstop, however, is a priority for the Pirates.

After an offseason when they claimed Michael Perez off waivers, signed Joe Hudson to a minor league contract and traded for 20-year-old Endy Rodriguez, the Pirates are intent at creating competition at catcher.

The starter is Stallings, who won the Roberto Clemente Award as team MVP as voted by members of the BBWAA. That was more of a tribute to his defense, where he drew praise for his pitch framing and blocking, led the NL with 22 assists and threw out nine baserunners.

Stallings had a red-hot August at the plate, slashing .392/.475/.510 with three doubles, a home run and 10 RBIs. He finished with a .248 average and 18 RBIs, including a walk-off solo homer in a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 22 at PNC Park.

“Stallings did take a step forward,” Shelton said. “I was probably the strongest advocate — and still advocate — for the fact that he should have won the Gold Glove, not taking anything away from anybody else. I thought he did take that much of a stride forward. The things that we challenged him on internally, in terms of running the game and leadership and things like that, he embraced those. Those things are probably what stood out to me the most.”

The problem for the Pirates last season came when they lost backup Luke Maile late in summer camp last July to a fractured index finger that required season-ending surgery, forcing John Ryan Murphy into a more prominent role. Murphy batted only .172 in 25 games, but Shelton praised his leadership in the clubhouse.

The Pirates, however, outrighted Maile and Murphy off their 40-man roster when they claimed Perez from the Tampa Bay Rays in October. Both elected free agency, and Maile signed with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Perez, 28, should provide a defensive upgrade and brings power potential with a left-handed bat the Pirates are hoping will play at PNC Park. He hit only .167 with 13 RBIs last season but flashed his power potential by hitting 61 homers in the minors and a two-run homer in Game 3 of the AL divisional series against the New York Yankees.

Shelton, a former hitting coach for the Rays, got positive feedback from friends in the organization.

“We were very fortunate to get Michael Perez,” Shelton said. “You can never have enough catching, as we’re seeing in the game these days. … What speaks to him is that the people in Tampa reached out to me independently to talk to me and tell me about the things they liked about him, about the kind of person he was.

“Anytime you get that, when people reach out independently before you even have a chance, it shows good signs.”

Providing depth will be Hudson and Andrew Susac, who spent last summer at the alternate training site and on the taxi squad as a third catcher. Hudson, 29, batted .167 in 18 major league games over three seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, St. Louis Cardinals and Seattle Mariners. Susac, who has played in 114 career games, started the season finale last year when Stallings went on the injured list with a concussion.

The Pirates also extended spring training invites to minor leaguers Jason Delay, Christian Kelley and Arden Pabst. Delay and Kelley spent last summer at Altoona, although Kelley had surgery to repair cartilage damage in his right wrist last August. Baseball America rates Kelley as the best defensive catcher in the Pirates’ system.

Shelton will be keeping a close watch on the position.

“I think we know this: I have a special place for catchers anyway, having been one,” Shelton said. “Once we get those guys into camp, it’s pretty cool to start building relationships with them.”