Analysis of Spring Training Infielders and Catchers

The Rangers have 9 infielders and 6 catchers in major league Spring Training camp. Below, I will rate each infielder and catcher and give their chances of making the 25-man active roster at the end of Spring Training.

Infielders:

Joaquin Arias:
Joaquin is learning the outfield positions and might be the utility guy or back-up infielder. I think he will be the utility guy.

Percentage: 62.4%


Hank Blalock:
He’s our third baseman.

Percentage: 100%


Nate Gold:
Nate played great last year but isn’t going to make the team. He’s a first baseman and back-up infielders need to be able to play 2nd and short.

Percentage: 0%


Ian Kinsler:
Ian’s our second baseman.

Percentage: 100%


Drew Meyer:
Drew was called up part of last year and batted .214 in 14 AB. He was DFA’d this off-season and cleared waivers. He’s probably not going to make the team.

Percentage: 8.2%


Desi Relaford:
Desi is 33 years old and has never been a starter. He hasn’t been that good, with a career average of .244 and 40 career home runs. Last year, he didn’t play in the majors, but in ’05 he hit .224 with 1 HR and 16 RBI. But I don’t think any of the other players competing for the job will outplay him, except for Joaquin Arias.

Percentage: 53.7%


Mark Teixeira:
Mark’s our first baseman.

Percentage: 100%


Ramon Vazquez:
Ramon hasn’t had a very good career, batting .255 with 7 HR and 92 RBI. Last year, with Cleveland, he batted .209 with 1 HR and 8 RBI. He has been getting worse every year since 2002. He probably won’t make the team unless Desi Relaford or Joaquin Arias does awful.

Percentage: 12.7%


Michael Young:
Michael is the Rangers’ starting shortstop.

Percentage: 100%


Catchers:

Gerald Laird:
Gerald is the starting catcher

Percentage: 100%


Salomon Manriquez:
Solomon has never played in the majors and probably won’t this year. He’s got career minor league totals of a .254 AVG with 41 HR and 240 RBI. His best year was 2005 with Potomac, when he hit .287 with 15 HR and 68 RBI.

Percentage: 1.5%


Miguel Ojeda:
Miguel has a career .224 AVG with 15 HR and 72 RBI. He has never started and has only played 4 years in the majors. He has one option left which probably puts him a little behind Guillermo Quiroz.

Percentage: 34.1%


Guillermo Quiroz:
Guillermo was signed to a major league contract and has no options. He is the main runner for the back-up catcher job, in my opinion. He is the only one without options of the three main competitors. He only has 90 career major league at-bats. He isn’t that great a hitter (.238 minor league average), although his power numbers have been decent in the minors. He is 25 years old.

Percentage: 63.4%


Kevin Richardson:
Kevin isn’t going to make the team because he hasn’t gotten past AA yet.

Percentage 0%


Chris Stewart:
Chris probably isn’t going to make the team this year since he has options and only has 8 major-league at-bats. He hasn’t gotten any hits out of those at-bats. He is a great fielder and a decent hitter.

Percentage: 21.3%


Projected infielders and catchers at the beginning of the year:
Gerald Laird-catcher
Guillermo Quiroz-back-up catcher
Mark Teixeira-1B
Ian Kinsler-2B
Hank Blalock-3B
Michael Young-SS
Joaquin Arias-utility
Desi Relaford-back-up infielder

Next in line:
Miguel Ojeda


Come back next week for a report from Spring Training in Surprise.