Previewing the Arizona Diamondbacks Catchers

The Cactus League is over. There's a pair of exhibition games left. The Arizona Diamondbacks are on the brink of Opening Day and their quest to get back to the playoffs. The position player portion of the roster is set for March 27 against the Chicago Cubs.

Ahead of Opening Day, Diamondbacks On SI will break down each position group, dissecting the regular starting-caliber players, and evaluating the depth options should injury or underperformance occur.

Alex D'Agostino already previewed the outfield, breaking down the starters, bench players, and minor league depth. Jack Sommers previewed the infield. You can find those articles in the links below.

The catcher depth for the Diamondbacks is fairly thin despite having one of the best starters in baseball. There's only three MLB-caliber catchers but some intriguing minor leaguers.

Starters

Gabriel Moreno

Moreno came over via trade with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in a trade involving Daulton Varsho prior to the 2023 MLB season. All he's done since then is develop into a star-caliber catcher that has won a Gold Glove, is one of the best defenders, and has untapped potential in his bat.

Despite missing a lot of games last year, Moreno still put up 2.6 bWAR while slashing .266/.353/.380 with an OPS of .734. His OPS+ was 105 which is quite good for a catcher. He had five home runs, 45 RBI, and 18 doubles in 97 games.

Over the last two seasons, the 25-year-old has a combined 104 OPS+ and .741 OPS but his batting average is .276, a high number that shows that Moreno is one of the better hitting catchers in baseball.

Now, this Spring, he's hitting the ball with a lot more authority and power. Despite the hits not landing, he's hitting the ball harder than he ever has before and more consistently. This bodes well for a potential breakout season this year.

That's due to the fact that if he's truly able to hit the ball harder and more often, then eventually those balls will start landing for base hits and perhaps even over the fence.

His defense is among the best in baseball as he has 30 DRS over the last two seasons, including 10 Defensive Runs Saved last year, according to Baseball Reference. Statcast has him with +11 runs according to Fielding Run Value, including +4 last year.

Jose Herrera

Herrera is scheduled to be the backup catcher for the Diamondbacks in 2025, a role he's had most of the last two seasons. However, due to being out of options and Adrian Del Castillo's slow Spring, Herrera easily won the job.

Herrera is a pitcher's catcher. He has deep bonds with the pitchers, knows how to call games, and keep pitcher's cool on the mound. Herrera does everything behind the plate well enough to be a stable backup catcher on the defensive side.

He had a career year at the plate in 2024 including hitting his first career home run, but that doesn't mean it was a standout year. In the end, his OPS over 42 games was just .609 and his OPS+ was 70.

He had 22 hits with four doubles and 13 RBI, but that just isn't his skillset as a catcher. He's a defensive-first and clubhouse catcher. Herrera's best skill set can't be measured because it's his personal relationships with players and coaches.

Herrera is scheduled to be the backup catcher to start the season, if he stays in that role all season and Moreno stays healthy, Herrera should get into 40-50 games this year.

Depth

Adrian Del Castillo

Del Castillo is the team's third string catcher as he works on his defense and swing in Triple-A Reno Aces. However, should an injury happen to one of the two starters, Del Castillo is the most likely to be recalled. He had a rough Spring Training with just three hits in 24 at-bats.

Del Castillo has plenty of talent and the potential to be an impact left-hand bat from behind the plate. For now, he will prepare in the minor leagues and stay ready in case of an emergency. The 25-year-old is still just a rookie.

Other potential players include Rene Pinto who could stay with the team in the minor leagues should he pass through waivers following an expected Designated for Assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster. Pinto is an experienced MLB catcher.

Non-Roster Depth

There's also Triple-A catcher Aramis Garcia who came from the Phillies' minor league system last year and signed to Arizona in a minor league deal. He's a light-hitting catcher known for his defense.

The last player would be Christian Cerda, who was acquired in the David Peralta trade in 2022. Cerda has broken out of late over the last year. He's reached Double-A and flashed some impressive power while being a strong defensive catcher. However, he's still got to reach Triple-A before reaching Chase Field.

Related Content:

Previewing the Arizona Diamondbacks' Outfield Unit

Previewing the Arizona Diamondbacks Infield

Arizona Diamondbacks 2025 Player Projections Links Hub