MLB Notebook: Craig Breslow quietly strengthens Red Sox catching pipeline while evaluating external options

The Red Sox are slowly checking off boxes on their offseason checklist, having fortified the starting rotation with three key external additions. The infield picture remains unsettled, with only Trevor Story and Willson Contreras locked into positions ahead of spring training. However, one area the club has quietly worked to upgrade, organizationally, has been behind the plate.

With camp approaching, the Red Sox enter the season with Carlos Narváez and Connor Wong as its major league tandem. On paper, the position is serviceable for 2026, but outside Narváez and Wong, the Sox lack MLB-ready catchers, and the front office has explored ways to elevate the roster in the short term while also keeping an eye toward the future.

Prior to re-signing with the Phillies, the Red Sox were linked to J.T. Realmuto, signaling the front office wanted to, at least on the surface, bring in a veteran to pair with Narváez and work with the rebuilt starting rotation.

Offensively, Realmuto, who turns 35 in March, would have been a nice fit batting in the lower part of the lineup. The veteran hit .257 with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs across 134 games last season while tying for the major league lead with 132 games caught. Over a 12-year career with the Marlins and Phillies, he owns a .270 batting average, 180 home runs, and 677 RBI, long setting the standard for durability and two-way impact at the position.

Boston was also linked to catcher Victor Caratini, but he signed a two-year, $14 million deal with the Twins. He was the second veteran the Red Sox have publicly been connected to this winter. Caratini offers a different defensive profile, one that is designed around blocking versus arm strength behind the dish.

According to Baseball Savant, he ranked in the 72nd percentile in Blocks Above Average but graded lower in controlling the running game, finishing in the 10th percentile in Catcher Stealing Runs Above Average and the 3rd percentile in pop time with an average release of 2.05 seconds. His receiving metrics landed closer to the league average, with a 38th-percentile framing grade.

One thing is clear at the moment: Narváez will enter 2026 on top of the Red Sox’ depth chart with Wong slotted behind him as his backup. The Sox landed Narváez in a trade prior to the 2025 season with the Yankees. 

In his rookie season, Narváez was a pleasant surprise for Boston, playing in 118 games, where he logged 446 plate appearances, hitting .241/.306/.419 with 15 home runs, a .315 wOBA, and a 97 wRC+, according to FanGraphs. Combine that with stellar defense at a demanding position, and that production translated to 2.7 WAR.

Baseball Savant illustrates why Boston felt comfortable pivoting away from the veteran market, at least for the time being. Narváez ranked in the 95th percentile in catcher stealing runs above average and the 99th percentile in pop time (1.86 seconds), giving the Red Sox elite control over the running game. While his blocking (13th percentile) and framing (7th percentile) remain areas for refinement, the arm strength, quick release, and overall athleticism provide a defensive foundation that aligns with how the organization is constructing its pitching staff.

An area of opportunity for Narváez coming into 2026 is limiting the amount of catcher's interference calls that plagued his rookie season. He was involved in two key incidents this summer on back-to-back days against the Phillies. On July 21, with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning, Edmundo Sosa’s check swing made slight contact with Narváez’s glove as the catcher set up to receive the pitch. The home plate umpire initially ruled no interference, but after a crew chief review, the call was overturned. Under Rule 6.01(a), catcher’s interference was assessed, forcing in the winning run and handing the Phillies a walk-off victory.

One night later, Narváez was again penalized—this time for a rare catcher’s balk and interference during a Bryce Harper steal attempt of home. Narváez positioned himself too far forward of the plate, violating Rule 6.01(g), which governs a catcher’s positioning and actions that impede a runner. The infraction resulted in an automatic award of home plate to Harper.

Lost somewhere in the conversation is Wong, who is coming off a difficult 2025 season in which an injury and performance at the plate cost him his starting job. Wong appeared in just 63 games, where he batted a measly .190 with a .500 OPS and eight doubles, while making 52 starts behind the plate. His struggles came one year removed from a breakout 2024 season, when he hit .280/.333/.425 with 13 home runs and a 113 OPS+.

Wong underwent right-hand carpal boss excision surgery following the season, a factor that could have contributed to his offensive regression. If he remains healthy, Wong is a viable backup with a track record of leading a big league staff.

Beyond the major league roster, Boston has gone out of its way to add meaningful organizational depth. The Red Sox acquired Ronny Hernández from the White Sox for left-hander Chris Murphy early on in the offseason.

Hernández isn’t necessarily a lock to remain behind the plate while in the system. He’s seen some time at first base while in the White Sox’ organization. According to his SoxProspects scouting report, Hernández has an inconsistent arm, and his offensive profile stands out more than on the defensive side of the dish.

The Sox added another catcher when the club acquired Johan Oviedo from the Pirates. Boston acquired Adonys Guzmán, who appeared in just one game in the minors last season. The right-handed hitter went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI in the game. The 22-year-old was a fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft. Guzmán is listed at 5’11 and 221 pounds and has been praised for his defensive abilities. There’s some potential with his bat, showcasing some pop and plate discipline in college, walking 64 times to just 70 strikeouts.

Guzmán is an “intriguing catching prospect with a defense-first profile,” according to SoxProspects. “Has the type of defensive ability that could carry him to the high minors in short order. Upside will be determined by how much he hits.”

Boston also traded for catching prospect Luke Heyman from the Mariners for right-handed pitcher Alex Hoppe. Seattle drafted Heyman in the 14th round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of the University of Florida. He did not make his professional debut last season because he was recovering from a fractured forearm that shortened his final season with the Gators.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound right-handed hitter batted. 301/.397/.578 with 13 homers, seven doubles, one triple, and 44 RBIs in 49 games this past spring before landing on the injured list.

Baseball America ranked Heyman as the No. 127 prospect in the 2025 draft, but he fell to 422nd and ultimately signed for a $230,000 bonus.

“Heyman offers plus raw power and improving swing decisions,” BA wrote in its pre-draft scouting report. “He generates carry and lift to the pull side, even on pitches thrown on the outer half of the zone. While Heyman struggled somewhat with off-speed pitches, particularly changeups, he crushed velocity—a byproduct of solid bat speed and rhythm. He stays balanced through his swing and can punish mistakes over the plate.”

On the defensive side, Baseball America believes Heyman has a strong chance to remain behind the plate.

“Scouts believe he has a chance to stick behind the plate thanks to above-average arm strength and improved receiving and blocking. He presented pitches more cleanly than in years past and showed a feel for handling a staff.”

Boston has lacked significant depth at the catcher position in the minors. Johanfran Garcia returned from a knee injury last season, and Gerardo Rodriguez emerged while splitting time between rookie ball and Single A. Rodriguez hit .285 with three homers and 43 RBIs between the two affiliates in 69 games. 

Jorge Rodriguez, 19, has spent the last two summers in the Sox system and is knocking on the door of Single-A Salem. He hit .289 with three homers and 17 RBIs in 28 games in rookie ball.

The Sox signed veteran catcher Jason Delay, who will start the season with Triple-A Worcester. If Boston were to add another veteran, Wong could be optioned back to Worcester, allowing him to get regular at-bats as he looks to get back on the 26-man roster.

Boston’s depth expanded deeper this week after the club traded in Tristan Gray to the Twins in exchange for catcher Nate Baez, a move that also cleared a 40-man roster spot for Ranger Suárez. Baez, 24, brings a versatile right-handed bat with experience at both catcher and first base, aligning with the organization’s preference for flexibility at a physically demanding position.

Baez split the 2025 season between High-A Cedar Rapids and Double-A Wichita, batting .278/.371/.423 with a .794 OPS across 96 games. A 12th-round selection (No. 354 overall) out of Arizona State in the 2022 MLB Draft, Baez earned a non-roster invitation to spring training after showing consistent plate discipline and contact skills as he climbed the system.

While Baez logged nearly equal time at catcher (368-plus innings) and first base (367-plus innings) last season—along with nine starts at designated hitter—his professional career has been anchored primarily behind the plate. Across four minor league seasons, he’s accumulated more than 932 innings at catcher and 684 at first base, giving Boston another option capable of absorbing innings and covering multiple roles.

The Red Sox have also continued to explore upside plays at the position. Boston has been connected to Dodgers catcher