Cleveland Indians: Could Eric Haase actually be the future catcher?

The Cleveland Indians have two quality big league catchers on the roster right now. And the future at the position looks pretty bright.

Everyone knows about the defensive prowess of Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez. They are excellent at controlling baserunners and helping their pitchers. But with the lack of offensive production, one of them could be a nice trade chip for the Indians.

Also, they have stud prospect Francisco Mejia waiting in the wings. His bat is powerful and so is his arm. But his defensive ability is not as good as the current catching tandem in Cleveland. Because of that, and the long term contracts that Gomes and Perez are under, Mejia will be getting some reps in the outfield and could potentially stay out there.

So if Mejia stays in the outfield long term, what’s the future at catcher? That’s where Eric Haase comes in.

Who is Eric Haase?

Haase is the Tribe’s 20th ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline. Last season, splitting time with top prospect Francisco Mejia, he hit .260/.352/.578 with 49 extra base hits, including 27 home runs. The kid has plenty of power in his bat.

His skills as a receiver are improving, since he is a developing prospect. So he can be forgiven for not being as polished behind the plate as Gomes and Perez. But he is skilled throwing out baserunners just like the two incumbents are. Last season, Haase threw out 37% of would-be base stealers. Considering Gomes and Perez were around 42-43% last season, those are pretty good numbers for the young backstop.

Haase was drafted out of high school back in 2011 and has taken a long time to develop but the Cleveland Indians have been patient with him and it’s paying off. He’s set to start the season in Triple-A and if Mejia sees most of his time in the outfield, then Haase can take over the regular duties behind the plate. That could make the difference in the final stages of his development.

He’s not a .300 average hitter like Mejia is, but he’ll hit for a better average than Gomes and Perez and has more pop as well. Plus, he can throw out baserunners at a similar clip to the two current catchers and his defense is just about ready for the big leagues.

What’s his future with the Cleveland Indians?

He may not see much time in Cleveland in 2018, but a full season in Triple-A this year could set him up well for getting a shot at the big league roster in 2019. Still, with the long term contracts for Gomes and Perez, one of them will need to be traded, and Mejia will have to stick in the outfield in order to clear a spot for Haase.

Haase has three catchers ahead of him on the depth chart, but if everything falls just right, he could find himself being the future starting catcher for the Cleveland Indians.

Next: The Indians biggest X-Factor in 2018

It’s always a great problem to have when a team has too many quality players for a position. The Indians have that at the catcher spot right now and they can pick the best of the bunch to get behind for the future.