With free agency in full swing, we look at potential targets of the White Sox in free agency. They have plenty of needs that will need to be filled at some point this offseason, with one of the biggest being the catcher position. They only have two under contract, that being Korey Lee and Carlos Perez. Neither of them have much major league experience.
If the White Sox are serious about developing their young pitching, which they will have plenty of in 2024, they will need an experienced catcher who knows how to handle a pitching staff. In comes Victor Caratini, who is very familiar with the city of Chicago.
Caratini played for the Cubs from 2017 to 2020 before being shipped to San Diego in the Yu Darvish trade, as Darvish liked having Caratini catch for him. He would play for San Diego for just one year before making his way to Milwaukee, where he played the last two years.
Now 30 years old, Caratini finds himself as a free agent and could be a valuable addition to the Chicago White Sox who are in dire need of a veteran catcher not named Yasmani Grandal.
Caratini would be a nice fit. He is one of the better pitch framers in the league, as Baseball Savant grades him out in the 89th percentile, which is very high. He is a bit below average in terms of blocking and throwing runners out, but his framing can be a very valuable asset to the young pitching staff the White Sox will have. Korey Lee happens to have a great pop time, so he can make up for it when he is catching, as if the Sox sign Caratini it is likely they would split time.
The best part about Caratini is that he is a lot better with the bat than most of the other catchers the Sox could sign in free agency. While some of the other defensive first catchers may make a bit more sense, Caratini is not a significant liability at the plate.
Last year, Caratini hit .259 with seven home runs and 25 RBIs. These would be pretty solid stats out of your backup catcher. This move would not move the needle for the White Sox, but it sure would help the pitching staff and create some completion behind the plate, which they desperately need.
Caratini would add a nice switch-hitting bat to the lineup and a veteran presence to the locker room that the Sox will definitely need this upcoming season. He also is above league average in chase, strikeout, and whiff percentage, which would benefit a White Sox lineup that tends to strike out a lot. Baseball Savant also shows he is well above average in exit velocity and hard-hit percentage, which could be beneficial in the White Sox’s smaller park. According to Baseball Savant, in his career, he would have about five more home runs if every game was played at Guaranteed Rate, which would be the second most out of any other stadium.
Caratini would be a nice veteran presence who is a very good pitch framer. The White Sox should definitely kick the tires on him on a one-year bargain deal.
