Blake Street Banter Team | February 17, 2025
We’re turning a page on the BSB Tools Week series over to position players, starting off with the most specialized tool in baseball in catcher fielding. It’s no secret that Drew Romo has a big weight on his shoulders as the hopeful catcher of the future for the Rockies but there’s a handful of promising glove-first catchers in the system as well.
Catch up on the pitching portion of BSB Tools Week here:
Top 5 Command Pitchers
Top 10 Secondaries
Top 5 Fastballs
TOP 5 CATCHERS
Honorable Mentions
Cole Messina has good instincts behind the plate, and is improving at calling games; he will likely find himself one of the few best defensive catchers in the system come this time next year. Ben McCabe also calls a good game and has a good feel for catching. Jose Cordova, Jesus Ordonez, and Daniel Cope all have shown to be above average in at least one catching skill.
#5 – C Juan Castillo
Recently turned 22-year-old, Castillo has shown intriguing promise behind the plate in his career. He has thrown out 33% of runners in 4 minor league seasons and has sustained a solid fielding percentage of .987. He’s also shown promise with his advanced fundamentals, improving his blocking and framing every season. Castillo get his first crack at full-season MiLB in 2025 and will look to add to his already esteemed reputation behind the plate.
#4 – C Darius Perry
A 15th-round pick by the Rox in 2023, Perry does not jump off the page offensively, but he is one of the best catchers in the system. The UCLA alum has never been known for his bat, but he was an intriguing selection by the team because of his defensive prowess. Perry manages the basepaths extremely well with quick pop times and has proven to be a quality blocker. He only hit .174 with 4 home runs in his first pro season, so Perry will have to hit more to get consistent playing time. If he can get on base more, he’ll have a shot to be a backup/reserve big league catcher because of his above average defense.
#3 – C Braxton Fulford
Fulford is good at everything on the defensive side, though he lacks a singular “wow” tool. What has picked up additional attention is Fulford’s handling of the pitching staff. The Texas Tech product calls a great game and orients his defensive game around helping his pitching staff, though he did show some serious flash throwing runners out this year even amid the new base stealing rules. With almost two years of experience in the upper minors, Fulford may find himself as the next man up should circumstances require a catching call-up.
Braxton Fulford Banter Session
#2 – C Ronaiker Palma
With a lifetime .990 fielding percentage behind the plate, Palma has been able to limit errors. Catching is way more than just preventing errors, however, with so many other variables to take in. Palma excels at throwing runners out. He has a bullet quick pop time, and even faster arm speed, throwing out 43% of baserunners across his career in 332 opportunities. He’s also been praised by Jerry Weinstein (one of the smartest catching minds in baseball), for his framing and pitch-blocking abilities.
Palma would be number one on this list, but due to, being blocked for playing time by players like Braxton Fulford and Drew Romo, and not having much of an offensive profile, he does not get a ton of reps; Palma has been limited to around 60 games each season since 2021. Palma has MLB-caliber catching skills, nonetheless.
#1 – C Drew Romo
Romo has always been known for his above-average defense, dating back to his high school days. The former first round pick has been able to maintain his sturdy defense (a rarity for catchers selected out of high school), while climbing the ladder to the Show. Romo has a rocket arm, is an agile blocker, and frames pitches well. The 23-year old made his big league debut last season, appearing in 16 games, though his odd throwing hitch back to the pitcher has become an interesting point of discussion on defense. Another plus is that Romo gets on base a solid amount, which will allow him to get the most of his defense by being on the field more often.
The Rockies will likely look to add more catching talent into the organization as it is a fickle position where you can never have enough quality defensive options. However, with Romo, Palma, and Fulford, the Rockies have a trio of high-end defenders working towards the big leagues.
We will see you tomorrow for the 5th installment in the BSB Tools Week series
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