Dodgers: Ranking the Most Expendable Players on the Team

Yasmani Grandal

With recent reports about the Dodgers willing to move Yasmani Grandal, it only confirmed the belief that 2018, if he is still around, will be his last season with the Dodgers before he becomes a free agent and leaves for more money.

Grandal is arguably the best defensive catcher in baseball and easily top ten overall. His pitch-framing is elite, has a gun behind the plate, and can hit for good power. He is the definition of a starting-caliber MLB catcher.

One problem is he is entering a contract year, and all signs point to the Dodgers not wanting to pay him top dollar. But the main reason he is truly expendable is the catching depth the organization has.

Coming into 2017, the position catcher has not been considered a position of strength for the club. But the breakout season of Austin Barnes in the show and Keibert Ruiz in the minors, the emergence of Kyle Farmer, and the presence of 2016 first-rounder Will Smith show that Grandal is not needed as we once thought.

The Dodgers are deep and set for years behind the plate. Austin Barnes has proven to be starter-worthy, and Kyle Farmer flashed glimpses that he could take on Barnes’ role from last year. And Los Angeles needs space on the 25-man roster for everyone, so why not trade arguably your best trade chip?

Speaking of which, another reason why Grandal is expendable is he is a valuable trade chip. This was a down year for him offensively, expect in the home runs department. He slugged 22 long balls, but a walk rate of 8.3% is easily a career low.

But there is a reason to believe that it’s just an aberration. He’s never posted a walk rate in the major leagues below 13.1% until this year, which is remarkable. Grandal is ultimately a guy who will hit around .240-.250, walk a good ton, hit around 25 home runs, and play elite defense. Not bad for an expendable trade chip.

The Dodgers can maybe use him to bring in a third team in the Giancarlo Stanton sweepstakes, but that is just a guess.