Colorado Rockies backup catcher job still up for grabs

SCOTTSDALE – Nick Hundley is the man behind the dish and rightfully so after his impressive 2015 campaign, hitting .301 with 10 home runs and 43 RBI. Hundley is also forming a bond with the young pitching staff but as the Rockies head into the final weeks of spring training, there is some uncertainty as to who will spell Hundley behind the plate. The Rockies sent down prospect Tom Murphy last week looking to get him more consistent playing time at Triple-A.

Dustin Garneau could be the top candidate but has struggled this spring offensively hitting just .118 in 10 Cactus League games. “He’s one of the guys,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said about the backup role to Hundley. “We know him (Garneau) well. We know Jackson Williams well. The Wolters kid has been intriguing because of his skill set, versatility, and [he] is younger. We have some things we want to play out but we know two of the three guys pretty well.”

Williams remains hitless in his 11 plate appearances this spring while Wolters has hit .400 in limited at-bats (15) but their offensive production may not weigh much in Weiss’ decision as to who he keeps on the big league club behind Hundley. “We’re not looking for run production out of that role,” Weiss said of what he expects from his backup catcher. “You have to have the ability to move the ball around the field, be able to hit and run and execute [the] offense.”

A different type of role than what we’ve seen in years past from the #2 catcher which had previously been manned by the likes of power hitting catchers such as Wilin Rosario, Chris Ianetta or Miguel Olivo. Weiss will find a guy who can handle the staff and be a professional hitter and he thinks Garneau, who has the most major league experience of the three, is “very capable” of doing that for the club.