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Milwaukee Brewers: Cases for All-Star candidates

By Kenny Jilek

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 16: Yasmani Grandal #10 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates with Mike Moustakas #11 after he hit a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on May 16, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Brewers defeated the Phillies 11-3. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 16: Yasmani Grandal #10 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates with Mike Moustakas #11 after he hit a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on May 16, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Brewers defeated the Phillies 11-3. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 12: Yasmani Gran dal #10 of the Milwaukee Brewers points to the dugout as he rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run in the fifth inning of the game Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on April 12, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 12: Yasmani Gran dal #10 of the Milwaukee Brewers points to the dugout as he rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run in the fifth inning of the game Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on April 12, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

Yasmani Grandal

Yasmani Grandal has been everything that the Milwaukee Brewers could have hoped for when they signed him this offseason. By almost every measure he has been the best offensive catcher in baseball and his defense has done the job as well.

Grandal does seem to go through stretches where it seems like he has trouble blocking pitches or even catching them at all, but that is a side effect of an elite pitch-framing catcher like he is. Also, his 32 percent caught stealing rate is above the current league average of 28 percent.

The real reason why Grandal has been an All-Star for the Brewers is because of what he has done with a bat in his hands this season. He is having a career year, hitting .274 which is 31 points higher than his career average. His on-base, slugging, and OPS are all higher as well, with the most impressive being a .909 OPS which is extremely high for a catcher. His 13 home runs also tie him with Willson Contreras for most among National League catchers.

Contreras and Grandal have been the best two offensive catchers in the National League all season. One of them will almost definitely start the All-Star game as they have very similar numbers in all categories. Other catchers that would make a case are J.T. Realmuto and Wilson Ramos who are also putting together nice seasons and Realmuto is leading the league in caught stealing percentage at an astonishing 48.8 percent. I believe that Grandal will make the All-Star team and be the first catcher off the bench after Contreras starts.

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