In the first major free-agent signing in the the four-year long Alex Anthopolous tenure, the Toronto Blue Jays signed veteran catcher Russell Martin to a five-year, $82 million deal. Peter Gammons initially announced the signing as a “(Brian) McCann-level contract”, with Jon Heyman and Ken Rosenthal reporting the official length and worth.
Catcher has long been a problem area for the Blue Jays, having put their stock in J.P. Arrencibia and trading away Yan Gomes to Cleveland, with the Gomes deal looking a true misstep by the organization. After signing Dioner Navarro to a two-year deal before the 2014 season that saw minimal returns on their investment, the Blue Jays were missing a true stalwart behind the plate.
Enter Martin, who just finished two spectacular years behind the plate for the Pittsburgh Pirates and found his bat in 2014, hitting .290/.402/.430 with 14 HRs and a 140 wRC+, the third-best mark in baseball for a catcher. Combine that with his elite receiving skills and pitch framing, and you have one of the best catchers in baseball.
The Blue Jays were one of many teams that were interested in Martin’s services, but word got out over the weekend that the Chicago Cubs had become the front-runners for Martin. Toronto swooped in and nabbed a player that ends up being a truly perfect fit for their team, adding an above-average bat in a great offensive environment and a catcher known for both his defensive prowess and his ability to handle a pitching staff.
That second point is going to be the sticking point for Martin. While he turns 32 in 2015 and will be signed through his age-36 season, his skills behind the plate are going to be the part that adds the most value on this contract for the Blue Jays. McCann’s contract was for a bat-first catcher who can be hid at first base or the designated hitter spot due to his defensive decline, but with pitch framing and defense becoming a bigger factor in determining catching value, Martin seems to be the first free agent catcher to enter this brand new world of valuation.
While Martin already adds value to the pitching staff for Toronto, the Blue Jays might not be done. This signing is a bit out of the ordinary for Toronto, with Anthopolous not handing out a free-agent deal for more than a three-year period, and that was for utility infielder Maicer Izturis. Don’t be surprised if Toronto goes out and gets another free agent pitcher to add to the staff, as well.
