Catcher
Miguel Olivo: We just saw Eric Wedge do the unfathomable, as Olivo sat all three games of the series in Arizona. Of course, this was without the DH, but still, this could be a sign that Wedge is starting to trust the tandem of Montero/Jaso more than he did at the start of the season. Olivo hasn't done much to prove otherwise, as he has hit just .211/.222/.368 this season with declining receiving skills behind the plate. He is not going to be a part of the next good Mariners team, so we can probably check his name off the roster for next season.
John Jaso: Boy, was this a great trade for the Mariners! John Jaso is the perfect example of an underrated asset, leading the team in wOBA at .351, which is exceptional for a catcher. Jaso has walked more often (14.4%) than he has struck out (12.7%), while providing a couple dingers for good measure. Unfortunately, he has also been one of the least played players on the team, meaning his sample size is too small to prove much. Once Olivo is gone though, Jaso should get more playing time which is great because his bats are pretty refreshing to watch. At just 28 years old, Jaso will likely be on this team next year, maybe even as the teams starting catcher.
Jesus Montero: Even though he can get frustrating to watch, it has been nice to see the kind of potential Jesus Montero has. He's never going to be the most disciplined hitter up there, but as pitchers begin to pitch around him, it's likely he'll walk at a respectable rate. I'm not going to lie though, I am a little worried if he can make the necessary adjustments when pitchers see him more often. He doesn't possess the contact rates to make up for chasing pitches out of the zone, and his strikeout totals have been a reflection of that. With this, it doesn't look like Montero will become the "Mike Piazza" or "Miguel Cabrera" he was often compared to coming up, as his average will not likely resemble theirs at all. This isn't to say he's a bad player though, as being compared to some of the best hitters in baseball history is setting the bar pretty high. The pitch Montero most often chases is the low-and-away slider out of the strike zone, as evidence as all these little green dots:
The power Jesus has shown has been encouraging though, as his scouting reports of power to all fields have been accurate. Just take a look at this charts:
The amount of balls he has hit off the outfield walls should put him in the league lead for doubles, but we have learned that Montero is slow as a sloth, and the man just isn't a great athlete. The lack of athletic ability has become a problem in his catching skills too, as his flaws back there are noticeable. However, the scouting reports from the minor leagues were just flat out wrong. When Montero was first traded here, I was under the impression that he was a complete disaster defensively, but he really hasn't been. I have been impressed a few times by his blocking skills, and his throwing out base runners skill has become noticeably better the last few games. I honestly think Montero has the ability to be a full-time catcher in a year, and his bat will play very well there.
