For the Blue Jays, an upgrade at catcher should be on trade deadline priority list: 3 targets

With the combination of Alejandro Kirk's offensive struggles and Danny Jansen always being prone to injury, the Blue Jays would do well to trade for a quality catcher ahead of this year's Aug. 1 deadline.
Toronto Blue Jays v New York Yankees
Toronto Blue Jays v New York Yankees | Jim McIsaac/GettyImages
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Not a bad second option

Another possibility is Tigers catcher Jake Rogers, who is excellent behind the plate. He has all the physical attributes you want, is ninth among all catchers with a 49.8 percent strike-rate and is tied-seventh at +5 for framing pitches.

There is some concern regarding Rogers' bat, highlighted by a .216 batting average so far in 2023. He does have power when he makes contact however, and has already set single-season bests for homers and RBI.

Certainly, there is potential there and room for improvement by the 28-year-old. In relation to this -- for what it's worth -- he has hit .308/.379/.462 with an .841 OPS in the last month (dating back to June 26).

It should be noted Rogers is currently on a pre-arbitration contract worth $726,000. He has three years of arbitration eligibility, before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2027.

One final consideration

The last suggestion for the Blue Jays might be considered a reach for any number of reasons. Regardless, we believe Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is worth a look.

Similar to Rogers -- and indeed arguably more so -- Raleigh is a player who doesn't make enough contact, but is extremely effective when he does hit the baseball. Last season saw him lead all catchers with 27 home runs and he has the added advantage of being a switch hitter.

Admittedly the 26-year-old hasn't been quite as productive this year, but if nothing else is on course for single-season bests in batting average and OBP. He would also be in a position to thrive playing in the hitter-friendly Rogers Centre, as opposed to the cavernous-like T-Mobile Park.

Nicknamed the 'Big Dumper', Raleigh is a burly and tough athlete with power and excellent hands. He's decent enough as a catcher, highlighted by being tied-ninth in the Majors at +4 for framing pitches.

The 2018 third round draft pick also has the intangible of strong leadership skills; he's extremely popular in the Mariners clubhouse. He is currently on a pre-arbitration deal worth $758,300 and becomes arbitration eligible in 2025.