MMO Trade Profile: Willson Contreras, C

Willson Contreras

Position: C

Bats/Throws: R/R

Date of Birth: 13/05/1992

Traditional Stats: 73 G, 71 H, 13 HR, 35 RBI, .266 BA, .384 OBP

Advanced Stats: 2.8 WAR, .384 wOBA, 148 wRC+

Rundown

The Mets are considered legitimate contenders for the World Series and, as a result, they will be busy at the trade deadline. They have some glaring needs, including the need to address power hitting which has been missing for a recent stretch.

With catcher James McCann going on the 10-day IL with a left oblique strain and expected to be out much longer, the Mets now all of a sudden need to address the catcher position, and that’s where Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras comes in.

Largely expected to be moved by the Cubs before the August 2 deadline, Contreras has long been linked with Queens. That speculation is only going to gather more intensity.

Contreras has spent his entire career with the Cubs since making his debut in 2016. He played in seven games as Chicago finally won the World Series in 2016 against the Indians, and he’s been a fixture behind the plate ever since. After hitting 12 home runs with 35 RBI in 283 plate appearances in 2016, Contreras became the Cubs’ full-time catcher heading into the 2017 season.

He really exploded offensively that year with 21 home runs, 74 RBI and 104 hits in 117 games, slashing .276/.356/.499 with a .855 OPS. The slugger went to the All-Star Game in both 2018 and 2019, demonstrating his ability to get on base with a combined total of 45 doubles and six triples over that two-year span. Granted, Contreras had over 100 strikeouts in both 2018 and 2019 with just 10 home runs in 2018, but he underlined his ability to slug with 24 long balls the following year.

When looking at a full 162-game schedule, the catcher’s power was once again underlined in 2021 as he hit 21 homers while knocking in 57 RBI, to go along with 20 doubles and five stolen bases. He did strikeout 138 times which highlights the risk-reward factor you get with a player of Contreras’ ilk.

It has been another productive year in 2022 for Contreras, who has driven his trade value up considerably and cemented his status as a valuable chip for a true contending team. In 73 games this year, the 30-year-old is slashing .266/.384/.483 with a .867 OPS. He has 13 home runs on the year with 17 doubles and 35 RBI.

Contreras has been used as a DH at times this year in order to keep him fresh, and that could certainly be an option for the Mets in order to inject more power into their lineup.

He’s set a new career-high in fWAR (2.8) and he’s on his way to his third All-Star Game along with his brother, William, becoming the first brothers to appear in an All-Star Game in almost 20 years. Aaron and Bret Boone were the last to accomplish the feat in 2003.

Defensively, Contreras frame rate ranks in the 36th percentile, per Baseball Savant, and he also ranks 48 out of 103 qualified catchers by Baseball Prospectus for Fielding Runs Above Average (FRAA). However, it is fair to say the Mets would be acquiring the veteran more for his hot bat than anything else.

Package

Given that Contreras will be in high demand with the Astros also one of the teams believed to be interested in the slugger, the Cubs are in position to get the best possible haul in return for their biggest asset left on the roster.

As such, the Mets would probably have to send a couple of prospects and maybe an everyday player to the Cubs, although Contreras is due to hit free agency this coming winter and would be strictly a rental. In that case, the front office could want to avoid parting with one of their high-end prospects.

Given that Francisco Lindor is under contract through the 2031 season, the Mets may be willing to give up shortstop prospect Ronny Mauricio if it means acquiring a legit big bat that can lead a deep postseason run.

Thoughts

With McCann set to be on the shelf a while and with Mets catchers combining for just a 0.3 fWAR total this season, acquiring Contreras as a win-now piece would make a lot of sense. Furthermore, the slugger has been used as a DH this season and that could help the Mets. They rank among the bottom five in DH in baseball, slashing just .219/.298/.336 (87 WRC+) this season.

Therefore, acquiring Contreras would immediately inject some much-needed power into the lineup, which has slowed down somewhat of late having been shutout twice and scoring less than three runs on four occasions this month.

He would give the Mets the kind of big bat you would need for a deep postseason run, and he would also be a superior upgrade behind the plate should McCann be out for a while. Contreras can also hit doubles and he can help to manufacture runs, and that’s exactly what this team needs right now.

Yes, he strikes out a lot but his upside has a lot to like about it and given the Mets are World Series contenders, Contreras is the kind of swing-for-the-fences type move you make at the deadline. The Mets are all-in to win now and Contreras would be a nice addition to help fuel a real push for the World Series.