Finding the right backup catcher for Joe Mack in 2027

[Kevin Barral]

The Miami Marlins have their catcher of the future in Joe Mack. There is no question about that.

Mack immediately produced as a rookie in 2026, especially defensively. He led Major League Baseball with 26 runners caught stealing, even though he was not called up until May 4. Per Baseball Savant, he ranked in the 84th percentile of framing and provided above-average blocking. Mack's .234/.282/.403/.685 slash line almost exactly matched the MLB average for catchers. Overall, he had 2.2 fWAR, the highest single-season mark for a Marlins catcher since the team traded J.T. Realmuto.

However, every roster needs a backup catcher to protect against overuse. Who will catch for the Marlins when Mack rests? 

Liam Hicks made his last appearance as Marlins catcher on August 1. Over the final 50 games of the season, Mack started 32 times, Brian Navarreto started 12 times and Agustín Ramírez started six times. Expect a change to that group moving forward. Navarreto simply does not hit enough to hold onto an active roster spot (19 wRC+), while Ramírez struggles too much behind the plate to play the position unless it's an emergency situation.

The only other candidate on Miami's 40-man roster is Logan Driscoll. Turning 29 next month, Driscoll has 15 games of MLB experience from the 2024 season. The Marlins acquired him from the Tampa Bay Rays in August for cash considerations, briefly calling him up late in the year, but not using him during that stint. For what it's worth, he was on a hot streak with Triple-A Jacksonville after joining the organization (1.000 OPS in 14 games).

Even if Mack is healthy throughout his sophomore season, the Marlins must have a plan for somebody else to catch 1-2 times per week. A right-handed backup would be ideal considering Mack's poor performance versus lefties so far (.190/.238/.259/.497 in 67 PA).

Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly would be the best fit in free agency. In 2026, he slashed .258/.336/.376/.713 with 10 home runs, 58 RBI and a 103 wRC+. Kelly has a $7.5M mutual option for next season, which he is expected to decline in order to pursue a multi-year deal.

Last season, Kelly posted an .871 OPS against left-handed pitching and he's been over an .800 OPS against them in four straight seasons. That's great news for the Marlins, who could use Kelly often in pinch-hitting situations when he isn't in the lineup. Behind the plate, his biggest strength is blocking (89th percentile of blocks above average). Kelly also played some first base last season, but that was only a 10-inning sample.

If Kelly sees himself as being overqualified for a part-time job, the Marlins may have to focus on veterans who are more comfortable with limited playing time. In 2026, Elias Díaz was with the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers. He slashed .234/.266/.404/.670 with eight home runs, 35 RBI and an 83 wRC+ in 87 games played. The 35-year-old posted his lowest on-base percentage since his rookie season.

Behind the plate, runners rarely attempted to steal against Díaz and he threw out 36.4% of those who did. He ranked in the 68th percentile of blocks above average, 66th percentile in caught stealing above average, 49th percentile in framing and 80th percentile in pop time. After settling for a minor league deal last offseason, Díaz will probably get a small guarantee this time around in the $1M-3M range.

Jonah Heim contributed to a World Series-winning team not too long ago, but should come even cheaper than Díaz. After originally signing with the Atlanta Braves, he mainly played for the Athletics in 2026. Between those two organizations, Heim slashed .204/.262/.366/.627 with 13 home runs, 43 RBI and a 66 wRC+. The switch-hitter had almost all of his success against left-handed pitching (.855 OPS). An All-Star and Gold Glove Award winner in 2023, Heim's framing and throwing accuracy have trended in the wrong direction lately.

The challenge for Peter Bendix in recruiting any of these free agents will be getting them to buy into his team's system of relaying pitch calls from the dugout. Bendix's stance is taking that responsibility off the catcher's mind allows them to focus more on other aspects of the game. We shall see if veterans who have spent years mastering how to call a game are willing to give that up.

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