Devin Mesoraco

Injuries continue to foil a once-promising career as Mesoraco played in only 56 contests in 2017, amassing 165 plate appearances on the heels of two seasons where he appeared in a combined 106 games with 95 plate appearances. He began the year in extended spring training, recovering from lingering shoulder and hip issues dating back to 2016. Finally debuting on April 28, Mesoraco played fairly regularly before missing a couple weeks in July with a hamstring strain. His season was cut short after being hit in the foot by a pitch on Aug. 14. When on the field, Mesoraco struggled, especially against lefty pitching, though he was probably never 100 percent all season. With procedures to both hips and his left shoulder, it's hard to imagine Mesoraco being able to squat behind the dish for an extended time, which is why he is ticketed for a backup role in 2018. The catcher position is thin enough to take a shot in NL-only. Mixed leaguers need not apply.

If 2015 was a disaster following his breakout season, 2016 can only be described as a nightmare for Mesoraco. The year started off poorly for the backstop, as he missed the beginning of spring training while rehabbing from his 2015 hip surgery. Soon after he got onto the field, more injuries surfaced. His season ended in late April and he ultimately underwent a pair of surgeries to fix his shoulder (which was more damaged than initially believed) and the labrum in his other hip. The results on the field were not pretty: a career-worst .140 batting average with one extra-base hit in just 16 games played. The Reds are intent on having Mesoraco back behind the dish in 2017, but given his health history and the rigors of the positions, it's best to set expectations fairly low heading into the 2017 campaign.

Last season was a wasted year for Mesoraco. He injured his hip one week into the season, but spent the next six weeks in a pinch-hitting and DH capacity instead of going on the DL. Even after he went on the DL, the Reds dabbled with the notion of putting him in the outfield so as to avoid shutting him down for the season. Ultimately they caved and Mesoraco had surgery in late June. The recovery process took four months before Mesoraco was allowed to resume squatting, and then he started performing baseball-related activities in December. He's expected to be able to start spring training on time, but not much will be known about his status until he's actually catching. Prior to the injury, he was a reasonable bet to regress from his 2014 breakout season, at the very least in terms of hitting for average. The catching position is as barren as it has been in a long time, so there's a chance he could still end up being a top-10 catcher.

As bad as the Reds' 2014 season, just imagine how it would have been had they not had breakout seasons from Mesoraco and Todd Frazier. Mesoraco's season got off to a false start with an oblique injury, followed by an early hamstring injury, but between those injuries he got off to a sizzling start at the plate that carried through most of the season, though he slumped along with the rest of the team in August and September. Considering he hit .468 in April and no higher than .267 in any other month, it's reasonable to suggest that his batting average will decline in 2015, but Mesoraco's power will still put him among the top 10 catchers if not in the top five.

A panoply of injuries to Ryan Hanigan provided more chances for Mesoraco in 2013, but unfortunately he wasn't able to hit much better than in his rookie season. Mesoraco hit far better at home (.759 OPS) than on the road (.564), and better against lefties (.874) than righties (.576). The Reds signaled that they believe Mesoraco is ready to take over the starting job for 2014 by acquiring Brayan Pena to be his backup and trading Ryan Hanigan to Tampa Bay. Catchers typically develop at a slower pace and Mesoraco in particular has usually needed an adjustment period at each level, but the time for him to turn potential into production is now.

Mesoraco ended up hitting .212/.288/.352 and was left off the playoff roster to cap off a disappointing season. Meanwhile, Yasmani Grandal, the catcher traded to the Padres instead of Mesoraco, had a pretty good season (though he was suspended for 50 games in November for testing positive for Testosterone). All is not lost with Mesoraco - his professional career began slowly, and many catching prospects struggle initially with the bat. Still, it wouldn't be a surprise if Mesoraco was the backup to Ryan Hanigan again in 2013 or even started the year in the minors to regain his confidence at the plate.

Because the Reds had both Ryan Hanigan and Ramon Hernandez on a team expected to contend for the playoffs, Mesoraco had to spend the bulk of the season at Triple-A Louisville, not getting the call until rosters expanded in September. Hernandez is now in Colorado, so the deck has been partially cleared for Mesoraco. Look for Hanigan to get the bulk of the starts early on, thanks to his defensive prowess. His bat appears to be ready now - it's just a matter of manager Dusty Baker getting comfortable with his ability to call a game behind the plate. That focus on defense early on might hurt Mesoraco's production out of the gate.

After scuffling at the plate in his first two-and-a-half seasons as a professional, Mesoraco exploded in 2010, hitting a combined .302/.377/.587 at three levels before slowing down a bit in the Arizona Fall League. While the offensive development was promising, Mesoraco's receiving skills behind the plate still need improving. The Reds re-signed Ramon Hernandez for another season, so look for Mesoraco to spend most of the year at Triple-A Louisville. He'll have to produce once he reaches the majors, with the Reds drafting another catcher in Yasmani Grandal in 2010.

Catchers often take a long-time to develop, particularly 19-year-olds fresh out of high school that didn't face elite competition already, so don't be too disappointed by Mesoraco's Rookie League numbers. The Reds' first-round pick in the 2007 draft rose rapidly up the charts in the months before the draft. Given the dearth of catching prospects in their system, they'll be tempted to promote him quickly, but he's going to take awhile to get there. If you're looking for a catcher from this past draft class for your minor league system, you're better off going after Baltimore's Matt Wieters or Toronto's J.P. Arencibia.