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Graveman to Astros for C Korey Lee


Sleepy Harold

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8 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Lee has legitimate talent, but he hasn't had a particularly good year. Pre 2022, he was ranked #70 on the baseball America list, but did not appear this year. He was up to start the year as a 3rd catcher but basically was fully passed by Yainer Diaz both offensively and defensively in the big leagues and barely played over a full month+. The Astros weren't going to go with 2 young catchers next year and it's clear that Diaz has earned the shot. He had 25 HRs in 450 plate appearances last year, but only 5 this year in 300 plate appearances.

 

I think he's searching for that fine line between hitting for power and not striking out so much. He hit for power when he pulled everything but his K rate went up 10% . SO this year he might be trying to refine his approach.

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9 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Big difference in the 2 reports . My MLB pipeline one says basically he can't catch but has a real strong arm.

 

Scouting grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Arm: 70 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45

A part-time player in his first two college seasons at California, Lee had a huge year in 2019 batting behind No. 3 overall pick Andrew Vaughn. Most clubs regarded Lee as more of a third-round talent, but the Astros loved his massive raw power and arm strength and made him a surprise first-round pick, signing him for a below-slot $1.75 million at No. 32. He batted just .202 in Triple-A during the first two months of last season, then rallied to make his big league debut in July and belted 15 homers in 40 games after returning to the Minors. 

Though Lee has quieted his load and shortened his stride as a pro, he's still an extreme power-over-hit guy. A right-handed hitter, he has gotten better at pulling and launching pitches, enabling him to get more out of his well-above-average pop that mostly plays to his pull side. But he has done so at the expense of his approach. He spent most of 2022 trying to crush pitches over the left-field fence and chasing offspeed pitches out of the zone, and his strikeout rate rose to 29 percent from 19 percent the previous year. 

Lee didn't become a full-time catcher until 2019 and has yet to start more than 73 games behind the plate in a pro season. While he's quicker and more athletic than most backstops and features plus-plus arm strength, his receiving and blocking skills draw mixed reviews. The Astros believe he can become an average defender with more experience, but scouts outside the organization question whether he'll be adequate enough to catch regularly in the Majors.

Seems like a type of guy with high upside - with right development team. Sox aren’t it - but I still can’t argue what they got. He has some tools. Graverman was valuable though - he is a solid reliever and a good get for Houston. 

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2 minutes ago, LittleHurtCG said:

Dude is 25. Time to play him every day this year and see what you got. 

He can always move to first base or right field if he can't stick at catcher. 

This. Shelf Grandal and go with Lee with Zavala as backup. 

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Just now, hogan873 said:

Looks like Lee could be back in early August.  Rehab stint, then up with the Sox?

I'd expect him to be in the big leagues this year depending on the injury, and will probably be expected to break camp with the Sox next year. 

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At least Hahn is the early favorite for the AL Trade Deadline Executive of the Year award...JR Cost-Cutting Award, etc.

 

We're probably already around the middle of the pack for team payrolls and still have a lot more to cut with Clevinger, Bummer and Grandal, to name just a few.

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2 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

2024 starting catcher?

My guess is on paper it's him and Zavala to start the year. Both are righties, so no obvious platoon, but Zavala is more experienced.

This does keep them from having to spend at catcher next offseason, and that position is a mess in free agency. Whether it makes them better or not next year I don't know. 

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Just now, TheFutureIsNear said:

Seems like a big time gamble/boom or bust guy…but for a rental reliever, that’s fine. 
 

From what I’m reading Lee seems like an Evan Gattis type of comp? Or is his defense better than mlb pipeline reads?

I guess anything is possible but you haven't heard anyone around Houston talking about him being moved away from Catcher. The Astros GM thought he would spend some time there and allow Dusty to move people to the DH spot or pinch hit for Maldonado, when the year started, but Dusty wasn't about to do anything that creative.

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