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Rockies Rumors: Nick Hundley On Colorado’s Radar?

By Hayden Kane

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The Colorado Rockies need to find a catcher. Could Nick Hundley be the answer in that spot? Recent rumors suggest that the club might be interested in Hundley. 

Serious question: what’s the difference between Nick Hundley and Michael McKenry? Is it significant? Is there a difference at all between those two players?

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Follow-up question: what exactly would the Rockies have on their hands if they ran with a catching tandem of Hundley and McKenry? A lot of mediocrity, is the answer, though it would still be a marked improvement over what they went with this past season with Wilin Rosario as their primary catcher.

The Rockies know they have to move on from Rosario. Opposing teams know it and Rosario probably knows it. The Rockies are looking for potential trades, opposing teams are inquiring, and Rosario is probably preparing himself for life as a designated hitter.

If they do find a deal for ‘the Bull,’ the Rockies will need to find a new catcher. And given the fact that quality catchers are hard to come by, the Rockies might need to settle for somebody who is little more than a competent big league catcher.

Reminder: a competent big league catcher will still be better than what the Rockies had the last two seasons.

It is along those lines that we consider the Rockies’ rumored interest in Nick Hundley. From Jerry Crasnick:

Hundley is a familiar face, of course, as he played for the San Diego Padres from 2008-2013. As for his work last season, it would most accurately be described as “meh.” Splitting his time between those same Padres and the Baltimore Orioles, Hundley batted .243/.273/.358 with six home runs and 22 RBI.

As for Hundley’s defense, which might be more important to the Rockies, he seems to be regarded as league-average in that aspect of his game. Defense was a significant question mark when Hundley broke into the league, but he seems to have improved enough to be OK back there. A scouting report when he was traded to the Orioles said the following about Hundley’s defense:

"Scouts say Hundley is a serviceable catcher who may last several more seasons. One compared him to Red Sox backup David Ross, a 37-year-old in his 13th season."

We’ll take it. It’s better than “worst catcher in baseball,” so that’s a good place to start.

Nick Hundley is not an exciting player. Having him and Michael McKenry might be like having two Nick Hundleys or two Michael McKenrys. But that might be all that is available for the Rockies for a much-needed upgrade at catcher.

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