After Braves DFA, is Jonah Heim the Upgrade the A's Need?
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With Shea Langeliers set to go on paternity leave, a hole on the roster has become more evident. While the A's backstop is only expected to be gone for a couple of games, his backup, Austin Wynns, has been struggling mightily in his limited time at the plate this season. His defense has also been largely league average.
Wynns typically starts a day game after a night game to give Langeliers a rest from catching while Shea stays in the lineup at DH. In those games, Wynns has gone 3-for-35 (.086) with a .158 OBP, which comes out to a -33 wRC+ (100 is league average).
Now he's the one in command of the A's pitching staff, which is completely fine in a small stint while Langeliers is away. But it also exposes the A's lack of catching depth, and their reliance on their backstop.
Yesterday we took a look at some of the A's minor league options behind the plate and there just isn't a lot to be overly excited about both in the near-term, or further down the line.
On Monday, the Atlanta Braves designated Jonah Heim for assignment, and while he may nota perfect option for the club, he does represent a different skill set the A's could utilize. He's been an All-Star and has more pop than the A's current backup options, which could make a reunion a worthwhile proposition.
Heim Time may be what the green and gold need.
Comparing Heim and Wynns
Heim is a familiar name to longtime A's fans, as he made his Major League debut in 2020 with the club, getting into 13 games. He was traded to the Texas Rangers in the Elvis Andrus/Khris Davis deal, and turned into an All Star in 2023. That season he hit .258 with a .317 OBP and a 107 wRC+, along with 18 home runs and 95 driven in.
Since that season he has been below league average, and led to the Rangers non-tendering him last November. He was picked up by the Braves in the offseason with their own injuries at catcher, and he ended up hitting .231 with a .311 OBP in 12 games.
So how has he stacked up to Wynns this season?
PA | AVG | OBP | wRC+ | BB% | K% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heim | 45 | .231 | .311 | 99 | 11.1 | 11.1 |
Wynns | 39 | .086 | .158 | -33 | 7.7 | 17.9 |
In every offensive category, Heim has the edge. One added bonus is that he's a switch-hitter, which could lead to more flexibility with how the A's would deploy their catchers.
Where this could swing in the favor of Wynns is that his defensive numbers a little better. His blocking behind the dish is a little above average, ranking in the 62nd percentile, while his CS above average (43rd) and framing (46) are in that same league average realm.
Heim's defense has fallen off a cliff from his peak when he won a Gold Glove in 2023. This year his blocking is in the 28th percentile, while his CS above average (2nd) is almost unplayable. His framing has been good, sitting in the 62nd percentile, however.
While Wynns hasn't been great at challenges, going 12-of-20 (60%), Heim has been even worse, getting 10 correct calls in 19 chances, good for 53%.
Heim represents a clear upgrade offensively, but the team doesn't necessarily want for more hitters. This team is expected to score runs, and they currently rank 10th in MLB in wRC+ at exactly league average.
Where the team is expected to have issues in the long run is with their pitching staff. Not securing more strikes for his pitchers, allowing the opposing running game to run wild, and not blocking pitches is not going to help improve this team's pitching.
The A's need an upgrade to back up Langeliers, but Heim may not be the right fit for those defensive reasons.
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Jason has been covering the A’s at various sites for over a decade, and was the original host of the Locked on A’s podcast. Mason Miller once said he likes Jason's content.
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