After a breakout first half, catcher Cameron Rupp may have emerged as a valuable trade chip for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Corey Seidman of CSNPhilly.com suggests there could be a solid market for Rupp, who is hitting .287 with 17 doubles, nine home runs and an .836 OPS.
"Offense behind the plate rarely has been more scarce than it is now, making Rupp a valuable piece to have,” Seidman writes.
Among the teams that could be looking for an offensive upgrade are the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are without Francisco Cervelli, as well as the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox. All three clubs rank in the bottom third of the majors in batting average and slugging percentage among catchers.
The Phillies must decide whether they view the 27-year-old Rupp, who is not yet eligible for arbitration, as their catcher of the future. It is a pleasant problem for general manager Matt Klentak given the Phils have two catching prospects, Andrew Knapp and Jorge Alfaro, who are close to being major-league ready.
“Trading Rupp would make sense only if it nets the Phillies an intriguing player they're confident can reach the majors soon at a position of need. If they get to a spot where it behooves them to deal a catcher, moving Knapp might actually be the most logical choice,” adds Seidman.
Pitcher Jeremy Hellickson and outfielder Peter Bourjos are among the veteran Phillies who could end up as trade bait in the upcoming weeks.
