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Geovany Soto signs with Angels, dries out already weak catching market

(Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images)
(Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images)

If your team needs to find a catcher this offseason, it's highly unlikely they are going to find one through free agency. The Los Angeles Angels scooped up veteran Geovany Soto on Tuesday, effectively drying up an already weak market.

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In fairness, most teams should have seen this coming. Matt Wieters was expected to be the only big prize at the position before he took himself off the market. Once Wieters accepted a one-year, $15.8 million qualifying offer from the Baltimore Orioles, Soto and Chris Iannetta emerged as two of the more desirable options.

That notion is tough to fathom when you look at their stats. Iannetta, who inked a one-year, $4.25 million deal with the Seattle Mariners on Monday, hit just .188/.293/.335 over 317 plate appearances last year. He's expected to open the 2016 season as the team's starter.

Soto wasn't much better. The 32-year-old hit .219/.301/.406 in part-time duty with the Chicago White Sox. Soto is expected to make $2.8 million next season as the Angels' primary backup behind the plate.

With those two now off the market, the best catcher available is either Dioner Navarro, Jarrod Saltalamacchia or Brayan Pena. All three of those come with significant issues. Navarro wasn't a starter last season, as Russell Martin took his place. Saltalamacchia was designated for assignment by the Miami Marlins in April. Pena hardly would have played if Devin Mesoraco were healthy.

None of those guys really inspire confidence, which is why teams hoping to upgrade at catcher may have to turn to rely on trades. The problem with that is there just aren't many teams overflowing with catching talent right now. The Milwaukee Brewers are rumored to be entertaining offers for Jonathan Lucroy, but that's about it. And, given Lucroy's upside, the Brewers should ask for a ton.

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The catcher market was laughably weak to begin with. Now that Iannetta and Soto are gone, there's virtually nothing out there worth getting excited about. If your team needs a catcher, you better hope and pray more players become available on the trade market. Otherwise, you're pretty much stuck with the awful option who started last season.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik