Ranking the 3 Mets catcher free agent signings since 2019 from bad to worst

The catcher spot has been hard to come by for the New York Mets in free agency over the last few years. It has been a position that the Mets have lacked consistency and after New York cut ties with Omar Narvaez, it is yet another free agent signing of a catcher that did not pan out the way the Mets could have hoped for.

Sure there have been many questionable free-agent signings made by the Mets that did not work out the way they had hoped, but it has been the catcher spot where the Mets have struck out the most over the last few seasons. From bad to the worst, how do these three failed free agent additions rank?

3. Wilson Ramos

Ramos was not a terrible pick-up by the Mets when they gave him a two-year deal worth $19 million during the 2018-19 MLB Offseason. Ramos who was nicknamed "The Buffalo" provided a lot of power with his bat during the two years he was in Flushing Queens. Yes, the Mets did not make the postseason during his two years with the Mets, but his tenure in New York was filled with some big moments which is why he was the better free agent signing over McCann and Narvaez.

Ramos had a very productive first season with the Mets in 2019 as he had a respectable batting average of .258 and 14 home runs with 73 RBIs in 141 games played. His 2019 season also saw Ramos have a career-best 26-game hitting streak which was the longest ever by a Mets catcher and tied for the longest by any Met since David Wright had a 26-game hit streak during the 2006 and into 2007 season. Despite his offensive prowess, he was not as sharp on defense as Ramos had a -13 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) rating which was the lowest in the majors among catchers, and led all major league catchers in stolen bases allowed, with 94.

In 2020 during the shortened 60-game season, Ramos only batted .239 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in 45 games. His defense again was an issue as he was tied for the National League lead in stolen bases with 28 steals allowed. His defense was such a struggle that Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard even openly complained about throwing to Ramos during his tenure with the club. Despite his issues on defenses and the aces of the Mets rotation not wanting to throw with him, Ramos was still a nice pick-up in free agency and panned out much better than McCann and Narvaez.

2. James McCann

This was supposed to be the Mets big free agent signing for the Mets as McCann came to New York with a background of being one of the best-hitting catchers in the majors and with a cannon of an arm on defense. New York gave McCann a four-year, $40.6 million deal and his tenure in Flushing was short-lived, to say the least.

During the 2021 Season in his first season with the Mets, McCann only played in 112 games with just 10 homes and only 46 RBIs. McCann also allowed 46 stolen bases behind the plate. His 2022 Season was even worse as injuries held him back in May of 2022, McCann had surgery for a broken hamate bone in his left wrist which cost him six weeks of the season and was put back on the injured list when he returned him July with a strained oblique muscle. He batted just .191 in 61 games played which resulted in him getting traded to the Baltimore Orioles.

The Mets were very high on McCann to bring his powerful bat and strong arm on defense to the team and he just did not work out. From injuries and inconsistencies, McCann was a disappointment for the Mets as he only played for two years in his four-year contract.