Victor Caratini is an obvious fit for the Washington Nationals

The catcher position remains one of the Washington Nationals biggest needs. Despite bringing back Riley Adams for 2026 and having Keibert Ruiz under contract long term, that is not good enough. There have been suggestions the Nats could run it back with the same catching core, but I do not think that would be a good idea. For me, veteran Victor Caratini would be a perfect fit in DC.

I know Paul Toboni has talked a lot about how players on the roster have another gear to reach, but it would be irresponsible not to make changes behind the plate. The Nats two primary catchers last year, Keibert Ruiz and Riley Adams combined for -1.6 fWAR last year. Fangraphs wrote about the catastrophe that was the Nats catching position at one point last year.

Simply put, it was a total disaster last year. Adams and Ruiz were liabilities on both sides of the ball and did not play big league caliber ball. Toboni can talk about internal improvement all he wants, but not all the answers are coming from within. With that in mind, Victor Caratini would be a very good target for the Nats.

Unlike the Nats current crop of catchers, Caratini is solid on both sides of the ball. He has been an above average hitter each of the last two seasons, with wRC+ figures of 112 and 104. Caratini also hit a career high 12 homers despite only playing 114 games.

Caratini is far from a star, but he has some strong attributes. He is a switch hitter who is solid from both sides of the plate. Last season, Caratini had a .740 OPS as a right handed hitter and a .726 OPS as a lefty. For his career, he has not had large platoon splits either. Most switch hitters are better from one side, but Caratini is solid from both sides of the plate.

That means he can play against righties or lefties. His suitability to a variety of matchups is a very useful skill. Caratini also has versatility on his side as well. He has split time between catcher, first base and DH over the last couple years. That is not because he is a bad defender either. It is more about getting his bat in the lineup while the Astros play their starting catcher Yainer Diaz.

His ability to fill in at first base or DH is valuable for a Nats team that could use help at both spots. However, Caratini would be brought in mainly to catch. He had a bit of a down year defensively in 2025, but that was the first time he graded out negatively as a defender since 2021. Even in 2025 he was much better defensively than either Ruiz or Adams.

While Caratini was a slight negative as a framer last year, he has historically been very good. Given his track record, he should get back to being at least an average framer which would be a massive upgrade for the Nats.

The Nats catcher room is crowded with bodies right now with Drew Millas, Riley Adams and Keibert Ruiz. However, it is not filled with quality. Adams was a non-tender candidate, but he was brought back due to his offensive tools like his bat speed. However, he did come back on a split deal, so it is possible he could be in the Minor Leagues next year.

Ruiz is also a major question mark. His on the field play has been poor, but he is also a major injury risk now. The 27 year old spent the second half of last season battling a nasty concussion. Ruiz suffered two concussions in the matter of a couple weeks. Those head injuries put his future behind the plate at risk.

While Drew Millas has shown promise when he has played, he has never been given a real shot despite the Nats catching woes. Maybe that happens under the new regime, but the fact they brought back Adams is telling. He is also coming off an injury and his production in AAA has not been stellar.

The Nationals need a starting catcher, end of story. Whether it is this offseason or down the road, I have a hard time believing that the future of the position is currently on the roster. At 32, Caratini is unlikely to be the future either, but he will be a good stopgap. He would likely provide the best catching the Nats have had since Yan Gomes.

While I trust Toboni’s plan, I really hope the new regime does not run it back behind the plate. We have seen Ruiz and Adams underwhelm for so long now. At 27 and 29, neither are youngsters anymore either. This is a position the Nats desperately need to upgrade and Victor Caratini would be a good option.

He would not be overly expensive either. A 1-year deal at $10 million or a 2-year deal for about $17 million feel like fair proposals for him. Victor Caratini is far from an elite player but he is so much better than what the Nats have had in recent years. I just want to know what average catcher play looks like again.