D-backs Must Prioritize James McCann as Moreno’s Backup
When the D-backs look at their roster going into the offseason, the question will be whether they want McCann back. Based on all indications, they really should make him one of their top priorities to re-sign.
The Arizona Diamondbacks need to focus on finding a backup catcher for Gabriel Moreno this offseason. Currently, that spot is held by the veteran, James McCann. McCann is enjoying a bounce-back season in Arizona, hitting .252 with five home runs and a 109 wRC+ in 40 games.
It's worth noting that the sample size is small for McCann, who has 129 plate appearances and 87 batted balls on the season. It's hardly enough to make sweeping decisions, but again, we're talking about a solid veteran backup. He'd be projected to get not much more than 200-250 PA in a given year.
In the previous four seasons, he put up a pitiful .224/.279/.352 slash line. He couldn't find a major league deal in the offseason, settling for a minor league pact with the Atlanta Braves. In the wake of Moreno's hand injury in June, Arizona picked him up out of desperation.
It's a move that looks prescient in hindsight. His contributions to the club were a pleasant surprise. Not only did they play a role in the team's dead cat bounce after the deadline, but he's positioned himself to land potential big league offers next winter.
Underlying Hitting Metrics Prove 2025 Resurgence is No Fluke
With his 2025 performance, the veteran backstop could land a major league deal in the offseason. His underlying metrics are excellent despite his advanced age of 35.
- xBA: .254
- xSLG: .443
- xwOBA: .334
Those would be solid numbers for just about any player at any position. For a backup catcher who provides the experience that McCann has, it's a huge bonus.
Because of his contributions at the plate, Arizona didn't lose much offensive productivity after the trade deadline. Since August 1, the D-backs have a 109 wRC+, the same number as their full-season output.
If we break down simply the batted ball metrics alone, they're rather eye-popping.
- Average Exit Velocity: 93.0 MPH
- Hard-Hit Rate (95.0 MPH batted balls): 55.2%
- Barrel Rate (per batted ball): 8.0%
- Pull Air Rate: 8.0%
On top of the solid quality of contact, he's posted acceptable strikeout (23.3%) and walk (6.2%) rates. The only negative is the lack of pulled air contact in that profile. But again, it's not that huge a deal because McCann is the backup catcher and is a strong contributor defensively as well.
McCann's Impact on the Pitching Staff
His bat has helped the D-backs a lot. His skill in managing their pitching staff has also been very important.
Looking at Arizona's pitching splits by catcher, McCann gets the best results. Between the D-backs' primary catchers (min. 38 starts), he yields the lowest ERA (3.74), the lowest OPS (.684), and the highest strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.02). Both Gabriel Moreno and José Herrera come up way short in those metrics.
It also comes as no surprise that D-backs staff ace Zac Gallen has pitched better under McCann. Gallen has reverted to a more familiar form, reminiscent of his 2022-2023 peak. He's pitched to a 2.82 ERA and eight quality starts since August. In fact, McCann has caught 10 of Gallen's 15 quality starts this season.
With the D-backs looking to build sustained success, they need to have a capable veteran. Moreno is an All-Star caliber player when healthy, but has struggled to stay on the field. They've tried to make Herrera the backup, but he has struggled to hit major league pitching. Eventually, the team decided to DFA him last month when McCann proved to be the better option.
When the D-backs look at their roster going into the offseason, the question will be whether they want McCann back. Based on all indications, they really should make him one of their top priorities to re-sign.
