J.P. Arencibia (40)

Stance: Upright stance, slightly open with minimal bend in the knees. Keeps his feet shoulder-width apart, using a small leg kick and stride to thrust his hips towards the ball. His hands start around head level and out away from his body. Keeps his back elbow level with his shoulders while his front elbow is slightly lower, pointed towards the ground.

Approach: Arencibia has been notorious for not having a strategic approach at the plate. The 2013 season featured his worst BB% to date, all the while striking out more times than he got on base. Arencibia has shown an inability to recognize pitches, keeping him off balance and constantly swinging at balls outside the strike zone.

Hitting Ability: Arencibia’s offensive success has come strictly from his power numbers. His career batting average of .212 is just a touch above the “Mendoza Line” and his OBP is subpar to say the least. Arencibia consistently dips his back shoulder, creating an upper cut swing resulting in many fly ball outs. He is predominantly a pull ball hitter but has shown glimpses of being able to hit the ball to the gaps for extra bases.

Power: One of the bright spots in Arencibia’s game is his raw power. Since he has begun his major league career, he has consistently been at the top of the league in home runs amongst catchers. 20-25 home runs a year is certainly not out of the question for him in a starting role. Although Arencibia has been aided by playing in the hitter-friendly Rogers Centre the last few seasons, his power should translate well to the hot and low humidity climate awaiting him in Arlington.

Running: As a catcher, Arencibia is certainly no speed demon as evidenced by his 2 career stolen bases. He is not the kind of guy you will be sending first to third or second to home very often. However he does run the bases fairly well considering his position as he has good instincts and is able to get good reads off the bat.

Fielding: A below average defender behind the plate. Despite a very respectable career fielding percentage of .992, there are many aspects of his defensive game that need improvement. Arencibia often gets lazy behind the dish. He frequently tries to pick balls out of the dirt instead of throwing his body in front and blocking them. Arencibia’s bad habit of trying to throw runners out from his knees limits his otherwise above average arm strength and often leads to inaccurate throws.

Physical Description: Arencibia has a medium, athletic build for a catcher. Very strong, muscular lower half. There is room to add a little more muscle, although not necessary. He has done a good job of maintaining his current body profile since being drafted.

Projection: Arencibia’s future will heavily rely on his offense and the ability to get on base as his defense is good enough to get by. He needs to focus on driving the ball to all fields and doing a better job of picking up the ball out of the pitcher’s hand. He should also look to sacrifice some power to focus on a more well-rounded offensive approach. Moving to the Rangers could be a fresh start for Arencibia. Expect him to challenge Geovany Soto for the starting catcher’s job in Texas.