As trade chatter swirled Monday involving Twins catcher Kurt Suzuki, it was instructive to note this: The organization has perilously few catching options in the pipeline.
Juan Centeno has done a credible job since coming up in early May to be Suzuki's backup, but he's not great defensively and his minor league track record suggests he's about as good as he's going to get, as a fringe backup catcher.
John Ryan Murphy, acquired in the offseason for Aaron Hicks and tabbed the heir apparent to Suzuki, has had a dismal season at two different levels. Murphy was 3-for-40 with the Twins before being dispatched to AAA Rochester, where he's hitting .209.
Mitch Garver has an .800 OPS at Class AA Chattanooga and could very well earn a call-up in September (or sooner). Still, he's 25 and has alternated between mediocre years and good years in his four seasons in the Twins' organization.
Read Michael Rand's blog at startribune.com/randball. mrand@startribune.com
