Carlos Narváez and Garrett Crochet were traded to the Boston Red Sox on the same day, but the catcher’s arrival—in exchange for Elmer Rodríguez-Cruz—didn’t make major headlines at the time.
However, it wasn’t a minor move—the team’s front office had been eyeing the 26-years old catcher for a while. Narváez was initially expected to serve as the backup catcher and play twice a week, but instead, he earned the starting role by impressing everyone in the organization with his work.
“You would have no idea he is a rookie catcher in this league,” said pitcher Lucas Giolito to El Emergente. “The level of maturity that he brings out onto the field and off the field, showing different types of signs of leadership, it is really outstanding. I would have thought that he has been in the league for at least three years. He works extremely hard.”
The Boston Red Sox included catcher prospect Kyle Teel in the package to acquire Garrett Crochet back in December. Teel was expected to be the franchise’s catcher of the future.
So it seems the Red Sox felt they needed to fill that spot right after the lefty’s arrival, and they gathered a lot of information about the Venezuelan-born catcher throughout the Minor Leagues.
“We did a lot of work on Narvy that told us that he was a very good receiver,” chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told El Emergente. “Someone who could really frame, and there was some more offense that we felt was untapped. Credit to Narvy that he’s made strides on both sides of the ball. His blocking and throwing have improved, and he’s proven to be an elite receiver. At the plate, he is doing a great job of barreling balls and taking advantage of our park.”
One thing that many people seem impressed by is how thoroughly he studies every hitter his team has to face in each game. If you pay attention, Carlos Narváez always carries a white folder in the clubhouse filled with information.
When he has a day off, he often sits down with Connor Wong to share it with him.
“He’s been a revelation,” said Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet a few days ago. “Going back to camp, I don’t really recall throwing to him more than once or twice. So, I wasn’t really sure going into the season, and obviously, losing Wong early was a tough blow, but he really picked up a lot of slack for us. You talk to him and you forget that he’s still classified as a rookie. It’s really special. He really calls games like he’s been doing it for 10 years in the show.”
Carlos Narváez: The rookie catcher turning heads and leading Red Sox defense
Carlos Narváez played only six games with the New York Yankees’ big-league club before being traded last winter. He spent eight years in the organization, and even though he didn’t play much in the majors, Aaron Judge still took notice of him.
Just after the season began, the catcher became a frequent topic whenever a Red Sox pitcher spoke with the media after games. When Lucas Giolito made his first appearance in two years, following Tommy John surgery, he highlighted how important Carlos Narváez was in his return.
«He is very diligent about his pre-game work when it comes to scouting hitters,» said Giolito to El Emergente. «Having a good set game plan going into the game, and then being able to read and make adjustments during the game — that’s something I definitely appreciate. Because when I am pitching, if I get into a nice groove, I don’t like thinking. And so, letting him kind of do all that work and then just go, go, go — he does really a wonderful job.»
It seems that playing in the Winter League alongside former MLB catcher Henry Blanco — who was the manager of the Cardenales de Lara, Narváez’s team in his hometown — has helped him a lot over the past two years.
In fact, Carlos Narváez has been at the top of the Red Sox lineup—between the second and cleanup spots—in 20 of his 59 games, and he’s been leading all catchers as one of the top receivers in the league.
“We had strong information on him from scouting reports,” Craig Breslow told El Emergente. “And the data we collected on him through the minor leagues.”
«He is a very smart guy,» said Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman in Spanish to El Emergente. «We always talk after the games. We have very good communication. He is doing a great job on both sides of the field. He is taking advantage of the opportunity.»
As of Monday, Carlos Narváez is third in Defensive Runs Saved with 8 and ranked fourth in FRM with 4.1, per Fangraphs.
If he continues producing at this level, he will earn votes both for the Gold Glove and Rookie of the Year awards.
«We are really excited about what he’s done on the field,» Breslow added. «But just as excited about the way he has handled our pitching staff and calls the game.»
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“He’s been great,” former Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek told El Emergente earlier in the season. “His attention to detail has been on point. He shows leadership and confidence in what he’s doing.”
Photo: MLB.com
