A lot of the attention surrounding the Philadelphia Phillies this offseason has focused on the future of Kyle Schwarber. Understandably, the MVP finalist would be dominating the conversation, but the Phillies have another important free agent too, and that’s catcher J.T. Realmuto.
With the veteran on the open market, let’s take a look at Philadelphia’s current options at the catcher position heading into the 2026 season.
Advertisement
Perhaps the most logical direction for the Phillies to take is to re-sign Realmuto. The 34-year-old has been with the Phillies for the last seven seasons and has even been an All-Star twice during that stretch.
Not only has Realmuto been a mostly positive offensive presence in the lineup, which is a luxury for the catching position, but he also knows Philadelphia’s pitching staff. That rapport a catcher builds with his rotation can’t be overlooked when determining their value to a club.
Even though Realmuto may not come cheap for his age and coming off a down season, bringing him back is certainly a great option for the Phillies.
Sep 5, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) throws the ball to Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (not pictured) against the Miami Marlins during the fifth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Even though re-signing Realmuto is a great option, there’s still a chance he leaves for another club. If that does end up being the case, the Phillies do have a few internal options to replace the veteran.
Advertisement
Currently on the 40-man roster, Philadelphia has Rafael Marchan and Garrett Stubbs. Neither of them would supply the same pop as Realmuto, but they could hold down the staff until one of Philadelphia’s prospects is ready to take over.
If the Phillies are letting Realmuto walk, it’d be because they have failed in their top catching prospect, Caleb Ricketts.
The 25-year-old recorded a .753 OPS during the 2025 minor league season. Even though Ricketts finished the season at Double-A, MLB Pipeline projected his big-league debut to come in 2025. Obviously, he was being blocked by Realmuto.
At some point, Ricketts will be ready for The Show, and if Realmuto doesn’t return, that could quickly come at some point in 2026.
Advertisement
If Realmuto walks, and Philadelphia doesn’t like their internal options at catcher to start the season, there are a few veteran free agent options on the market who could make sense for the Phillies.
Danny Jansen, Christian Veazquez, and Jonah Heim all have experience leading a big-league pitching staff and could fit into Philadelphia’s lineup.
If the Phillies are giving money to a catcher, they’d probably rather it be Realmuto, but any of these three could be interesting options to replace Realmuto if it comes to it.