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Willson Contreras turned in an excellent season last year. He posted a 3.3 fWAR and slashed .243/.349/.466 with a 132 wRC+. He was also decent behind the plate, making him a well-rounded catcher. He didn't play anywhere else in 2022, but he has played innings at first base and in the outfield before, so he has a lot of defensive versatility too.
The Chicago Cubs are not yet in a position to contend, so they're unlikely to spend big on perhaps the top catcher available this offseason. That means that plenty of teams who need a catcher will be able to bring him in. What teams might that be?
Which teams might sign Willson Contreras?
3) Houston Astros
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The Houston Astros know they need a little bit of help at catcher, which is why they traded for Christian Vasquez at the deadline. However, while the pitching staff loves throwing to Martin Maldonado, the opportunity to upgrade the position and provide depth can't be overstated.
He's not as good defensively as Maldonado, but Contreras is much better offensively. He can also play DH or first base if necessary, but having a catching duo like that would go a long way towards helping Houston repeat.
2) San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are about to have a good bit of money to spend and they need a catcher. Austin Nola is serviceable, but Contreras would take them to another level. Pairing those two together would shore up the position and provide them with another good hitter.
They got to the NLCS this season and will want to improve on that. One of the best and perhaps easiest ways to do that is to sign the former Cubs backstop.
1) St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are the most likely team to sign Contreras. They just saw longtime catcher Yadier Molina retire, but are still in prime position to compete. Contreras was significantly better than Molina this year, so upgrading the position so much will make the transition that much easier.
The Cardinals don't have a lot of needs elsewhere on the roster, so they can spend their money freely at catcher, where the former Cubs star is easily the best option. That would keep them the favorites in the NL Central and give them a chance to continue contending beyond next year.
