Jose Morales

After hitting .311 with a .742 OPS in 2009 and even starting a playoff game at DH, it was thought Morales would be the backup catcher to Joe Mauer in 2010. However, a wrist injury and continued concerns over his defense kept him in the minors for most of the season. After starting at Triple-A, he struggled by hitting just .264/.350/.380 before getting called up in September. He's a switch-hitter who has drawn walks at a good rate the past two years, so there's some hope he'll rebound. He was traded to Colorado in the offseason and will likely compete for a backup role this spring, but may spend much of the year at Triple-A.

Morales is the leading candidate to win the backup catcher job behind Joe Mauer. He's always hit well in the minors, but missed much of 2008 after a left ankle injury. When Joe Mauer and Mike Redmond were hurt in April, Morales got his chance to play in the majors and hit .349 with a .391 OBP in April. He continued to make such a strong impression coming off the bench that he was used as a DH in 10 games during the final two weeks of the season and even started at DH in the playoffs. He's a switch-hitter who makes good contact and has passable defense behind the plate. The only worry is his hitting did decline when given steady playing time late in the season as he hit just .269/.361/.308 in September. Still, he's a backup catcher who can help a fantasy team with his bat.

Morales had a second impressive season with the bat at Triple-A Rochester, but had season-ending surgery in June to repair a damaged tendon in his left ankle. It's the same ankle that Morales hurt in the majors in September 2007, so the durability of his ankle is a concern for his 2009 outlook. He likely needs a change of organizations for viable fantasy value with the Twins set in the majors with Joe Mauer and having top prospect Wilson Ramos at Double-A.

Morales isn't regarded as a top prospect, but he showed enough with the bat at Triple-A last season that he could find a job as a backup at the major league level at some point. He'll need Joe Mauer to get injured with the Twins set at catcher along with backup Mike Redmond.