Raudy Read

After a lost season centered around an 80-game PED suspension in 2018, Read rebounded with a solid campaign at the plate for Triple-A Fresno in 2019. In 328 plate appearances, the Dominican catcher posted a .275/.317/.546 slash line while slugging 20 home runs and 17 doubles and registering a career-best .271 ISO. Although playing in the hitter-friendly PCL no doubt had a part in Read's success, there are reasons to believe in his offensive ability. Read has demonstrated a good eye at the plate and solid contact skills throughout his minor-league career, demonstrated by a 17.7 K% and 81.0% contact rate with Fresno last season. Read has logged only 22 big-league plate appearances and, with Washington's re-signing of Yan Gomes, doesn't appear to have a path to playing time with the club next season. Pending an injury to Gomes or Kurt Suzuki, that almost certainly assures Read of another season in the minors.