Prospects On Deck

Prospects On Deck: Catcher Cam Maron – Reds

Talented catcher takes another step in the right direction.

by
David Conde
January 29, 2015

: Photo by Allen Greene

When I think about a solid pitching staff in baseball, I look for the guy behind the plate receiving the pitches. It kind of reminds me of a quarterback that needs good receivers to make the plays, and even though in baseball some catchers may not be looked at with such importance, to me its the guy behind the plate that is as important as anyone on the roster. In my book they are the generals on the field.

A catcher holds an important role on the team as he not only studies the opposing players to help his pitcher dominate during each at bat, but he does his part to make the pitcher look good, by blocking balls in the dirt, throwing out runners trying to advance and protects the plate as if it was his home. To a catcher his pitching staff is his family.

Now some catchers just stand out from the rest and then there are others that fly under the radar but are just as important to the success of an organization.

That player is Cincinnati Reds prospect Cam Maron.

The catching prospect was drafted by the New York Mets in the 34th round of the 2009 June Amateur draft out of Hicksville, High School (Hicksville, NY).

In six seasons with the Mets organization, Maron batted .284, with 13 home runs and 164 RBI’s and even though his offensive numbers may not impress most, what helps him stand out is his ability to help make his pitchers better just with his presence behind the plate.

For his time in the Mets farm system, Maron caught some of the clubs top pitchers like Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom, and a good number of top pitching prospects that included Noah Syndergaard, Rafael Montero, Steven Matz, Gabriel Ynoa, Jack Leathersich, Cory Mazzoni and Michael Fulmer.

The experience that Maron exhibited during his stay with the Mets has helped to put him on the map as a serviceable catcher worth having on any roster.

David Conde/ Legends on Deck

Maron, like any other kid growing up in New York, dreamed of oneday playing for the home town club, but that dream would come to an end as the Mets left him unprotected and the Reds took advantage and found a gem in the Triple-A portion of the 2014 Rule 5 Draft.

There may not have been a clear path to the majors with the Mets anyway, especially with Travis d’Arnaud already the Mets starting catcher and top prospect Kevin Plawecki waiting his turn with Las Vegas 51’s, so with the Reds, Maron gets chance to show his new club just what made him a success within the Mets system.

Maron’s goal, like any other minor leaguer, is to reach the majors and with a new club he may have that opportunity. He is currently on the Reds Triple-A roster along with another lefty hitting catcher, Kyle Skipworth, who was signed by the Reds as a free agent.

Based on the current Reds depth chart they have three catchers, Devin Mesoraco, their 2014 starting catcher who signed to a four-year extension on Monday, their back up catcher Brayan Pena, and top prospect Tucker Barnhart.

So I won’t make any bold predictions now, and even though it looks like Maron has his work cut out for him, I wouldn’t count him out. If the talented catcher continues to showcase his skills behind the plate, he may force the Reds hands to add him to the mix with an opportunity on the big club.

Many positive changes in 2015 for the 24 year-old New York native, from changing clubs to marrying his longtime sweetheart this past November.

The upcoming season looks to be one that gets him closer to the show.

David Conde

David is the Co-Founder and Executive Editor of Legends On Deck®, as well as a Co-Host on Legends On Deck Podcast. David was a Senior Editor for MetsMerizedOnline.com, MetsMinors.net and Contributor for Hardballchat.com that spanned from 2010 to 2014. David made his MLB Debut as a writer in June 2014, while covering the NY Mets at Citi Field, for MetsmerizedOnline.com. David also coaches baseball for ages 13-15, a Babe Ruth League team in his local community. David's passion is coaching the game he loves to the future Legends of Tomorrow as well as making available a website that people can have fun sharing and reading. David is also passionate about his career as a Mortgage Loan Officer which allows him to help many families reach their dreams of owning a home. Connect with David via his Social Media pages as he loves to chat all about baseball.