MLB Trade Rumors: 5 players Diamondbacks should acquire

5. Tyler Flowers, C, Atlanta Braves

It’s somewhat difficult to project an upgrade at catcher for the Diamondbacks. Most of the current top 20 catchers in Wins Above Replacement play for contenders, or are franchise cornerstones.

Buster Posey leads all MLB catchers with a 2.2 fWAR, but the Giants aren’t likely to part with him and the Diamondbacks don’t have the prospects to get him. No. 5 J.T. Realmuto (1.3) would be a perfect fit, but he’s one of the core position players the Marlins are trying to build around. Alex Avila has been great, and is tied for second (1.7), and could become available at the trade deadline, but the Tigers are still in the mix in the AL Central, so it’s hard to count on him as an option.

One top-five backstop, Atlanta’s Tyler Flowers (1.5), might be available for the right price. A 31-year-old nine-year major league veteran, Flowers is off to a hot start at the plate in 2017, hitting .365/.475/.478 with three home runs in 139 plate appearances in 39 games. Only Posey and Avila have been worth more to their clubs offensively this season (though it’s also worth noting that Flowers’ very high .438 batting average on balls in play will be difficult to maintain all season, and his numbers are therefore likely to drop).

Flowers has been a good pitch framer. He ranks No. 6 in adjusted FRAA according to Baseball Prospectus, and is a solid overall defender behind the plate. He is also on a one-year contract with an affordable $4 million option for 2018

If the Braves aren’t willing to part with Flowers, the D-Backs may be interested in Atlanta’s other catcher, Kurt Suzuki, who also ranks in the top 20 in fWAR for catchers (0.7) while hitting .247/.375/.429 with three homer. Suzuki has been a positive defender and framer, and will be a free agent after the season.