Cubs: 3 long-term replacements for Willson Contreras if we trade him
By Tim Boyle
2) Cubs replacement for Willson Contreras: Mike Zunino
Mike Zunino is a completely different kind of catcher than Contreras and Vazquez. He does share one quality with both of them pretty well.
With Contreras, Zunino shares power at the plate. He has averaged just under 30 home runs per 162 games in his career and is coming off of a 2021 campaign where he slugged .559 in 375 plate appearances. In regards to Vazquez, he shares the quality of being a good defensive catcher.
That’s about where the differences end. Zunino regularly hits below the Mendoza Line. His .251 batting average from 2017 was completely unexpected. Since then, he has a season-high of batting only .216.
If Zunino became the answer for the Cubs, they are giving up consistent hitting in favor of good game-calling and the occasional long fly ball. His work with the Tampa Bay Rays over the last few years and their lack of going in a different direction does say something about how much they respect what he does do well. Zunino has had one of the strangest careers for a modern catcher. The limited options available in free agency could have the Cubs giving him a try for a few years.
Other than Vazquez and Zunino, there aren’t too many immediate replacements for Contreras that stand out in free agency. Fortunately, there is one easy way to find an answer.