When the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Yasmani Grandal in December 2014 as part of a five-player trade with the San Diego Padres it gave them their most dynamic catcher since Russell Martin’s final season with the club in 2010.
Lauded for his pitch-framing ability, Grandal also poses a threat from both sides of the plate as a switch-hitter. However, his power lies as a left-handed hitter, and Grandal spent the past two seasons essentially part of a platoon with A.J. Ellis and more recently, Carlos Ruiz.
The Dodgers, and Grandal, are hopeful to change that in 2017.