Eleven people have caught at least 100 games for the Nationals during their 20 seasons of existence in D.C., and that list includes a wide range of names and track records. There have been offensive-minded guys (Wilson Ramos, Kurt Suzuki). There have been defense-first guys (Jose Lobaton, Wil Nieves). There have been seasoned veterans who came here late in their careers (Ivan Rodriguez, Yan Gomes, Matt Wieters). There have been promising young players who came into their own here (Keibert Ruiz, Riley Adams, Jesus Flores).
What there have not been, however, are any true homegrown catchers. Of those 11 players who caught at least 100 games for the Nationals, only Brian Schneider was homegrown, and he was drafted by the Expos way back in 1995, a decade before the franchise relocated.
The most games caught by someone who was initially signed by the Nats: 80, by Pedro Severino, signed as a teenager out of the Dominican Republic in 2010. The most games caught by someone who was drafted by the Nats: 47, by Tres Barrera, their sixth round pick in 2016.
It’s not necessarily because the Nationals have done a bad job developing homegrown catchers. It’s because they’ve barely acquired any homegrown catchers in the first place. From 2005-23, they never used a first or second round pick on a catcher. They used only one third round pick (Jakson Reetz, 2014), two fourth round picks (Brady Lindsly, 2020; Derek Norris, 2007) and two fifth round picks (Spencer Kieboom, 2012; Adrian Nieto, 2008).
(Yes, technically speaking, Bryce Harper was a catcher when the Nats made him the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft. But they immediately turned him into an outfielder and never once let him don the tools of ignorance during his eight seasons in the organization.)
