Travis d’Arnaud

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked New York Mets #2 prospect in 2014
  D'Arnaud has twice been included in December trades for Cy Young Award winners. He went from the Phillies to the Blue Jays for Roy Halladay in 2009, and then to the Mets for R.A. Dickey in 2012. D'Arnaud spent much of the first half of 2013 on the disabled list after taking a foul ball off his left foot on April 17 and breaking a bone. He finished 2012 on the DL with a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. D'Arnaud's offensive potential made him an attractive trade target, but he's a strong fundamental catcher with average to plus tools across the board. Pitchers trust him because he frames and blocks pitches with aplomb, while also working with his charges to execute game plans. He used solid-average arm strength to gun down 11 of 23 basestealers in an abbreviated minor league season and five of 24 in the big leagues. D'Arnaud mashed 21 homers at Double-A in 2011 to win the Eastern League MVP award, and his short, powerful stroke should translate in the big leagues. Good feel for the barrel and a willingness to use the middle of the field should allow him to hit for average, too, with some seeing him as a .280 hitter with 15-20 homers a year. D'Arnaud would have made his big league debut much earlier than August if not for his foot injury. He's the organization's catcher of the future, and barring a significant offseason move, nobody stands in his way for the starting job in 2014.
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  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #1 prospect in 2013
  The Phillies made d'Arnaud the 37th overall pick and signed him for $837,500 in 2007, one year before the Pirates took his older brother Chase in the fourth round out of Pepperdine. While Chase made it to the majors first, debuting in 2011, Travis has a much brighter future. Had Philadelphia gone a different route, the Blue Jays would have chosen d'Arnaud with the 38th selection in 2007, but they managed to acquire him two years later. He came to Toronto in a package with Kyle Drabek and Michael Taylor for Roy Halladay in December 2009. Slowed by back problems in his first year with Toronto, d'Arnaud broke out in 2011 by overcoming an April concussion to hit .311/.371/.542 with 21 homers at Double-A New Hampshire. After winning the Eastern League MVP award and helping the Fisher Cats to a championship, he joined Team USA for the World Cup in Panama but tore a ligament in his left thumb. D'Arnaud came out swinging again in 2012, batting .333/.380/.595 with 16 homers in 67 games at Triple-A Las Vegas. On track to get his first call to the majors, he tore the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while trying to break up a double play in late June. He didn't require surgery but did miss the rest of the season. D'Arnaud has the tools to become an all-star if he can stay healthy. He's a rare catcher with the potential to be an above-average hitter with plus power. He doesn't walk much but makes consistent hard contact, getting hits even when his timing is off or he gets off balance. He has the bat speed and strength to hit plenty of homers and lets his power come naturally, employing a short stroke and all-fields approach. Though he has played in extremely hitter-friendly home ballparks the last two years, his pop is legitimate, as 18 of his 37 homers have come on the road. D'Arnaud made good strides with his defense in 2011 by working with then-New Hampshire manager Sal Butera, who caught in the majors for nine seasons. Those improvements carried over to 2012, when d'Arnaud threw out a career-high 30 percent of basestealers. He has average to plus arm strength and has refined his footwork and throwing accuracy. He's a solid receiver who moves well behind the plate, and he's a good leader who works well with his pitching staffs. Like most catchers, he's a below-average runner but isn't a liability on the bases. The Blue Jays control J.P. Arencibia through 2016, so they don't need to rush d'Arnaud, but he is a better overall hitter and defender. D'Arnaud likely will return to Triple-A for some refinement at the beginning of 2013, but he's clearly Toronto's backstop of the future and arguably the best catching prospect in the minor leagues. He's on the 40-man roster, and if he avoids another injury, he may be ready for his major league debut by midseason.
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  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #1 prospect in 2012
  The Phillies signed d'Arnaud out of Lakewood (Calif.) High for $837,500 as the 37th overall pick in 2007, one year before the Pirates selected his brother Chase in the fourth round out of Pepperdine. Chase reached the majors first when Pittsburgh called him up last June, but Travis should get there at a younger age and has a brighter future as one of the game's top catching prospects. The Blue Jays were set to take him one pick after the Phillies grabbed him in 2007, and they finally got him, along with Kyle Drabek and Michael Taylor, by sending Roy Halladay to Philadelphia in December 2009. After missing much of his first year in the Toronto system with back problems, d'Arnaud had a breakthrough year in 2011. He hit just .188 and sustained a concussion in April, then he rallied to set career highs across the board and led the Double-A Eastern League with a .542 slugging percentage. He helped New Hampshire win the EL championship and reeled in the league MVP award. Following the season, d'Arnaud joined Team USA. He played in just four games before tearing a ligament in his left thumb at the World Cup in Panama. He had surgery on the thumb in October and is expected to be ready for spring training. Toronto added him to its 40-man roster in November. D'Arnaud has the all-around ability to become an all-star catcher. He has the bat speed and strength to hit 20 or more homers on an annual basis in the big leagues, and he has the best present power in the system. His career-best 21 homers weren't a product of New Hampshire's hitter-friendly ballpark, as he hit 11 of them and slugged .571 on the road. His quick hands, compact swing and all-fields approach should allow him to hit for a solid average to go with his pop. His offensive improvement stemmed from calming down at the plate and not trying to hit everything out of the park. D'Arnaud also made strides defensively working with New Hampshire manager Sal Butera, who caught for nine seasons in the majors. Managers rated d'Arnaud the best defensive catcher in the EL. He shows solid to plus arm strength, though he's still refining his footwork and throwing accuracy. He doesn't rush throws as much as he had in the past and threw out 27 percent of basestealers in 2011. He has improved his receiving skills and moves well behind the plate. He has fine leadership skills and does a nice job of running a pitching staff. While he's a below-average runner like most catchers, he doesn't clog the bases. J.P. Arencibia smacked 23 homers as a Blue Jays rookie in 2011, but d'Arnaud is a superior hitter and defender. While he's not quite ready to take over Toronto's catching job, he could make his debut late in the 2012 season and push Arencibia in 2013.
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  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #5 prospect in 2011
  The 37th overall pick in 2007, d'Arnaud moved from the Phillies to the Blue Jays along with Kyle Drabek and outfield prospect Michael Taylor in the Roy Halladay trade in December 2009. In his first season in the Toronto system, d'Arnaud missed most of May with back problems that led to him getting shut down at the end of July. His older brother Chase is one of the Pirates' better position prospects. D'Arnaud has the tools to do it all at catcher. He has a quick bat and does a good job of using the whole field. His swing usually stays compact, and he should hit for a solid average with 15-20 homers per season. Defensively, he has a plus arm and threw out 30 percent of basestealers in high Class A in 2010. He sometimes rushes his throws, which affects his accuracy. He has quick feet and the athleticism and agility to stay behind the plate. He's a below-average runner, typical for a catcher. J.P. Arencibia may have had a more spectacular 2010 season, but d'Arnaud has better all-around skills. A winter of rest should resolve his back problems, though his missed time may dictate a return to high Class A to start 2011 with an opportunity to be promoted during the season.
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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #4 prospect in 2010
  The 37th overall pick in 2007, d'Arnaud played against his brother Chase, a shortstop in the Pirates system, in two four-game sets in the low Class A South Atlantic League last May. Chase was caught stealing just three times in the SAL, twice by his brother in the second series. The strong-bodied d'Arnaud got better as 2009 wore on, clubbing 25 doubles in his last 224 at-bats. He led the SAL in doubles and is tapping into his plus raw power. He has strength in his hands and generates good bat speed. D'Arnaud understands the importance of defense for a catcher and works hard at managing a staff. He has above-average arm strength, soft hands and good agility. Footwork can get d'Arnaud in trouble in both blocking balls and with the accuracy of his throws. He threw out just 40 of 172 basestealers (23 percent) last season, though opponents ran wild on Lakewood's pitching staff. He needs more at-bats against good breaking balls, against which he tends to lunge and get long with his swing. The Phillies were confident enough in their young catchers to include Lou Marson in the Cliff Lee trade. D'Arnaud is ahead of Sebastian Valle defensively and in his development, but will have to keep improving to maintain that lead. He's slated to move up to high Class A Clearwater in 2010 and should be ready for Philadelphia by 2012.
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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #7 prospect in 2009
  D'Arnaud's older brother Chase was a fourth-round pick of the Pirates this year as a shortstop. They would have played together in the short-season New York-Penn League all-star game this year before the Phillies promoted their d'Arnaud for Lakewood's stretch run. His defense got d'Arnaud drafted 37th overall in 2007. He's athletic with premium catch-and-throw tools, such as soft hands, quick feet and plenty of arm strength. He has made adjustments to get his body more involved in his throws, improving their accuracy. As a bonus, some club officials now believe his offense will be as good as or better than his defense. He has a line-drive swing and gap power with a willingness to use the opposite field. D'Arnaud's swing lacks natural loft, so he's not expected to hit for a lot of power. He threw out just 19 percent of basestealers and committed 16 passed balls in 2008, numbers that don't square with the scouting reports. Phillies officials believe he just needs to gain experience with the speed of the game at the pro level. He runs like a catcher. Lou Marson looks like Philadelphia's catcher of the future, but if he falters, d'Arnaud should be ready soon thereafter. He's on the fast track already and could become trade fodder if he continues his offensive development.
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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #16 prospect in 2008
  D'Arnaud's older brother Chase is a third baseman at Pepperdine and will be an early-round pick in the 2008 draft. Travis also committed to play for the Waves, but he never made it to Malibu because the Phillies took him in the supplemental first round last June and signed him for $832,500. One of the best defensive backstops in the draft, d'Arnaud has above-average catch-and-throw skills. He threw out just 24 percent of basestealers in his pro debut, but his arm strength is unquestionable as he regularly gets the ball from mitt to second base in 1.9 seconds. His game-calling still needs work, but he improved in that regard during the summer. Scouts weren't entirely sold on d'Arnaud's bat and he didn't light up Gulf Coast League pitching, but he did show some ability to stay inside balls and drive them to the opposite field. He has a quick swing with the potential for some loft power. He's more athletic and has more speed than most catchers. There's no need to rush d'Arnaud, who will begin the year in low Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Pacific Coast League #2 prospect in 2012
  Had he not torn the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while breaking up a double play in early June, d'Arnaud might have bested Eaton for the league MVP award. The injury ended the season of the best catching prospect in the minors, delaying his big league debut until 2013. Except for his speed, d'Arnaud has solid tools across the board. He puts himself in a good position to hit by keeping the bat in the hitting zone for a long time, and he should hit for at least average power. He showed off his plus arm strength by nailing 30 percent of basestealers, and his receiving and blocking are coming along nicely. "He was making huge strides on the defensive side," Las Vegas manager Marty Brown said. "He was really progressing well. He has put in a lot of hard work."
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  Ranked Eastern League #2 prospect in 2011
  Chase d'Arnaud won an EL title and all-star recognition in 2010, and his younger brother Travis matched his championship and eclipsed him by earning MVP honors this year. One of three blue-chip prospects the Phillies traded for Roy Halladay, d'Arnaud recovered from an April concussion to lead the league with a .542 slugging percentage. Though New Hampshire's Merchantsauto.com Stadium is a hitter's yard, managers emphasized that his power wasn't a creation of the park. With a short swing and an all-fields approach, d'Arnaud should hit for a solid average as well. Some managers rated his arm as average, but scouts said it plays below average because of his inconsistent footwork and throwing accuracy. He threw out 27percent of basestealers. "He's the best guy the Jays got in the Halladay package. He's receiving the ball better now than he did before, giving a better target, setting up better," an American League scout said. "And he falls out of bed hitting. He's got such good hands and good timing."
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  Ranked Florida State League #5 prospect in 2010
  D'Arnaud missed almost half the season with a back injury, but he played enough to stand out as the best catcher in the FSL and the one with the brightest future. Part of the trade that sent Roy Halladay from Toronto to Philadelphia, d'Arnaud has the bat speed to catch up to good fastballs and enough power to make a pitcher pay for missing over the fat part of the plate. He projects to hit 15-20 homers annually once he matures. His swing sometimes gets a little long, but usually it's a compact stroke that allows him to use the whole field. D'Arnaud impressed observers by not carrying bad at-bats behind the plate. He has quick feet, the agility to block balls in the dirt and a plus arm. He sometimes rushes his exchange, which affects his throws, but as he becomes more consistent he should be able to improve his success rate against basestealers (30 percent in the FSL, 24 percent for his career).
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  Ranked South Atlantic League #17 prospect in 2009
  The Phillies felt comfortable including Triple-A catcher Lou Marson in the Cliff Lee trade because d'Arnaud emerged as a solid prospect this year. He's on track to be their catcher of the future. D'Arnaud's calling card always has been his defense, and he continues to get better behind the plate, particularly in calling games and working with pitchers. He's a terrific receiver with soft hands and excellent blocking skills. He has strong forearms and holds pitches in the zone, often helping his pitchers get strike calls. He has a strong arm but instead of exploding toward his target, he tends to stand up out of his crouch and threw out just 23 percent of SAL basestealers. D'Arnaud batted just .255 in his first extended taste of full-season ball, but he collected 52 extra-base hits (including a league-leading 38 doubles) and improved over the course of the season. Balls die in Lakewood's expansive FirstEnergy Park, and Wathan estimated that d'Arnaud might have had 20 homers in a ballpark that played more fairly. He has strong hands and isn't afraid to use the opposite field.
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  Ranked New York-Penn League #5 prospect in 2008
  D'Arnaud had an even better summer in the NY-P than his older brother Chase, who starred for three years at Pepperdine and played well at shortstop for State College this summer. Travis, who played the whole season as a 19-year-old a year after the Phillies drafted him in the supplemental first round out of high school, earned a callup to low Class A in mid-August and continued to perform against older competition. D'Arnaud's premium defense was his calling card in high school, and he has gotten even better behind the plate. He's an excellent receiver who handles the pitching staff well, and he's improved his throwing times to second base by straightening his alignment, getting his body more involved rather than relying solely on arm strength. Offensively, d'Arnaud is a good contact hitter with gap power, and he projects to hit some homers as he matures. When he's locked in, he drives the ball to right-center. He also earns plaudits for his work ethic.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #38 prospect in 2014
• Ranked Baseball America's #23 prospect in 2013
• Ranked Baseball America's #17 prospect in 2012
• Ranked Baseball America's #36 prospect in 2011
• Ranked Baseball America's #81 prospect in 2010

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: The Phillies made d'Arnaud the 37th overall pick and signed him for $837,500 in 2007, one year before the Pirates took his older brother Chase in the fourth round out of Pepperdine. While Chase made it to the majors first, debuting in 2011, Travis has a much brighter future. Had Philadelphia gone a different route, the Blue Jays would have chosen d'Arnaud with the 38th selection in 2007, but they managed to acquire him two years later. He came to Toronto in a package with Kyle Drabek and Michael Taylor for Roy Halladay in December 2009. Slowed by back problems in his first year with Toronto, d'Arnaud broke out in 2011 by overcoming an April concussion to hit .311/.371/.542 with 21 homers at Double-A New Hampshire. After winning the Eastern League MVP award and helping the Fisher Cats to a championship, he joined Team USA for the World Cup in Panama but tore a ligament in his left thumb. D'Arnaud came out swinging again in 2012, batting .333/.380/.595 with 16 homers in 67 games at Triple-A Las Vegas. On track to get his first call to the majors, he tore the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while trying to break up a double play in late June. At the time, he ranked third in the Pacific Coast League in home runs and seventh in OPS (.975). He didn't require surgery but did miss the rest of the season. Scouting Report: D'Arnaud has the tools to become a big league all-star if he can stay healthy. He's a rare catcher with the potential to be an above-average hitter with plus power. He doesn't walk much but makes consistent hard contact, getting hits even when his timing is off or he gets off balance. He has the bat speed and strength to hit plenty of homers and lets his power come naturally, employing a short stroke and all-fields approach. Though he has played in extremely hitter-friendly home ballparks the last two years, his pop is legitimate, as 18 of his 37 homers have come on the road. D'Arnaud made good strides with his defense in 2011 by working with then-New Hampshire manager Sal Butera, who caught in the majors for nine seasons. Those improvements carried over to 2012, when d'Arnaud threw out a career-high 30 percent of basestealers. He has average to plus arm strength and has refined his footwork and throwing accuracy. He's a solid receiver who moves well behind the plate, and he's a good leader who works well with his pitching staffs. As is the case with most catchers, he's a below-average runner but isn't a liability on the bases. The Future: The Blue Jays control J.P. Arencibia's rights through 2016 and have Jeff Mathis signed through 2015. Both are still under 30, so the Blue Jays are in no rush for an everyday catcher. That said, d'Arnaud is a better hitter than either of them, has more power than Mathis and plays better defense than Arencibia. D'Arnaud likely will return to Triple-A for a little more refinement at the beginning of 2013, but he's clearly Toronto's backstop of the future and arguably the best catching prospect in the minor leagues. He's on the Blue Jays' 40-man roster, and If he avoids another injury, he may be ready for his major league debut by midseason.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: The Phillies signed d'Arnaud out of Lakewood (Calif.) High for $837,500 as the 37th overall pick in 2007, one year before the Pirates selected his brother Chase in the fourth round out of Pepperdine. Chase, an infielder, reached the majors first when Pittsburgh called him up last June, but Travis should get there at a younger age and has a brighter future as one of the game's top catching prospects. The Blue Jays were set to take him one pick after the Phillies grabbed him in 2007, and they finally got him, along with Kyle Drabek and Michael Taylor, by sending Roy Halladay to Philadelphia in December 2009. After missing much of his first year in the Toronto system with back problems, d'Arnaud had a breakthrough year in 2011. He hit just .188 and sustained a concussion in April, then rallied to set career highs across the board and led the Double-A Eastern League with a .542 slugging percentage. He helped New Hampshire win the EL championship and reeled in the league MVP award as well as the inaugural Captain's Catcher's Award. Following the season, d'Arnaud joined Team USA because his brother had played for the squad in 2010 and he wanted to experience it as well. He played in just four games before tearing a ligament in his left thumb at the World Cup in Panama. He had surgery on the thumb in October and is expected to be ready for spring training. Toronto added him to its 40-man roster in November. Scouting Report: D'Arnaud is a good athlete and has the all-around ability to become an all-star catcher. He has the bat speed and strength to hit 20 or more homers on an annual basis in the big leagues, and he has the best present power in the system. His career-best 21 homers weren't a product of New Hampshire's hitter-friendly ballpark, as he hit 11 of them and slugged .571 on the road. He has quick hands, a compact swing and an all-fields approach that should allow him to hit for a solid average to go with his pop. His offensive improvement stemmed from calming down at the plate and not trying to hit everything out of the park. D'Arnaud also made strides defensively working with New Hampshire manager Sal Fasano, who caught for 11 seasons in the majors. Managers rated d'Arnaud the best defensive catcher in the EL. He shows solid to plus arm strength, though he's still refining his footwork and throwing accuracy. He doesn't rush throws as much as he had in the past and threw out 27 percent of basestealers in 2011. He has improved his receiving skills and moves well behind the plate thanks to his agility. He has fine leadership skills and has shown improvements in running a pitching staff. While he's a below-average runner like most catchers, he doesn't clog the bases. The Future: J.P. Arencibia smacked 23 homers as a Blue Jays rookie in 2011, but d'Arnaud is a superior hitter and defender. While he's not quite ready to take over Toronto's catching job, he should be knocking on the door soon after getting in some Triple-A seasoning at Las Vegas, where his numbers may see another boost thanks to the offensive nature of the Pacific Coast League. He could make his debut late in the 2012 season and push Arencibia to another position or even team in 2013.