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2007 For five starts worth of a revitalized David Wells, Theo Epstein scored a nice haul with the fourth catcher to change hands between the Red Sox and Padres within a year. Kottaras` size, durability, and will to endure the daily grind of catching are all concerns, but he offers a nice mix of line-drive power and good plate discipline; his bat could support a position change if necessary. He`ll likely spend the season in Pawtucket, but could see Boston if Varitek is sidelined again. 2006 The fraternity of former hot catching prospects is fraught with disappointment--ask Matt LeCroy or Toby Hall. Kottaras resembles a young Craig Biggio more than behemoths like LeCroy or Hall, though, and he looks like he`s going to be a pretty fair defensive backstop. His 36 doubles and 69 walks last year point to some promising line-drive power and a good batting eye, traits that will serve him well at higher levels. With just 101 Double-A at-bats on his record, he won`t be a factor in the big leagues in 2006. Look for Kottaras in 2007--Doug Mirabelli is not a long-term solution behind the plate. 2005 With apologies to Josh Barfield, here's the best prospect in the system. A native Canadian grabbed out of junior college as a 20th-round pick as a draft-and-follow, Kottaras showed a precocious batting eye, intriguing doubles power and great defensive instincts behind the plate. The Padres compare him to Brad Ausmus with the glove, Jorge Posada with the bat. If you're in a deep dynasty league, feign ignorance, grab him, and you'll be gloating four years from now.
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