Austin Romine

Austin Romine

34-Year-Old CatcherC
 Free Agent  
Free Agent
2023 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for Austin Romine in 2023. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
RANKS
$Signed a one-year, minor-league contract with the Reds in December of 2022.
Released by Cincinnati
CFree Agent  
March 18, 2023
Romine was released Saturday by the Reds, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Romine was a non-roster invitee that signed with the Reds in December. The veteran backstop went 3-for-15 in Cactus League play with one home run. He's now free to join another organization, and could see interest from a club looking for depth at catcher.
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Batting Stats
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2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
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2021 MLB Game Log
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2020 MLB Game Log
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2019 MLB Game Log
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2018 MLB Game Log
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Batting Order Slot Breakdown
vs Right-Handed Pitchers
vs RHP
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
1
1
28
vs Left-Handed Pitchers
vs LHP
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
1
1
7
Left/Right Batting Splits
Since 2020
 
 
+45%
OPS vs LHP
2022
 
 
+165%
OPS vs RHP
2021
 
 
+636%
OPS vs LHP
2020
 
 
+49%
OPS vs LHP
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2020vs Left .678 76 7 2 10 0 .264 .303 .375
Since 2020vs Right .467 257 20 4 21 0 .182 .204 .263
2022vs Left .192 32 1 0 1 0 .067 .125 .067
2022vs Right .509 104 9 3 8 0 .182 .206 .303
2021vs Left 1.274 21 4 1 5 0 .500 .524 .750
2021vs Right .173 41 1 0 0 0 .075 .098 .075
2020vs Left .802 23 2 1 4 0 .318 .348 .455
2020vs Right .537 112 10 1 13 0 .222 .241 .296
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Batting Splits
Since 2020
 
 
+43%
OPS at Home
2022
 
 
+49%
OPS at Home
2021
 
 
+114%
OPS at Home
2020
 
 
+12%
OPS at Home
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2020Home .622 144 13 4 21 0 .234 .264 .358
Since 2020Away .434 189 14 2 10 0 .176 .198 .236
2022Home .551 49 4 2 6 0 .174 .224 .326
2022Away .370 87 6 1 3 0 .145 .165 .205
2021Home .748 30 3 1 5 0 .276 .300 .448
2021Away .349 32 2 0 0 0 .161 .188 .161
2020Home .616 65 6 1 10 0 .258 .277 .339
2020Away .552 70 6 1 7 0 .221 .243 .309
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Stat Review
How does Austin Romine compare to other hitters?
This section compares his stats with all batting seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 400 plate appearances)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity and Barrels/PA % are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 400 PA) and Hard Hit Rate is benchmarked against last season's data (min 400 PA). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • BB/K
    Walk to strikeout ratio
  • BB Rate
    The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a walk.
  • K Rate
    The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a strikeout.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many of a batter’s balls in play go for hits.
  • ISO
    Isolated Power. Slugging percentage minus batting average. A computation used to measure a batter's raw power.
  • AVG
    Batting average. Hits divided by at bats.
  • OBP
    On Base Percentage. A measure of how often a batters reaches base. Roughly equal to number of times on base divided by plate appearances.
  • SLG
    Slugging Percentage. A measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats.
  • OPS
    On base plus slugging. THe sum of a batter's on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
  • wOBA
    Weighted on-base average. Measures a player's overall offensive contributions per plate appearance. wOBA combines all the different aspects of hitting into one metric, weighting each of them in proportion to their actual run value.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Hard Hit Rate
    A measure of contact quality from Sports Info Solutions. This stat explains what percentage of batted balls were hit hard vs. medium or soft.
  • Barrels/PA
    The percentage of plate appearances where a batter had a batted ball classified as a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Expected BA
    Expected Batting Average.
  • Expected SLG
    Expected Slugging Percentage.
  • Sprint Speed
    The speed of a runner from home to first, in feet per second.
  • Ground Ball %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are on the ground.
  • Line Drive %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are line drives.
  • Fly Ball %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are fly balls.
BB/K
0.09
 
BB Rate
2.9%
 
K Rate
33.8%
 
BABIP
.213
 
ISO
.093
 
AVG
.155
 
OBP
.187
 
SLG
.248
 
OPS
.435
 
wOBA
.194
 
Exit Velocity
87.2 mph
 
Hard Hit Rate
20.0%
 
Barrels/PA
2.9%
 
Expected BA
.159
 
Expected SLG
.248
 
Sprint Speed
21.4 ft/sec
 
Ground Ball %
54.2%
 
Line Drive %
14.5%
 
Fly Ball %
31.3%
 
Advanced Batting Stats
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Additional Stats
Games By Position
Defensive Stats
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Batted Ball Stats
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Stats Vs Upcoming Pitchers
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Austin Romine See More
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
Romine's venture into full-time catching didn't go as the Tigers hoped. After two seasons posting a .712 and .749 OPS as the Yankees' backup, Romine reverted to pre-2018 levels with a .238/.259/.323 line. The primary reason was a 34.8 K%, considerably higher than what he registered the prior two seasons. The change in venues was another cause. Yankee Stadium is better than Comerica Park for power while Comerica is better for hits. This played out as Romine logged a career-high .354 BABIP, but his HR/FB level was cut in half. Add just two homers to Romine's ledger and his OPS jumps to .658 with the decline from 2018-2019 easily explainable by more strikeouts. At 32 years old, Romine was brought in by the Cubs, ostensibly to back up Willson Contreras. If Contreras is traded at some point in 2020, which is widely expected, Romine figures to step in as the No. 1.
Romine turned in career-best rate stats in 2019 and was rewarded with a one-year, $4.15 million contract from the Tigers. He will be looking to prove himself as more than a backup in 2020 and cash in again next offseason. During his time with the Yankees, Romine never exceeded 80 games played or 265 plate appearances. His performance on the field did not warrant more playing time earlier in his career, but Romine has been close to league average with the bat over the past two seasons, ranking 20th among catchers in wRC+ since the start of 2018 (min. 300 PA). Romine shaved five percentage points off his strikeout rate, though Statcast says he deserved to hit closer to .265 given the batted-ball profile. He provides solid defense behind the plate and the Tigers are lacking in viable alternatives, so while there are better second-catcher options, Romine has a lot of them beat when it comes to projected volume.
With starting catcher Gary Sanchez missing considerable time due to a groin injury, Romine came to the plate a career-high 265 times in 2018 and performed adequately, posting career highs in all three triple-slash categories (.244/.295/.417) en route to a respectable 91 wRC+. He chipped in 10 home runs, more than doubling his career total. Now 30 years old, there's little reason to believe he'll take another step forward and be anything more than the career backup he's been thus far, but he should have his roster spot locked up and could again receive a decent share of playing time should Sanchez's injury problems continue.
Romine may be running out of chances -- he has a negative-1.6 fWAR through 219 career games and zero seasons with a positive mark. He logged a career-high 252 plate appearances last season and his performance at the dish was well below league average (49 wRC+) as Romine did nothing particularly well with the bat. While he did lift his walk rate, it was still modest at 6.3 percent, and he struck out more (22.6 percent) and hit for almost no power in his age-28 season. Romine managed just four extra-base hits (all doubles) in 144 plate appearances away from Yankee Stadium, resulting in the second-lowest slugging percentage among 49 catchers with at least 200 plate appearances. The Yankees tendered Romine a contract for 2018, so he should be back to help out behind Gary Sanchez although it's not out of the question that the team could swap him out with Erik Kratz if he struggles in the spring.
Romine beat out Gary Sanchez in spring training to win the No. 2 catcher job to open the year and the 28-year-old remained in a backup capacity for the duration of the season. However, Sanchez, who didn't see any action until August, exploded when given the chance and quickly seized the spot atop the catching depth chart. With Brian McCann traded to Houston, Romine figures to open the year as the backup catcher once again in the Bronx, but his career 54 wRC+ (100 is an average big league hitter) serves as a nice reminder that there is not much to see here from a fantasy perspective.
Romine lost the spring training battle with John Ryan Murphy for the backup catcher role, and ended up serving as the primary catcher with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as a result. He projects to be a stronger defensive player than a reliable option at the plate, a forecast that held true again this season as he hit .260 with seven home runs in the minors. Even with the offseason trade of John Ryan Murphy, it is a little difficult to see where Romine fits into the long term future, with Brian McCann locked in for the next three seasons and prospect Gary Sanchez finally starting to make his way up the organization's depth chart. He’ll likely compete with Sanchez for the backup job in spring training, but at 27 years old, it’s unlikely he’ll see substantial time in the majors if he loses out on that battle.
Romine hit just .179/.258/.179 during Grapefruit League play and lost the competition for the backup job to Francisco Cervelli, but got the call up less than a week into the season with the team seeking the flexibility to use Cervelli and Brian McCann occasionally at first base after Mark Teixeira went down. His stay with the big club was short-lived, however, as Romine went sent back down just days later. Cervelli got hurt shortly thereafter, but rather than bring Romine back, the Yankees promoted John Ryan Murphy and left Romine down for his first extended run at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Romine did not fare well, hitting just .242/.300/.365 with six homers in 81 games, and he rarely saw opportunities during his other stints with the major league team. A second-round pick in 2007, he is still just 26 and has displayed a decent eye and quality receiving skills in the minors. Further, with Cervelli shipped to Pittsburgh in the offseason, the door is open for Romine to again compete for the backup job. However, his fantasy upside is marginal as Murphy and particularly Gary Sanchez project as more valuable options.
Romine finally got a shot at major league playing time in 2013, and while he got off to a putrid start at the plate, he seemed to find his form as time went on, putting up a 16-for-42 stretch at one point. The 25-year-old could continue to develop double-digit power at the plate, and while he'll never be a superstar, his batting eye and decent receiving skills could enable him to contribute to a major league team for quite a while. With the Yankees, those contributions will have to come in a backup role following the addition of Brian McCann in free agency.
Romine missed much of last season with a back injury, which stalled his development toward becoming the Yankees' catcher of the future. Romine has a good arm behind the plate, and projects to develop mid-teens power with a decent average. Romine is likely not quite ready to step into the full-time job, so we may see the Yankees try to get a veteran on a short-term deal so Romine can continue to develop in the minors. Romine won't be a superstar, but he could be a slightly above average starting catcher for years to come.
Romine has the skills to be at least an average major league catcher as he hit .286 for Double-A Trenton in 2011, and scouts forecast him to develop low double-digit power. With the trade of Jesus Montero to Seattle, Romine has an easier path to playing time. However, Gary Sanchez isn't too far behind Romine in the system. Don't count on a huge offensive breakout if he secures a major league role with the Yankees or if he's traded elsewhere, but Romine should hit enough to be a decent fantasy starter for 2013 and beyond.
Romine had a strong start to 2010, but a second-half slide dropped his final line to .268/.324/.402 at Double-A Trenton. As a hitter, he's well behind Jesus Montero, but scouts think he'll still have average power, and he's the better defender of the two. However, he's stuck in a holding pattern until the Yankees decide how to handle their abundance of riches. Montero is more likely to get the first look with the big club, and if he's able to hold his own, Romine may get stuck at Triple-A as potential trade bait. But if Montero falters and needs to switch positions (or gets traded himself), Romine will assume the "catcher of the future" mantle.
Romine spent last year with High-A Tampa, hitting .276/.322/.441 while smacking 13 homers in 442 at-bats. As one of two highly touted catchers in the Yankees’ system, Romine lags behind Jesus Montero in terms of offensive production, though some scouts believe he has enough power potential to be a 20- to 25-homer threat in the majors. Defensively, Romine has the edge thanks to his strong throwing arm, though he is still a work in progress with his footwork. It will be interesting to see how the Yankees handle their two young prospects in 2011 (the final year of Jorge Posada’s contract) and beyond, but for now Romine will continue to hone his skills at Double-A Trenton.
Although he'll likely be competing with Jesus Montero for the organization's catcher of the future tag, Romine has plenty of upside with his bat despite shaky defensive skills behind the plate. Montero was more productive when the duo spent 2008 at Low-A Charleston, but Romine isn't far behind and he could ultimately become the better prospect if he responds well efforts to improve his defense. He's still a few years away from a big league debut, while Romine figures to spend most of 2009 at High-A Tampa.
More Fantasy News
Joins Reds on minors deal
CCincinnati Reds  
December 27, 2022
Romine signed with the Reds as a non-roster invitee Tuesday.
ANALYSIS
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Heads to bench
CCincinnati Reds  
October 4, 2022
Romine will sit Tuesday against the Cubs.
ANALYSIS
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Reclaims playing time
CCincinnati Reds  
October 3, 2022
Romine will start at catcher and bat ninth in Monday's game against the Cubs.
ANALYSIS
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Losing work to Robinson
CCincinnati Reds  
September 26, 2022
Romine is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates.
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Still not starting
CCincinnati Reds  
September 24, 2022
Romine isn't in the lineup Saturday against the Brewers.
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