James McCann's clubhouse leadership could signal a return to Baltimore in 2025

The Orioles will have a number of difficult decisions to make this offseason, between impending free agents, important contract option decisions, and working the trade market to improve the roster ahead of next spring.

Potentially one of the more important decisions Mike Elias will make is whether to retain the services of veteran backstop James McCann, who is set to become a free agent in just a few weeks.

On paper, McCann hasn't been all that impressive during his time in Baltimore, particularly considering his performance at the plate. He's always been a good player and he hit well enough in his walk year several years back to earn a 4-year deal worth $40 million from the Mets. Unfortunately, he's hit just .228/.274/.382 as an Oriole the past two seasons.

However, providing value as a catcher isn't just about production at the plate. There are a variety of factors, including defense, game calling, and leadership that don't necessarily show up on the stat sheet, but arguably matter as much as raw batting numbers.

Can James McCann's intangibles earn him a deal with the Orioles this winter?

By all accounts, McCann has the type of skill set that good teams look for in their backup catcher. He's always been seen as an exceptional leader and has put it all out there on the field, no doubt earning the respect of his teammates.

Orioles' reporter Roch Kubatko confirmed that sentiment earlier this week in an article discussing Baltimore's offseason plans. As reported in Kubatko's article, a veteran player who came over to Baltimore at the deadline was quoted saying "This is McCann's clubhouse".

From the outside, those are strong words. It would be easy to confuse the comment with the idea that Adley Rutschman has less control of the clubhouse than McCann but as Kubatko notes, that comment wasn't a dig at Rutschman, but was a compliment paid in the direction of McCann and his work ethic.

Pitchers across the board, not just in Baltimore but throughout his career, have spoken highly of the veteran backstop and Orioles pitchers in particular reportedly love having the guy in the locker room and behind the plate on game days.

So while Rutschman is the catcher of the Orioles' present, and it's possible that top prospect Samuel Basallo is the catcher of the future, there's still space for McCann to fit into the mix. He's clearly viewed highly by his teammates and does provide value in different ways.

The bright side is that while McCann hasn't been exceptional at the plate, he's not a complete zero up there. It's unlikely that the O's want to give McCann $12 million per year or more, but it's possible that the two sides can come to an agreement to keep the veteran in Baltimore.

If they do, it would seem to be a good decision for both sides. The O's would keep a strong clubhouse presence and veteran leader, and McCann would have the opportunity to compete on a good team with a chance at playoff success. It seems like a good fit, but we'll have to wait and see how it plays out.