Wilson Contreras has played in just 193 Major League games, and this year, the Chicago Cubs’ catcher will turn 26 years old.
While Contreras has performed well at the plate to this point in his career, he hasn’t exactly established himself as one of baseball’s elite catchers. Contreras, though, doesn’t care if he hasn’t reached his potential yet. Because when he does, watch out.
In an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, Contreras said he no longer watches film of Buster Posey and Yadier Molina, two of the top catchers in the game, because as he puts it, “I used to watch those guys a lot. But now, I’m watching myself because I know that I’m going to be better than them. That’s my plan. That’s my mindset.”
When Posey was 25 years old, he wont the National League MVP and led the Giants to their second World Series in three seasons. At the age of 25, Molina claimed his first Gold Glove, and he’s gone on to win seven more.
The bar’s been set. @WContreras40 wants to raise it. pic.twitter.com/xIqS66Mj6f
— MLB (@MLB) January 17, 2018
Contreras has a long way to go to match the most accomplished catcher in the game and the best defensive catcher of his generation, but the Cubs’ starter doesn’t appear worried about living up to his own set of expectations.