Cleveland Guardians could be in the mix for free-agent catcher Christian Vázquez

Though the Cleveland Guardians have been heavily linked to Sean Murphy, they don't appear to be putting all their eggs in one potential basket when it comes to available catchers.

It would seem that Cleveland is also kicking the tires on free-agent catcher Christian Vázquez, who finished last season with the Astros after being traded at the deadline by the Red Sox. Vázquez, 32, has a career 85 OPS+, but is far more lauded for his defensive skills behind the plate and his ability to handle a pitching staff, qualities the Guardians certainly admire in their catchers.

Last season, between both Houston and the Red Sox, Vázquez hit .274/.315/.399 with nine home runs, 52 RBI, 23 doubles, and a 99 OPS+. Even if the Guardians ultimately "settled" for Vázquez, he'd still be a tremendous offensive upgrade at the position going into next season.

An option like Vázquez begins to make a lot of sense if the Guardians are thinking about switching gears and making a run at outfielder Bryan Reynolds, who just announced his intentions of being traded. The Guardians have been after Reynolds for years now, so it's quite conceivable Cleveland would be fine with a stopgap solution at catcher as top prospect Bo Naylor continues to develop at the major-league level without much pressure.

A number of other teams could have an interest in Vázquez, especially as signing top free-agent catcher Willson Contreras comes with the added loss of a draft pick. The good news for the Guardians, though, is that they have plenty of options laid out before them.