By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
The Phillies have traded a catcher. No, not the recently acquired All-Star, J.T. Realmuto, nor presumed backup catcher Andrew Knapp.
Not even the four catchers the club brought into spring training as non-roster invitees — Rob Brantly, Drew Butera, Deivy Grullon, nor Matt McBride.
Instead, the Phillies dealt 20-year-old catcher Lenin Rodriguez to the Baltimore Orioles on Monday, in exchange for international slot money, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki.
Rodriguez, who will turn 21 next Tuesday, had spent four years thus far in the Phillies organization, beginning with the Venezuela Summer League in 2015. In 21 games last season with the Williamsport Crosscutters, Rodriguez slashed .213/.342/.295 with six runs scored, 13 hits, four RBI, eight walks and 13 strikeouts spanning 73 plate appearances; he committed no fielding errors spanning 83 chances and 82 2/3 innings as catcher.
Trading Rodriguez could just be to recuperate the international slot money the Phillies dealt — along with Jorge Alfaro, Sixto Sanchez and Will Stewart — in the early February acquisition of Realmuto from the Miami Marlins.
In December, the Phillies dealt Rule 5 selection INF Drew Jackson to the Orioles, also for international slot money. In August, again from the Orioles, international slot money was acquired for 1B Jack Zoellner.
As Baseball America notes, the Phillies signed 64 international free agents "over the 2018-19 cycle." Having ample international slot money is necessary to find the next, best international star.
