Miguel Montero has emerged as one of baseball's better catchers, an All-Star who hits in the middle of of the Diamondbacks' lineup.

At 28-years-old, the free agent-to-be is on the precipice of a nice payday, one that could take him out of Arizona.

And, as ESPN baseball insider Tim Kurkjian said, that would not be good.

"He's one of the top five catchers in baseball, that's for sure, and you can make the case -- given his offense -- that he's a better player, right now, than Molina is," Kurkjian told Arizona Sports 620's Burns and Gambo. "And yet, I don't see any way he's getting 75 million that Molina got.

"Yet, I think the Diamondbacks have to sign him."

The Molina Kurkjian is referencing is St. Louis' Yadier, who signed a five-year, $75 million contract in March.

Known more for his work behind the plate than standing over it, Molina is the NL's Gold Glove Award winner at catcher the last four years and a career .274 hitter. He's hit 55 home runs in 8 major league seasons for the Cardinals.

Montero, on the other hand, is a career .271 hitter with 58 home runs who is coming off a career-best season in 2011, his fifth in the majors.

"He is the glue of that team in a lot of ways," Kurkjian added. "I didn't realize he was quite the gym rat that he is and a guy that is so involved in everything that team does."

A player like that is tough to replace, which is why Kurkjian feels the D-backs shouldn't leave themselves with having to do just that.

"In the end, I think they're going to have to give him almost anything that he wants, but I still don't see them giving him $75 million," he said.