B/R Fantasy Baseball 300: Ranking the Top 20 Catchers
With the top 150 fantasy baseball players all ordered and ranked on the initial 2015 Big Board, it's time to get into the individual-position rankings. All told, there will be (count them) 300 players ranked.
First up? The catcher spot, which is very much in flux, with lots of turnover at the top. Given Yadier Molina's dip in production and injury concerns as he ages, combined with the loss of "C" eligibility for two former early-round stalwarts in Joe Mauer (now 1B-only) and Carlos Santana (now eligible at 1B and 3B), the first tier now belongs to Buster Posey all by himself.
After that, the position is a mix of in-their-primers, such as the no-longer underrated Jonathan Lucroy, 2014 breakout backstops Devin Mesoraco and Yan Gomes and still-hanging-oners who provide steady if unspectacular numbers, such as Brian McCann.
There's enough depth that owners in 10- or 12-team leagues won't have trouble finding a solid starter, but in formats that go deeper (or use two catchers), it becomes a question of how much to invest in quality catching at the expense of missing out on more intriguing—and potentially more productive—players at other positions.
Let's run down the top 20 overall fantasy catchers and a few others you should watch, including potential impact rookies.
These rankings consider three factors:
First, everything is based on 10- or 12-team mixed leagues with standard 5x5 rotisserie scoring (BA, R, HR, RBI, SB for hitters; W, ERA, WHIP, K, SV for pitchers).
Second, lineup construction accounts for 22 active roster positions consisting of: one each for catcher, first base, second base, third base, shortstop, corner infield, middle infield and utility; along with five outfielders and nine pitchers.
And third, to be eligible at a particular position, players either must have played at least 20 games there in 2014 or be in line to start there in 2015.
The Catcher 'Watch List'
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Josmil Pinto, C, Minnesota Twins
Pinto, who turns 26 just before the start of the season, has as much potential with the bat as just about any non-starting catcher around, with 24 extra-base hits (11 HRs) in his first 280 big league plate appearances. Owners should keep tabs on Pinto if he wins the backup job in Minnesota, where veteran Kurt Suzuki is getting up there (31) and isn't likely to hit .288 with 34 doubles again.
Robinson Chirinos, C, Texas Rangers
At this point, Chirinos is pretty much keeping the catching gear warm for top prospect Jorge Alfaro, who is likely a year away, but in the meantime the 30-year-old has the inside track at a starting job after notching 28 extra-base knocks, including 13 homers, in only 338 trips to the dish last year.
John Jaso, C, Tampa Bay Rays
Traded back to the Rays in the Ben Zobrist-Yunel Escobar swap, Jaso is a rather safe bet to provide passable counting numbers primarily because he's pegged as Tampa Bay's starting designated hitter as of now. More valuable in OBP leagues (.359 career), Jaso has a shot to approach double digits in homers and score and drive in 50 apiece. If you're going this deep, you could do worse.
Josh Phegley, C, Oakland Athletics
A former first-rounder (2008), Phegley could be a late bloomer who puts together a nice year now that he's finally in line to get a chance to stick on a 25-man roster as one of several new Athletics players acquired this offseason. The 27-year-old posted a .966 OPS in the Triple-A International League in 2013 and then slugged 23 homers in the same circuit last year.
Christian Bethancourt, C, Atlanta Braves
Look, Bethancourt is the Braves backstop because of his defense and arm, so don't go getting overly excited about the 23-year-old rook. That said, he does own a starting job and should net 400-plus plate appearances, so he could accumulate some useable stats for fantasy purposes. Maybe.
Christian Vazquez, C, Boston Red Sox
See above: Bethancourt, Christian. And for those wondering, it's unlikely that Blake Swihart, the consensus top catching prospect in the sport, will make much of an impact in 2015, so don't go drafting him just yet in anything other than keeper leagues.
Dioner Navarro, C, Toronto Blue Jays
Navarro is here because there's still a chance he could be moved to another club before the start of the regular season now that the Jays have invested $82 million in Russell Martin as the starter. If that happens, then bump up Navarro, who has hit .283 with 71 runs, 25 homers and 103 RBI the past two years, into the back end of the top 20 at this position.
Andrew Susac, C, San Francisco Giants
Susac, 25 in March, debuted in the second half and looked more than capable with the bat, triple-slashing .273/.326/.476 in 95 plate appearances. Should the Giants decide to rest Buster Posey a little more or give him some extra time at first base to preserve him after another season that stretched to the end of October, then Susac would pick up more playing time and has the offensive upside to matter.
Peter O'Brien, C, Arizona Diamondbacks
There have been reports recently, such as this one from Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, that O'Brien, who was acquired from the New York Yankees in the Martin Prado deal last July, is being considered for the D-backs vacant catching spot (apologies to whoever Tuffy Gosewisch is) now that Miguel Montero is a Chicago Cub.
The 24-year-old has serious pop (34 HR in 2014), but he also spent as much time at first base and in right field as he did behind the plate last year, and he has no discernible approach and just a half-season at Double-A. In other words, he could be eaten alive if Arizona rushes him.
Nos. 20-16
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No. 20: Stephen Vogt, C/1B, Oakland Athletics
Vogt is perhaps the quintessential Athletics player, as an overlooked, underappreciated gamer who plays multiple positions and makes the most of his PT. He's not technically catcher-eligible just yet (15 games in 2014), but he's slated to start there for Oakland, which makes him a worthwhile second backstop in formats that deploy two.
No. 19: Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C, Miami Marlins
Salty is what he is at this stage of his career, a 29-year-old who provides pop but also a sub-standard batting average. The hope is that he can run into a few more mistakes in 2015 and make good on some more RBI opportunities in the revamped Marlins lineup. But if he's your starting catcher, you're not going to like it.
No. 18: Jason Castro, C, Houston Astros
Castro, 27, was a popular pick a year ago coming off an All-Star 2013 campaign in which he hit .276 with 18 homers. Unfortunately, that was fueled in part by an unsustainable .354 BABIP, so it wasn't such a surprise when he regressed across the board in 2014, hitting just .222 with 14 long balls. One of several high-strikeout players the Astros have stockpiled, Castro's value is going to be tied to his luck (or lack thereof).
No. 17: Mike Zunino, C, Seattle Mariners
If all you're looking for at C is power, then Zunino is your man. The 23-year-old mashed 22 homers in his first full season—only two catchers had more last year—but he hit, uh, .199.
Given his pedigree as the No. 3 overall pick in 2012, there's a chance Zunino can make some improvements, particularly to an overly aggressive approach that led to a ridiculous 158-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio. With some baby steps and a boost in his .248 BABIP, he could bring the average up to something resembling semi-respectability.
No. 16: Miguel Montero, C, Chicago Cubs
Entering his age-31 year, Montero is getting up there but still provides numbers that make him starter-worthy in deeper leagues or when he's enjoying one of his good stretches. Now that he's left Arizona's disappointing lineup, Montero might have a little more in him, but that also could depend on how fast the Cubs promising but still-young one-through-nine come together.
Nos. 15-11
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No. 15: Russell Martin, C, Toronto Blue Jays
This might seem low for Martin at first but don't get caught up in the hype of his $82 million contract and mistake that for a representation of his fantasy value.
Already 32, this is a better-in-real-life catcher, mainly because he derives a lot of his worth from his defense and on-base ability. Prior to last year's .290 average, Martin hadn't hit better than .250 since 2008. The move to hitter-friendly Rogers Centre and being part of the Jays potent lineup should make Martin worth owning but don't expect him to crush it, either.
No. 14: Derek Norris, C, San Diego Padres
After an All-Star first half in which he hit .294 with eight homers and 37 RBI, Norris fell off to just .245 with only two and 18. That aside, he checks in ahead of Martin based largely on the fact that he's on the upswing at 26 years old. Plus, he should have plenty of help in a Padres completely rebuilt lineup, now featuring Justin Upton, Matt Kemp and Wil Myers, among others.
No. 13: Wilin Rosario, C/1B, Colorado Rockies
Following a pair of fantasy-friendly campaigns in 2012 and 2013, during which he hit .282 with 49 homers and 150 RBI, Rosario's utter lack of discipline and elevated home run-to-fly ball rate caught up to him, as he hit just 13 out.
Because his defense is so poor, the Rockies brought in vet Nick Hundley to share catching duties, with the idea that Rosario also will see some time at first base, where his righty stick could balance Justin Morneau's lefty swing. Only 26 and armed with 20-homer power, Rosario could return to top-10-type production, as long as PT doesn't become too much of an issue.
No. 12: Travis d'Arnaud, C, New York Mets
A longtime top prospect, d'Arnaud finally stayed healthy enough to graduate to the majors in 2014. Things didn't start out so swimmingly, as the 26-year-old was demoted to Triple-A in early June with a .180 average. Two weeks back in the bushes seemed to light a fire under TdA, however, and he returned to hit .272 with 39 run, 10 homers and 32 RBI over his final 69 games.
That kind of performance over a full season would make d'Arnaud a surefire top-10 backstop, but the injury history is enough to knock him just outside. Regardless, this is a breakout candidate worth taking a gamble on at a shallow position.
No. 11: Wilson Ramos, C, Washington Nationals
Speaking of injury-prone catchers, Ramos missed a massive chunk of the season for the third year in a row. Due to wrist and hamstring injuries, the 27-year-old made it into just 88 games in 2014, yet that was his second-most action in parts of five seasons.
The good news is, when Ramos plays, he hits, as evidenced by his .267 average, 11 homers and 47 RBI in just 361 plate appearances. If he can somehow stay healthy for even 100-110 games, Ramos would put up very nice numbers.
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No. 10: Matt Wieters, C, Baltimore Orioles
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2014 Fantasy Stats: .308 BA, 13 R, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 0 SB (112 PA)
This ranking reflects the fact that Matt Wieters underwent Tommy John surgery almost a year ago and has expressed confidence that he can reach his goal of being ready to go by Opening Day, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com.
Should that time frame move back more than a week or two, depending on how Wieters feels at the start of camp, then he could be bumped out of the top 10—but not by much. This is still a 28-year-old power-hitting backstop who had smacked at least 22 homers and driven in at least 68 every year from 2011-2013.
While Wieters has been something of a fantasy tease because he's never quite put everything together in the same season, it's not out of the question that he could do so this year—health provided—after it looked like he was about to with his hot start to 2014.
No. 9: Yasmani Grandal, C/1B, Los Angeles Dodgers
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2014 Fantasy Stats: .225 BA, 47 R, 15 HR, 49 RBI, 3 SB (443 PA)
If any catcher is going to go all Devin Mesoraco in 2015—that is, emerge as a top-five fantasy backstop after years of struggling, despite a pedigree as a former first-round real-life draft choice—it's Yasmani Grandal.
To support such a claim on the anecdotal side, there's the fact that the Los Angeles Dodgers new and very savvy front office targeted Grandal in the Matt Kemp trade. Not only that, but Grandal indicated over the winter that he's at last over the knee surgery that cost him the entire second half of 2013, as Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports.
On the statistical side, recognize that this is a 26-year-old switch-hitter who, in a little more than a full season's worth of plate appearances (777) over his career, has compiled 24 homers, while scoring 88 runs and knocking in 94.
A healthy, free-from-Petco Park Grandal is ready to join the very good—and maybe even the elite—among fantasy catchers.
No. 8: Yadier Molina, C, St. Louis Cardinals
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2014 Fantasy Stats: .282 BA, 20 R, 7 HR, 38 RBI, 1 SB (445 PA)
Warning: Do not pay for Yadier Molina based on his name value in fantasy. Not only does that factor in his D, which is still top-notch but not relevant for our purposes, but it also puts too much emphasis on what the now-32-year-old once was rather than what he actually is, especially offensively.
Granted, Molina's 2014 was interrupted by a torn ligament in his thumb in early July, but even prior to that injury, which cost him six weeks, his fantasy stats were more good than great: .287 average, 30 runs, seven homers, 30 RBI in 83 games.
Upon returning at the end of August, Molina did next to nothing, hitting just .267 with no homers over 27 contests. Even worse? He wound up getting injured again during the St. Louis Cardinals' playoff run, as a strained oblique put him out of commission in the National League Championship Series (NLCS).
Molina still deserves a spot in the back end of these top 10 rankings based on a bounce-back 2015, but if you're the gambling type who would rather target upside, then it's not crazy to wait several rounds and take Grandal or d'Arnaud instead. Also not crazy? One or both might post better fantasy digits than Molina's.
No. 7: Salvador Perez, C, Kansas City Royals
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2014 Fantasy Stats: .260 BA, 57 R, 17 HR, 70 RBI, 1 SB (606 PA)
Looking at those stats above, the only thing that would have made Salvador Perez's 2014 go from good to great is about 20 points on his batting average. Heck, the lumbering, slow-as-all-get-out catcher even swiped his first base.
The risk here, of course, is that Perez racked up an outlandish 158 games in which he donned the tools of ignorance, including the entirety of October during the Kansas City Royals' journey to the Fall Classic. That, by the way, is a record for the most games caught in a single season. A little more rest in 2015 would be wise.
Then again, Perez (somehow) is still only 24 years old, so if anyone is capable of bouncing back from all of that squatting, it's him. Besides, while he lacks the power to punch into the top five at this position, Perez thrives on accumulating at-bats—and stats—by playing as much as he can, which is usually a good thing in fantasy.
No. 6: Evan Gattis, C/OF, Houston Astros
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2014 Fantasy Stats: .263 BA, 41 R, 22 HR, 52 RBI, 0 SB (401 PA)
A new Houston Astro and in the AL, where he belongs, Evan Gattis now can spend most of his time at designated hitter and left field rather than trying to fake it behind the plate. That should be better for everyone, especially the injury-prone, defensively challenged 28-year-old.
While Gattis likely will never hit for a high average because of his lack of plate discipline, he does have as much power as any player who carries that little "C" as his position. To wit, Gattis has totaled 43 homers across parts of his first two MLB seasons, but his 783 career plate appearances are not all that much more than a full, healthy season's worth.
If Gattis can get to even 500 PAs, which could happen in his new role, his home run total might start with a "3," and that's a mark no catcher has reached since Mike Napoli mashed 30 exactly in 2011.
No. 5: Brian McCann, C, New York Yankees
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2014 Fantasy Stats: .232 BA, 57 R, 23 HR, 75 RBI, 0 SB (538 PA)
Brian McCann's first season with the New York Yankees and in a new league didn't go quite as well as many had hoped given the marriage of the lefty slugger with the short porch in right field. But the 31-year-old still swatted 23 home runs—his seventh straight season with at least 20—and drove in 75.
To put that into context, only one player who is catcher-eligible this season hit more homers and only two accrued more RBI—and they both rank in the top three here.
McCann undoubtedly has lost some luster, especially with his average declining into the .230-.250 range in recent years, and investing in a backstop on the wrong side of 30 is always risky. But when you can pencil in 20 and 70 in the home run and RBI categories, respectively, it's a risk worth taking.
No. 4: Yan Gomes, C, Cleveland Indians
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2014 Fantasy Stats: .278 BA, 61 R, 21 HR, 74 RBI, 0 SB (518 PA)
This time last year, Yan Gomes was a rather unheard of player about to enter his first full MLB season and more known for being the first Brazil native to reach the majors than anything else.
Fast-forward a year and Gomes is a top-five fantasy catcher with the upside to be even better than that. That's what happens after the kind of 2014 Gomes produced, ranking third in runs (61), tied for third in homers (21) and fourth in RBI (74) among all of this year's C-eligibles.
A little more selectivity at the plate would help (4.6 percent walk rate), but the 27-year-old is smack in the middle of his prime and could have another all-around slight uptick in him.
No. 3: Devin Mesoraco, C, Cincinnati Reds
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2014 Fantasy Stats: .273 BA, 54 R, 25 HR, 80 RBI, 1 SB (440 PA)
Referenced earlier in the Yasmani Grandal write-up, Devin Mesoraco was the ultimate breakout performer at this position, more so than even Yan Gomes, who we just mentioned. A former first-round draft pick whom the Cincinnati Reds brought along slowly and then kept under wraps for a few years in the majors, Mesoraco showed he was ready right away in his first shot at being an everyday backstop.
Among all players who still have catcher eligibility, the 26-year-old tallied the most homers (25) and second-most RBI (80)—only the guy at No. 1 had more—and he did so in only 440 trips, while missing action with oblique and hamstring strains.
Mesoraco's 20.5 home run-to-fly ball rate was steep, but even if it drops down some, he could hit north of 20 out again simply by staying healthy and seeing more at-bats. And imagine how many more RBI opportunities he could gain if on-base machine Joey Votto is right. A repeat of 2014 is well within Mesoraco's range.
No. 2: Jonathan Lucroy, C, Milwaukee Brewers
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2014 Fantasy Stats: .301 BA, 73 R, 13 HR, 69 RBI, 4 SB (655 PA)
Jonathan Lucroy is firmly in this second spot in the catcher rankings, even with the recent news that he will be out 4-6 weeks—translation: perhaps until late March—with a hamstring strain, per Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
That position could shift slightly but only if Lucroy, 28, were to suffer some sort of setback in his status between now and early next month. And even then, unless he suddenly were projected to miss more than a week or two of the regular season, Lucroy wouldn't drop out of the top five.
No longer underrated like he was for so many years, this is an all-around great fantasy catcher. And the Brewers' plan to use Lucroy more often at first base to help keep him fresh, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, is both music to fantasy owners' ears and an idea that now seems especially prescient in light of his recent injury.
If anything, the hamstring issue presents a possibility that Lucroy could be passed over in drafts by some who would rather not risk owning a catcher dealing with a fresh ailment. If that makes Lucroy available even a little bit later (or cheaper) than he should be, go for the upside, especially at a position that can be replaced easily enough in-season by hot hands in free agency.
No. 1: Buster Posey, C/1B, San Francisco Giants
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2014 Fantasy Stats: .311 BA, 72 R, 22 HR, 89 RBI, 0 SB (605 PA)
As good as Yan Gomes, Devin Mesoraco and Jonathan Lucroy have been, they're all still playing catch-up to Buster Posey, who once again is the No. 1 fantasy catcher in all the land.
Ultimately, it comes down to this: While more than one backstop could pull off a .300-70-25-80 season, Posey is the only one from which such a studly line can be expected—and justifiably.
That's not to say Posey doesn't come without potential pitfalls. For one, because he's so far and away the top catcher, you'll have to draft him rather early (think: Round 4 or 5), at a time when other star-caliber players who might offer more overall production are still on the board.
And second, Posey is coming off yet another long, draining season that extended all the way through October and ended with the San Francisco Giants' third title in five years. The last time that happened, Posey followed up with a good-not-great 2013 (.294 BA, 61 R, 15 HR, 72 RBI).
And if you don't think he was worn out by the end, remember that he batted just .246 last October and couldn't manage even a single extra-base hit in 17 playoff games.
Then again, entering his age-28 campaign, Posey is smack in his prime, and the Giants will give him plenty of time at first base, a position he played a career-high 35 times last year. This is undoubtedly the top backstop, and the only question is whether you want to invest heavily to bring him aboard.
Statistics are accurate through the 2014 season and courtesy of MLB.com, Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.
To talk baseball or fantasy baseball, check in with me on Twitter:@JayCat11
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