Saturday, May 18, 2024

Fantasy Baseball

Top 10 Rankings: Catchers

Hi Everyone. With all sports being postponed due to COVID-19, you still have more time to draft your fantasy baseball team! Throughout this ranking series, I will give my top 10 C, 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, OF, SP, and RP. Starting off my countdown series is the catcher position. Drafting catchers in fantasy baseball can be a little tricky because there aren’t many elite catchers in baseball. The main statistics I will be using for a hitter are AVG, R, HR, RBI, and SB because these are the five categories for hitters in fantasy baseball. Without further ado, here are my top 10 rankings-catchers.

10. Omar Narvaez, Milwaukee Brewers

Kicking off my top 10 fantasy baseball catchers countdown, is Brewer’s catcher, Omar Narvaez. The 27-year-old had his best season during 2019. His average was a solid .278, he hit 22 HR’s and drove in 55 runs. Last season, Narvaez was on the Mariners, which isn’t ideal, but in the offseason, Narvaez was moved to the Brewers. On the Brewers, Narvaez should be able to put up similar numbers from last season, and given the Brewers are a decent team, some more RBI opportunities should come for Narvaez. Omar Narvaez is a solid hitting catcher and should be even more productive this year on the Brewers.

9. Christian Vasquez, Boston Red Sox

Coming in at my number nine fantasy baseball catcher is Christian Vasquez. Boston’s 29-year-old catcher put together a really nice fantasy year. Vasquez hit a respectable .276 while hitting 23 out of the park, and 76 RBI’s. Vasquez was able to stay relatively healthy as he played in 138 games, which is definitely an accomplishment for his position. Even though Mookie Betts is now an LA Dodger, Boston still has enough offense with Bogaerts, Betts, and Martinez, that Vasquez will have solid bats to bat behind. Christian Vasquez is set to have another solid offensive year, and fantasy owners should definitely look into drafting him.

8. Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers

Ranking at my number eight fantasy baseball catcher is 24-year-old Will Smith. Not to be mistaken with SF Giants relief pitcher Will Smith, the Dodgers catcher, who is also named Will Smith, showed off his power last season. Although Smith only played 54 games in the 2019 season, he hit 15 dingers, while still maintaining a decent .253 batting average. Will Smith definitely has a lot of upside, and if Smith can play in more games this season, he can emerge as a top-five catcher. However, since Smith only played in a limited amount of games last season, I put him at number eight. With a stacked lineup, Will Smith should produce at a similar rate this year.

7. Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals

Ranking at number seven on my fantasy baseball catcher rankings is Kansas City’s, Salvador Perez. The six-time all-star sat out the entire 2019 baseball season due to Tommy John having surgery on his right elbow. This was a massive blow to fantasy owners of Perez due to his stellar play in the past. Perez has shown that he is a top-three fantasy baseball catcher, but due to him missing the entire 2019 season, I’m not sure how he will bounce back. Some players pick up right where they left off, and others take a few weeks or months to get back to normal. Salvador Perez will be an interesting name to look out for, as he could go back to batting .260 with 20 or more home runs while driving in 70+, but the uncertainty makes him a bit of a risk.

6. Wilson Ramos, New York Mets

Coming at number six on my fantasy baseball catcher rankings is one of the oldest catchers on this list, Wilson Ramos. Ramos has always been an excellent hitting catcher, as he has a career average of .275. The 31-year-old continued his success last year with the Mets, as he hit .288 with 14 homers and 73 RBI’s. Ramos played a whopping 141 games in the 2019 season, which is a huge positive for fantasy owners of Ramos. If Wilson Ramos can continue to stay healthy, Ramos’s bat will make him a very consistent and reliable catcher for your team.

5. Wilson Contreras, Chicago Cubs

Making the top five fantasy baseball catchers is Wilson Contreras. Despite playing in only 104 games in the 2019 season, Contreras put up big numbers. The two-time all-star hit for an average of .272, hit 24 bombs and drove in 64 runners. Like most catchers, staying healthy has been difficult, but the talent is most definitely there. Contreras also fits in nicely to a Cubs lineup with Rizzo, Bryant, and Schwarber, which gives him a good amount of opportunities with runners in scoring position. Wilson Contreras is an excellent catcher for your fantasy team and provides a little bit of everything when it comes to hitting.

4. Mitch Garver, Minnesota Twins

Leaping his way across the fantasy baseball catcher rankings is Minnesota’s, Mitch Garver. Garver broke out during the 2019 season, as he hit 31 dingers while maintaining a .273 batting average. Hitting for power and having a respectable average isn’t easy for any hitter, but Garver made this hard task look quite easy. Hitting 31 home runs is quite an accomplishment, but doing that in 93 games is jaw-dropping. Like many other catchers on this list, Garver is on a great offensive team, which just makes his value increase. If Mitch Garver is able to play in more games this upcoming season, he will be a catcher that every fantasy owner wants on their team.

3. Yasmani Grandal, Chicago White Sox

Making the top three fantasy baseball catchers is Yasmani Grandal. Grandal’s one year stint with the Milwaukee Brewers was one to remember. Yasmani showed great durability during the season, as he played in 153 games. In those 153 games, Grandal hit for an average of .246, 28 HR’s, and 77 RBI’s. Grandal also drew 109 walks, which led to 79 runs scored. Now on the White Sox, Grandal is on a team with a lot of young talent and established veterans. I expect another great year for Grandal this season and fantasy owners should have definitely have an eye out for Grandal during the draft.

2. Gary Sanchez, New York Yankees

Coming in at my number two fantasy baseball catcher is New York’s, Gary Sanchez. As Yankees radio announcer John Sterling says when Gary Sanchez hits a homer, “Gary is scary.” Mr. Sterling is absolutely correct. Sanchez gives MLB pitchers and non-Sanchez fantasy owners alike nightmares about his power. Gary hit 33 HR’s for the Yankees last season in just 106 games played. Sanchez’s power is definitely there, but injuries and his average are his only two flaws. When healthy, the Yankee’s catcher is the top power-hitting catcher, but with all this power comes a dip in his average. Although his average is usually pretty low, you can’t resist Sanchez’s power, as a catcher. Playing on the Yankees further helps Sanchez’s case for number two, as he plays behind Judge, Torres, Stanton, LeMehaieu, etc. Sanchez’s raw power and opportunities he gets to drive in runs on the Yankees are what makes him such a desirable fantasy baseball catcher.

1. J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies

The number one fantasy baseball catcher goes to… J.T. Realmuto! The Phillies catcher can do literally everything. 2019 was Realmuto’s best season and here’s why. Realmuto hit .275, with 25 bombs, 83 RBI’s, 92 runs scored, and 9 SB’s. All of this was done in 145 games. Realmuto checks off every hitting category for fantasy owners while staying healthy. Realmuto is worth the early-round selection in the draft because he will be a productive hitter for your fantasy team all year round. J.T. Realmuto was an easy number one catcher selection for me because Realmuto will be an asset for your team and not a liability, which makes him irresistible.

If you liked what you read make sure you follow me on Twitter @NateHerman27. And while you’re at it make sure to head to Belly Up Fantasy Sports and Picks and Belly Up Sports for more great reads!