FANTASY BASEBALL 2020 CATCHER RANKINGS

By Muntradamus

BEAST DOME NATION.

The Catcher Position, a position that you not expect a Full Season out of anymore these days. Either they are the best catcher on their team by a long shot, but still need a game or two of rest every week, or they are in a straight up platoon.

BEAST

GARY SANCHEZ – NYY

Sanchez once again dealt with injuries in 2019, but also once again led the Catcher Position in HRs with 34 in 106 games. That is easy 40+ HR potential in a position where you draft a guy like Flowers and hope to get 20. Sanchez hit around .232, but those Power/RBI numbers should be huge once again. What makes Sanchez great is he can DH when he needs an off day from behind the plate, and the Yankees know this guy is their big slugger.

J.T. REALMUTO – PHI

JT is a superstar who can hit around .300 while also giving you solid power. Last season he had a career high 25 HRs to go with 9 SBs. While the 9 SBs was very high, you cannot count on him to do that again. Realmuto should be better in year two with the Phillies as this team went through rough stretches. However Realmuto has Realpower and 30 HRs with a .300 average is more than possible.

WILLSON CONTREARS – CHC

Last years BEAST DOME Sleeper alert. Willson came into his own and showed everyone he can hit 30 HRs when all goes right for him in a season. He is definitely the Cubs guy and should find himself in the middle of a stacked lineup. Willson hits for great average as well and is truly an all-around All-Star.

GOOD STARTER QUALITY

YASMANI GRANDAL – CWS

Grandal going to the White Sox is a good move. He has been a breakout star for a majority of his career, and by star I mean just under All-Star Quality good, and now he goes to the AL Central. James McCann is a capable backup Catcher, but Yasmani should be able to hold him off no problem. Only problem Yasmani can have is he is seeing a new set of pitchers he has never faced. The AL Central does not posses the scariest pitching, but those ball parks do not do him many favors. Lots and Lots of RBI opportunities in that lineup.

TOM MURPHY – SEA

Nobody has been touting Tom Murphy before me, (TOM MURPHY ARTICLES ON BD)

After hitting 18 HRs in 76 Games, the Mariners see the potential as well and they got rid of Navarez to give Murphy Full-Time everyday At-Bats. Murphy definitely is a stud and can hit 30 HRs no problem. It is insane the Rockies never gave him the chance and even waived him. Now Murphy has the chance to be a Fantasy Baseball Savior.

SALVADOR PEREZ – KC

Perez is nothing short of a guaranteed BEAST. He will bat cleanup basically everyday in the lineup that is built around him hitting in the speedy baserunners. Perez is coming off of a Tommy John Surgery, but even if the power takes a backseat, the RBIs will always continue. The power could find himself in the mid 20s HR range, but that is not horrible end of the day for a catcher. Perez is also rumored to play 1B.

CHRISTIAN VASQUEZ – BOS

Vasquez turned out to be a real treat last year as a Fantasy Player. He flashed us 20 HR Potential, he flashed us .300 Batting Average potential. Great part about Vasquez’ game is his ability to hit 9th and get on base for the Mookie/Beni/JD part of the batting order. He will not wow you, but he will be productive.

MITCH GARVER – MIN

Out of nowhere, Garver turned out to be a true Fantasy Baseball Stud with 31 HRs. In 91 Games?!! Garver has big time pop and he should have more PT now that Jason Castro is gone. Garver only had 7 HRs in his limited time in the majors coming into last season. He is 29 Years Old and now putting up Top 5 Catcher numbers. There is potential here, but there is also potential the bottom falls out and you wasted a pick on a guy who was a one hit wonder. I want to see him this Spring before giving him the bigger vote of confidence. For now give me the All-Stars over him.

RISKY STARTER QUALITY

ELIAS DIAZ – COL

Diaz comes into the season as the backup catcher behind defensive specialist Tony Wolters. However Diaz has show in Pittsburgh he can whack the bat better than most. Diaz can easily find himself as a full-time starter as well as someone who can hit 30 HRs in Colorado. HUGE sleeper upside in this pick, and I would not be afraid to take it on Draft Day. Diaz will be hot at some point.

*NOTE AFTER LOOKING AT EVERYTHING FANTASYPROS HAS DIAZ as #41 Catcher. Easy Steal*

TYLER FLOWERS – ATL

Flowers has always been a great hitter, and the Braves no longer have Brian McCann to bother his flow. Rookie Alex Jackson may have promise, but a player who has never hit a HR is not going to replace Tyler Flowers unless Flowers really struggles himself. Flowers is a good hitter in a good opportunity for a good season of 20+ HRs when it all goes right.

ROBINSON CHIRINOS – TEX

Chirinos goes back to the Rangers after a season with the Astros that did not really live up to potential. His numbers were the exact same as they always are. Around 20 HRs while hitting less than .250, however coming back to Texas you have to thing the power slugger is getting more and more confident every season. 35 Years Old is pretty old, but Chirinos has yet to show us his best year and a lot of his career he was sitting as a backup. So a young 35 Years Old, Chirinos can finally break 20+ HRs.

MIKE ZUNINO – TB

Zunino had a really bad injury riddled 2019 season. He still hit 9 HRs in 90 games, but his average which is always a problem was around .150. That is the downside of Zunino, Strikeout or HR. However the Rays decided to give him a clear path to be the everyday catcher. Zunino has the opportunity to hit 30 HRs when he stays healthy and those AL East Ball Parks will help. Everyone gets second chances in life, so does Mike Zunino who can easily be a superstar stud!

WILL SMITH – LAD

The Fresh Prince of Dodger Stadium had a nice rookie campaign stepping up with 15 HRs in 54 games. There is potential that offense is real, but there is also potential in Austin Barnes doing well enough to eat into his PT. Smith is young which will work for him, but Barnes plays great defense and the Dodgers envisioned Barnes as their go-to catcher last season before really struggling. If Barnes is hot, this will turn into Catcher By Committee. However Will the thrill should hit 20 HRs this year.

OMAR NAVAREZ – MIL

Last season Navarez brokeout for the Mariners after always showing some solid potential with the White Sox. Going to the Brewers, he should find himself in the same situation as Yasmani Grandal last season. However I am a firm believer that Navarez and his power is nothing real. He will be facing a whole new set of NL Pitchers, and the Brewers are not that stacked this year. Navarez can always hit for a solid average, but anything near 20 HRs like his 22 from 2019 would be breakout status in my eyes.

WILSON RAMOS – NYM

Nobody loves Ramos more than I do. The guy is straight up hitter, however age is starting to catch up to the age-less wonder and his power is starting to depreciate as well. Ramos has always had trouble staying healthy, and now we are at the point where if Ramos can hit 20 HRs that would be considered a big season. The batting average will always remain solid, but everything else is slipping by the year.

STABLE AVERAGE STATS

DANNY JANSEN – TOR

All the Sheep Loved Jansen because of his story of coming up to the Majors and nice production to close 2018. 2019 was a total bust season as Jansen once again saved his stat line in the final 2 months of the season to end with 13 HRs and a batting average at .207. Jansen is young at 24 Years Old, but he is not a big dude and he was more bad streak away from the Blue Jays realizing he is not their guy. There will be opportunities, but all in all this a guy you do not want to depend on for draft day.

BUSTER POSEY – SFG

How the mighty have fallen. Posey is no longer a real Fantasy Baseball Threat, but his name alone will keep you interested. Posey hit 24 HRs, in the last 3 years combined. The Surgeries, the deep playoff runs, the horrible offense around. All of this is catching up to the 32 year old, and he plays in the best pitchers park in 2020. Which makes Posey a Fantasy Baseball casulaty.

YADIER MOLINA – STL

Now 37 Years Old, Molina still comes into the game as one of the best defensive catchers. His power over the last two years prior to 2019 had him averaging 19 HRs/Season. Last season in an injury short season, Molina finished with 10 Bombs in 113 games. Molina does appear to be on his last legs, and you do not want to ride him out one more time. There are plenty of young potential catchers that will likely go after him that will definitely end up with better seasons. Molina was a stud, now he is a throwback player for one or maybe two more seasons before it is done. Nice thing about Molina he will surprise you with a SB every month, but it is not worth it with how bad everything else can be.

JASON CASTRO – LAA

Castro has always been able to hit, but not without a lot of power. However going to a stacked Angels team where his only backup is Max Stassi who we learned last year cannot hit. Castro can find himself playing almost everyday and driving in about 80 RBIs. The power will be lucky to approach 20 HRs, but he can hit for average and will remain a great deep backup if you need one.

MARTIN MALDONADO – HOU

Maldonado plays defense, but he also has some pop. The Astros feel they have enough cheating, I mean offense, from the other players on this team where they are fine with Maldonado flirting with a .200 batting average and hopefully 15 HRs. He will get the occasional stats, but more or less he is a defensive specialist.

AUSTIN ROMINE – DET

Romine found himself behind Gary Sanchez for a couple years. Romine always shown some potential when he got his opportunities because Sanchez could not stay healthy, however Romine to me was just in a good situation playing in Yankee Stadium with a stacked lineup. Pitchers threw Romine strikes because they did not want to walk him and put him on base. In Detroit he plays in a horrible hitters ball park with deep fences, and a lineup that is not good. Romine is not going to be very good, but he will play everyday.

PLATOON

KURT SUZUKI/YAN GOMES – WAS

Both of these players can play, problem is they are on the same team. With both players eatting eachothers playing time, 10+ HRs from either player would be considered solid, even though both of them have 20 HR potential. More Gomes than Suzuki. With that being the case, look for neither player to be that valuable unless someone gets injured. However if one gets injured, the other one becomes MUST-START.

FRANCISCO MEIJA/AUSTIN HEDGES – SD

Meija is supposed to be the next young best hitting catcher in the game. The Indians were holding onto him very closely until they traded him to the Padres for none other than their All-Star Closer Brad Hand. Meija should see a lot of opportunities, but Austin Hedges does have tower power and has a good double digit HR season still in his body. Meija will have to perform very well to win this job outright, I can see a 65/35 Split.

JORGE ALFARO/FRANCISCO CERVELLI – MIA

While Alfaro is supposed to be the young star future of the Marlins, and showed plenty of HR potential last season in his first full season. Bringing on Franco Cervelli does leave the door open to a potential platoon situation. Alfaro has a clear lead, but if Franco gets hot, he will get some PT. Alfaro is on a Marlins team that will not be winning games, which helps Alfaro keep the job. However not a sexy situation for the young stud.

ROBERTO PEREZ/SANDY LEON – CLE

Ya Perez hit 24 HRs last season while also hitting .239. However Ankle Surgery for a catcher is probably not the best thing, especially over a full 162 game season. Sandy Leon is a very capable backup and if Leon is playing well, which he has shown through stretches of his career he can. Then Leon will find his way in a 50/50 split. It helps Leon he is a switch hitter.

CARSON KELLY/STEPEHN VOGT – AZ

Nothing to really love here from either side. We could see a complete 50/50 Platoon split here as Vogt hits Right Handed Pitching well his entire career, and Kelly is a better overall younger player. Still, Vogt will eat enough PT where Kelly will be someone you can hardly trust. Kelly brokeout with 18 HRs last season, but he could not hit a ball before that as his career high batting average was .174 heading into the season. Kelly starts out cold, Vogt will enter and make it a platoon.

TUCKER BARNHART/CURT CASALI – CIN

Barnhart plays Defense, Casali can kind of hit. Neither player should be on the fantast radar as neither player will deliever anything more than 1/4 days in the box score.

PEDRO SEVERINO/CHANCE CISCO – BAL

I like Severino he is a very undervalued hitter. However the Orioles have him as the projected backup behind Cisco. Both players are not bad, but neither really hold any value. Plus the Orioles have the best Catcher Prospect in the game, the last year #1 pick who apparently is not going to be in the Majors this year and if he does, it will be in July/August. Adley Rutschman.

SEAN MURPHY/AUSTIN ALLEN – OAK

Neither player is really expected to run away with the job, however the A’s want Austin Allen to be their star. Allen came over from the Profar trade, a player the Athletics really had great value in after getting him from Texas. Allen has hit 20+ HRs three years in a row with the Padres Minor League Squads. A/AA/AAA, however that will be day and night different than playing for the Oakland A’s in their HUGE pitchers ball park.

JACOB STALLINGS/JOHN RYAN MURPHY – PIT

Ugly situation for the Pirates and their catching position. Neither player will likely make any impact and both will be splitting time throughout the season. Stallings has the edge as he was with the team last year and was able to be semi-productive, however 10+ HRs would be breakout star potential.