Fantasy Baseball Catcher Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 13 (2024)

Joey Pollizze's fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for catchers in Week 13 of the 2024 MLB season. Consider adding and streaming these free-agent hitters.

Welcome, RotoBallers, to another edition of catcher wavier wire pickups. This week, we will look at three more catchers who fantasy managers should pick up ahead of Week 13 (June 17 to June 23). 

It has been an interesting fantasy year for catchers so far, as many solid options have landed on the injured list. Sean Murphy was out for the first two months with an oblique issue, Francisco Alvarez missed almost two months with a thumb injury, and now J.T. Realmuto (knee) lands on the 10-day injured list with a meniscus injury. 

With Realmuto set to miss about a month, fantasy managers could be looking on waivers to find a replacement. So, here are three catchers fantasy managers should pick up before Week 13 begins. All stats are through Thursday's games.

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Catcher Waiver Wire Adds

Connor Wong, Boston Red Sox (44% Rostered)

In this weekly catcher series, I have tried to list players under 40% rostered in Yahoo leagues. But Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong is the exception heading into Week 13. That's because Wong deserves to be rostered in all 12-plus team leagues moving forward. 

After struggling at the plate in his first full season in the majors last year, the 28-year-old is enjoying a breakout campaign in 2024. Wong is currently hitting .329 with five home runs, six doubles, 21 RBI, and three stolen bases across 50 games. The Red Sox catcher has been able to contribute in many different categories this season, which has helped his overall fantasy production. However, his ability to get on base has been the biggest difference for fantasy managers. 

Top Year-to-Year Changes in Batting Average

Steven Kwan- +.112
Connor Wong- +0.94
Jurickson Profar- +.082
Trea Turner- +.077
LaMonte Wade Jr- +.077

— The Skippers View (@TheSkippersView) June 14, 2024

Wong's .329 average is the highest among all catchers in 2024, and his .389 on-base percentage ranks third. The 28-year-old also has a current six-game hitting streak and a seven-game on-base streak. With the way he is hitting the ball this season, he shouldn't be on waivers in most leagues. 

While he might not have the upside of some of the other catchers on waivers like Shea Langeliers or Tyler Stephenson, managers can count on Wong to put up fantasy numbers every game. Since May 19, he has totaled at least one counting stat in 15 of 18 games. If you are looking for a high-floor option at the position, look no further than the catcher in the midst of a breakout season. 

Patrick Bailey, San Francisco Giants (18% Rostered)

San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey's rostership has actually gone down in recent days, but he is still a player who fantasy managers should be looking to add ahead of Week 13. Bailey continues to put up solid numbers at the plate, which has been a pleasant surprise for San Francisco's lineup this season. The 25-year-old is currently hitting .279 with four HRs, eight doubles, 22 RBI, and two stolen bases across 44 games. 

Those numbers surely make him a solid add in fantasy, especially if you lost Realmuto this past week. Bailey also has the upside to produce some big games at the plate -- like we have seen from him a couple of times this season. On May 22, he went 3-for-5 with one double. Then, he followed that game up by going 2-for-4 with one home run and four RBI on May 24. 

BAILEY TIES IT UP 😤 pic.twitter.com/16LcbUBZ8Y

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 11, 2024

While he hasn't produced a big game like that since, he is still contributing for fantasy managers. Bailey has a current six-game hitting streak. He has also been taking his walks when he needs to. He has walked five times over the past five contests, which has lifted his walk rate to 11% on the season. 

Bailey is a young catcher who continues to improve at the plate, and for that reason, he is worth a look in fantasy. The second-year catcher also ranks in the top half of the league in several categories, including expected batting average (.302), average exit velocity (91.9 mph), and launch angle sweet-spot rate (47.8%). So, there is a real upside in grabbing him on waivers right now. 

Tyler Soderstrom, Oakland A's (9% Rostered)

If fantasy managers are looking for a catcher who is red-hot at the plate, Oakland A's catcher/first baseman Tyler Soderstrom is your answer. After making his season debut on May 8, Soderstrom struggled right out of the gate. He had just eight hits across 46 at-bats (.174 average) while striking out a whopping 23 times across his first 20 games.

Then something changed for the 22-year-old. Since June 6, Soderstrom has been the A's best hitter. He has a hit in seven of the past eight contests while totaling a home run in three of the last four games. During that span, he has lifted his batting average by 51 points from .174 to .225. 

TYLER SODERSTROM HAS HIS THIRD HOMER IN HIS LAST FOUR GAMES! 🔥🔥🔥 #Athletics pic.twitter.com/wfxhjHssgJ

— Uprooted (@uprootedoakland) June 14, 2024

There is arguably no catcher more hot at the plate right now than Soderstrom. He is absolutely crushing the ball, which makes him a fantasy option heading into Week 13. Sometimes, when players are seeing the ball this well, the best thing to do is ride the wave in fantasy.

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