November 15, 2016

Kelly TerBest analyzes three values at catcher (C) in 2016 and offers early thoughts on their 2017 outlooks.

Good value adds were essential when it came to catchers in fantasy baseball in the 2016 season, as the year saw several highly drafted catchers, like Kyle Schwarber and Travis d’Arnaud, go down early with big injuries. Here are three backstops who saved your fantasy seasons by exceeding expectations in 2016.

Catcher Values in 2016

Wilson Ramos, Washington Nationals

Wilson Ramos began the 2016 season with an average fantasy draft position of 21^st among catchers. He was one of the best when all was said and done. The seven-year big leaguer blew his career norms out of the water, posting an OPS of .850 to a career mark of .742. He collected single season career highs in nearly all counting stats, including home runs (22), RBI (80), doubles (25) and total bases (239), and he deservedly was named to his first All Star team. And he did all this at an opportune time as he’s going to be a free agent this winter.

Unfortunately, one big factor affecting his future payday as well as his 2017 fantasy status is the torn ACL he suffered late in the season. He had surgery, but isn’t expected to be ready for Opening Day. Still, the Nationals did not extend a qualifying offer to the injured catcher so he won’t have draft pick compensation hanging over him as he seeks a multi-year free agent deal. The expected missed playing time in 2017 means he won’t be a top three fantasy catcher again, but if he can sign with an American League team that can give him some DH at-bats, he could be a value add again in the second half of the 2017 season.

Cameron Rupp, Philadelphia Phillies

Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp got his first taste of regular big league playing time this season and took full advantage, posting a .252/.303/.447 slash line through 105 games. Not bad for a guy who had an average fantasy draft position of 379^th. The 27-year-old backstop rewarded fantasy owners by hitting 16 home runs on the year, more than he’s hit in any other season as a pro, which put him in the top 10 among fantasy eligible catchers. He was also sixth among fantasy catchers in doubles with 26.

It was a tale of two seasons for Rupp, however, as he OPSed .836 in the first half of the season and then just .652 in the second half. He also was enjoying a .354 BABIP  in the first half, but it dropped to .267 after the All Star break. It looks like there was some luck at play. Fantasy owners will take luck any time it comes, but Rupp is going to need more of it if he’s going to be a top 15 fantasy catcher again in 2017.

Kurt Suzuki, Minnesota Twins

Kurt Suzuki has been around for a long time now, as the one-time All Star played his 10^th season in the bigs in 2016. He’s often been a catcher known more for his defense than his skills with the bat, so it was no wonder he was way down the list at 33rd among drafted fantasy catchers. Basically, he went undrafted except in very deep, mixed and only leagues. Color fantasy owners surprised then, when he ended up outperforming other catchers who were drafted well ahead of him, like Derek Norris and Miguel Montero. He put up his best numbers since his All Star campaign two seasons ago, slashing .258/.301/.403 and was eighth among fantasy eligible catchers with 24 doubles. His overall season numbers took a hit from an unlucky BABIP in September, but he also had more total bases this season (139) than he did the previous year, despite 106 fewer plate appearances.

Suzuki is a free agent this offseason, and his veteran status should earn him some looks from contending teams in the offseason. He’s likely not going to be a fantasy draft target again in 2017, but that just means a repeat as a good value, mid-season add could be in store for him again next season.