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June is now nearly over, and we’re coming up on the midpoint of the MLB season. Where does your team stand? Need to replace an injured catcher? Looking for a reliable backup?
RotoBaller has you covered with analysis on three catchers who may be free agents in your league, who you can target off the waiver wire in Week 12 of fantasy baseball.
Editor’s Note: to read about even more waiver wire options for catchers, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily. You can also download our waiver wire iPhone app for free, and easily stay updated.
Waiver Wire Adds for Catchers
Yasmani Grandal, Los Angeles Dodgers – Owned in 29% of FleaFlicker Leagues
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Yasmani Grandal was a pre-season sleeper pick at the catcher position, and is rewarding those who decided to instill faith in the 26 year old former 12th overall pick. He is currently ranked as the tenth best backstop for fantasy purposes, and his defense has received praise from many as well. Another enticing part of Grandal's performance thus far is that his line does not look unsustainable, he looks like he is simply becoming a better hitter as he enters his prime. And while his 22.2% home run per fly ball rate screams regression, the rest of his metrics show he has turned a corner and become a better offensive player.
So, what has Grandal changed to become such a quality hitter? He has dropped his strikeouts down nearly eight percent while boosting his walk rate beyond the 15% mark for the first time in his career. The Dodgers rank in near the top of most offensive categories, and batting behind Adrian Gonzales and Howie Kendricks has only helped Grandal's opportunities this season. Grandal has always had pretty good skills with the bat, but combining those skills with top notch plate discipline has pushed him into the upper echelon of offensive catchers.
Nick Hundley, Colorado Rockies – Owned in 15% of FleaFlicker Leagues
BALLER MOVE: Add in Most Formats - All Two Catcher Leagues
The Rockie's seem to have a surplus of good offensive backstops, and their starter is Nick Hundley. He's been on a nice little streak recently, bringing his season slash line up to .304/.349/.464. In the last seven games in which he's started, Hundley has raked in eleven hits, one homerun, six RBI, and five runs. That was Hundley's sixth homerun of the year to go with his 27 runs and 26 RBI.
Hundley is currently ranked as the seventh best catcher for fantasy purposes, and his current pace is fairly sustainable. His .368 BABIP compared to his career .300 means regression is to be expected, but all the other stats are in line with is career averages. The Rockies are near the top of almost every offensive statistic, and batting behind Carlos Gonzalez and Nolan Arenado doesn't hurt either. Hundley should remain a top ten fantasy catcher for the remainder of the season.
Wilin Rosario, Colorado Rockies – Owned in 18% of FleaFlicker Leagues
BALLER MOVE: Add in Most Formats - All Two Catcher Leagues
It's not often that multiple catchers from the same team can be fantasy relevant, but the Rockie's fit that case this season. Along with Nick Hundley as their starter, Wilin Rosario is their starting first basemen and is catcher eligible in the majority of fantasy leagues. Rosario is currently riding a nice three game multi-hit streak in his starts, during which he clobbered one homerun, and racked up three RBI to go with his three runs.
Rosario's season slash line now sits at .299/.315/.480 and he's currently ranked as the 16th fantasy catcher in standard leagues. It should be noted that Rosario wasn't starting nearly as often early in the season, and did miss some time in late April to early May. The Rockies are near the top of almost every offensive statistic, and being surrounded by the likes of Carlos Gonzalez, Troy Tulowitzki, and Nolan Arenado doesn't hurt either. Rosario c0uld easily creep into the top ten fantasy catchers by the end of the season.
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