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Things Are Heating Up
June is now upon us, and we’re coming up on the halfway point 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 10 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
Matt Wieters, Baltimore Orioles – Owned in 68% of FleaFlicker Leagues
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Formats
This week starts out with a friendly reminder that if Matt Wieters happens to be available in your league, go get him immediately. He returned from Tommy John rehab last week, and has hits in all three of his games. In those games, Wieters is 6-for-12 with a double, triple, and home run. Need more reasons to go grab him? He hit for 20 or more homeruns in all three seasons prior to his injury in 2014. And last year had five in just 112 plate appearances prior to the injury.
Still need convincing? Baltimore ranks in the top-half of nearly all offensive categories, and Manager Buck Showalter slid him into the cleanup role in just his third game back from injury. Time will tell if there are any harmful effects from the rehab process, but Wieters has the potential to still finish the season as a top ten backstop and to get hot quickly, so don't wait on this one.
Francisco Cervelli, Pittsburgh Pirates – Owned in 18% of FleaFlicker Leagues
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper Formats / All Two-Catcher Formats
I've written about Francisco Cervelli a couple of times now, and while his ownership numbers continue to rise, it's not to the level his performance dictates. Cervelli is one of the most underrated fantasy catchers in baseball. He’ll hit for solid average but won’t help all that much in counting stats. Nobody would have considered drafting him to start the year, but his numbers are right in line with expectations and career averages.
Cervelli has recorded at least one hit in six of his last eight games, including three games with three hits or more. The Pirates are in the lower half of all offensive statistics, but batting sixth or seventh the majority of the time doesn’t drastically hurt his chances as far as opportunities go. While he may not be a household name, he won’t kill your teams batting average and will provide the occasional run or RBI. Cervelli is currently the 12th ranked catcher for fantasy purposes, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t finish the season where he's at now or better.
A.J. Pierzynski, Atlanta Braves – Owned in 20% of FleaFlicker Leagues
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper Formats / Most Two-Catcher Formats
Pierzynski is currently riding a five game hitting streak that has brought his season slash line to .273/.316/.430. He had a modest May after hitting .442/.442/.689 in April, but looks to be picking back up for June. He should be around a .710 OPS catcher with a small amount of power the rest of the way and his playing time share could increase. The Braves are right around the middle of the pack in most offensive statistics, but Pierzynki's already got four home runs, 17 runs, and 21 RBI.
Playing time is always a concern for fantasy managers, and while Pierzynki does get a decent amount of rest, there shouldn't be an increase in his rest anytime soon. Christian Bethancourt’s ineptitude with the bat has mitigated any potential defensive upside he could offer, so Pierzynki is currently getting about 60-70% of starts. He won't be single-handedly winning any league's for fantasy managers this season, but is a more than serviceable option for those in need.
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