X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Catcher Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 4

The catching position in fantasy baseball has become a dried-up talent pool in recent seasons. The 2019 season has pumped a few gallons of skill and fantasy competence back into the tank as we are entering some better weather here towards the end of April. With early injuries at the position and some underperforming bats not impressing owners, it may be time to jump into the deep end to look for an upgrade.

Every season the waiver wire is full of potential league-winning gems and to be a successful fantasy player you need to be an active fantasy player. If you were one of the advocates to punt the catching position to the late rounds of your draft, you've come to the right place to choose your next backstop. The good thing about taking a catcher late in drafts is that you can afford to cut ties early without any feeling of guilt that you wasted a valuable draft selection.

The catching position has the least amount of volume of any other spot on the diamond with the number of platoons utilized by teams, so understand that a part-time backstop can still be productive at the position. Depending on league size, these waiver options may or may not be available, but we’ll go through a few tiers of catchers to fit your specific need.

Be sure to check all of our preseason fantasy baseball rankings for Roto, Points, H2H, dynasty, best ball, prospects and more:

 

Top-Priority Adds

This tier is targeted towards single-catcher mixed leagues as they are likely to only be available in these formats. These backstops are also particularly serviceable and could return top-10 value in their respective lineups making it a mystery why they are unowned in the first place.

Mitch Garver (C, MIN) - 30% Owned

Despite only getting seven starts so far in 2019, Mitch Garver has catapulted himself as a top-five overall catcher in fantasy baseball. He’s hit .424 with five homers, 10 runs, and 10 RBI as he’s proving to the Minnesota Twins that he deserves more playing time. Stuck in a three-headed platoon with Willians Astudillo and defensive wiz Jason Castro, at-bats have been few and far between for Garver, but when he’s got them, he’s made them count.

Garver is fresh off a two-homer game in his latest start versus Baltimore where the Twins used him out of the leadoff spot for the second time in as many starts. It’s worth noting that regular leadoff man Max Kepler was out of the lineup, but it’s encouraging to see Garver being utilized at the top of the order nonetheless. He has barreled up an impressive 11.5% of balls in play and has tagged pitchers to a 53.8% Hard Hit% which is the second-best mark among all backstops. It’s only a matter of time before the Twins give more playing time to the 28-year-old, and even if he’s only playing every second or third day, he’s still a valuable piece to any fantasy roster.

Welington Castillo (C, CHW) - 40% Owned

It has been a cold start for Wellington Castillo in his second season with the Chicago White Sox. A hasty owner may have dropped the slumping veteran earlier this year when he started out a measly 2-for-33, but now might be the time to scoop him off the waiver wire. Castillo has woken up his bat over the last week with four hits in his last four games including two home runs. The 31-year-old still has pop in his bat and can prove that he can produce as a top-12 fantasy catcher.

Castillo is only a year removed from a 2017 season in which he clubbed 20 homers and batted .282. A PED suspension limited him to just 49 games in 2018, but that doesn’t mean the man will stop hitting. His current 20.8% K-rate would be the best mark of his career and his 16.7% BB% is light-years above his 7.0% career rate. The walk rate will likely level out closer to the median, but his plate discipline proves that he’s not lost at the dish this year and we can credit his .158 average towards a stunningly low .154 BABIP. His 14.3% Barrel% and 39.3% Hard Hit% suggest positive regression is coming and you’ll want to be the owner cashing in on it.

 

Streamers/Players to Watch

The catchers in this group are in waiver wire limbo as they are likely scooped up in two-catcher and league-specific formats. They are not ideal single mixed league targets unless you have a deep bench to stash one of these backstops. These bats, however, have an outside shot at returning top-10 value if everything breaks right.

Danny Jansen (C, TOR) - 37% Owned

Toronto Blue Jays backstop Danny Jansen is another player whose shares have plummeted after a slow start in 2019. The 24-year-old was a sexy late-round target by many fantasy managers this offseason, and so far, the results have been disappointing. Jansen is batting a feeble .179 with no round-trippers and just three RBI. He’s never been known to clear many bleachers, but his batting average has always remained his strongest fantasy asset. A .291 hitter in Double-A translated to a .285 average in Triple-A, but he’s yet to find his groove in the majors after hitting .247 in 31 games at the end of 2018 with the Jays.

The biggest issue with Jansen lies in his K-rate. He’s struck out an abnormal 28.6% of the time this season with a 10.9% SwStr%. His K-rate stayed in the mid-teens throughout his minor league career so expect the youngster to become more selective at the plate as the season progresses. Jansen remains a good contact hitter, but pitchers are taking advantage of his aggressiveness by getting him to swing-and-miss at an unpleasant 58.8% of pitches out of the zone. It may not happen immediately, but Jansen was touted as an excellent hitter for a reason, and he should come around at the plate. He’s currently on a mini five-game hit streak so keep an eye out for him as his bat gets hotter in the coming weeks.

Christian Vazquez (C, BOS) - 10% Owned

Perhaps one of the reasons why Blake Swihart was driven out of Beantown has been the play of Christian Vazquez. He’s shown a much-improved swing this year as he’s already eclipsed his 2018 home run total with four taters in the early going this season. Vazquez is only hitting .208, but he’s never hit for a high average so with the improved pop and 11 RBIs it’s well worth the trade-off. He’ll maintain the majority of playing time even with Sandy Leon returning to the big league roster, so the counting stats will continue to build accordingly.

Vazquez’ power may be here to stay with his launch angle increasing to a new career-high (13.9°) as he’s produced a 10% increase in his fly-ball rate from 2018 up to 34.1% this season. The 28-year-old has also found a way to square up the baseball after a 1.9% Barrel% last year has sky-rocketed to a 7.3% mark in 2019. It’s early, but this could be the start to a breakout year for Vazquez especially if the rest of the Red Sox lineup picks up their game around him.

 

Two-Catcher League Options

This tier meshes catchers that may still be available in two-catcher leagues, as well as league specific setups. They may carry some single-catcher mixed league value at some point, but for now, they can stay on your watchlist. They aren’t necessarily going to win you a category, but they won’t hurt your overall production either.

Blake Swihart (C/OF, ARI) - 3% Owned

Blake Swihart is finally moving on from the Boston Red Sox and into an increased role with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The D’backs currently have Carson Kelly, John Ryan Murphy, and Alex Avila on their catching depth chart, so Swihart will be played mostly in the outfield with his new club. This positional eligibility is the ultimate cheat code to take advantage of in fantasy baseball, especially if he finds infield work to keep his bat in the lineup as GM Mike Hazen hinted at after his acquisition.

Swihart will undoubtedly receive more at-bats than what he was accumulating with the Sox, and we hope for his well-being and for the benefit of fantasy owners that he'll earn close to an everyday role. Still 27-years-old, Swihart’s potential remains high after being a former top prospect in all of baseball. He batted .231 with a homer and four RBI in his 12 games with Boston and is worth rostering in NL-Only leagues as well as two-catcher leagues where available.

Elias Diaz (C, PIT) - 1% Owned

After a productive 2018, Elias Diaz is fresh off of the IL after missing all of spring training with an undisclosed virus. He’ll move into a backup role with the Pirates behind Francisco Cervelli, but his bat will remain serviceable in two-catcher leagues. In 82 games a season ago, Elias clubbed 10 big flies and batted .286 which was the second-highest average for a catcher with more than 200 at-bats. Elias didn’t show any rust either in his Triple-A rehab stint as he batted a crisp .414 in 30 trips to the plate.

The 28-year-old is a fine addition in two-catcher formats as he’ll dip into Cervelli’s playing time more significantly than any other backup catcher. Cervelli is also a free agent at season’s end who dealt with concussions a year ago, so it’s no guarantee that he stays healthy or remains a member of the Pirates by midseason. Diaz is a sneaky waiver option with good upside who won’t hurt your team in any category.

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers


Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Zac Gallen8 hours ago

Gets Opening Day Nod
Nolan Schanuel8 hours ago

Injury Isn't Serious
Isaiah Stewart9 hours ago

Injured Against Boston
Duncan Robinson9 hours ago

Doesn't Return On Monday
Jackson Chourio10 hours ago

Makes Opening Day Roster
Anthony Davis10 hours ago

Cleared To Meet Atlanta
Blake Snell10 hours ago

Heading To The Giants
Onyeka Okongwu10 hours ago

To Return On Monday
Bryce McGowens11 hours ago

Unavailable For Tuesday
Tyus Jones11 hours ago

Won't Play On Tuesday
Deni Avdija11 hours ago

Unavailable For Tuesday
Nick Martinez11 hours ago

To Open The Year In The Rotation
OG Anunoby11 hours ago

Set For Multi-Game Absence
Kyle Kuzma11 hours ago

Uncertain For Tuesday
Luka Doncic11 hours ago

Considered Probable For Tuesday
Matt McLain11 hours ago

Scratched With Shoulder Soreness
Bilal Coulibaly12 hours ago

Ruled Out For Rest Of Season
Kenley Jansen12 hours ago

Scheduled To Make Four More Spring Appearances
Jackson Chourio12 hours ago

"In The Mix" For Roster Spot
Rudy Gobert12 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Scoot Henderson12 hours ago

Returns To Starting Unit Without Restrictions
Matisse Thybulle12 hours ago

Available Again On Monday
Jerami Grant12 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Monday
Lauri Markkanen12 hours ago

Returns To Action On Monday
Alex Caruso12 hours ago

Ready To Roll Monday
Coby White12 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Kristaps Porzingis13 hours ago

Returns To Celtics Lineup
Jaylen Brown13 hours ago

Ready To Go On Monday
Jayson Tatum13 hours ago

Won't Play Against Detroit
Teuvo Teravainen13 hours ago

Misses Second Straight Game
Joshua Dobbs13 hours ago

49ers Reach Agreement With Joshua Dobbs
TOR13 hours ago

Mitch Marner To Miss At Least Two More Games
Jacob Markstrom13 hours ago

Could Return This Weekend
Rico Dowdle13 hours ago

Staying With Cowboys
Mikhail Sergachev13 hours ago

Skates On Monday
Dustin Wolf13 hours ago

Between The Pipes Monday
New Orleans Saints14 hours ago

Saints Expected To Sign Chase Young
Alexander Mattison14 hours ago

Signing With Raiders
DJ LeMahieu15 hours ago

In Danger Of Missing Opening Day
Buffalo Bills15 hours ago

Taron Johnson Re-Signs With Bills On Three-Year Deal
José Urquidy15 hours ago

Jose Urquidy Has Forearm Strain, Will Begin On Injured List
Justin Verlander15 hours ago

Expected To Face Hitters "In The Next Day Or Two"
Corey Seager15 hours ago

Takes Batting Practice Monday
Aaron Judge15 hours ago

Likely To Play In Four Of Final Six Spring Games
Garrett Crochet15 hours ago

Named Opening Day Starter
Nolan Schanuel16 hours ago

Scratched With Back Tightness
Dallas Cowboys16 hours ago

Leighton Vander Esch Calling It A Career
DJ LeMahieu17 hours ago

Still Pretty Sore
Aaron Judge17 hours ago

To Return On Wednesday
Jhoan Duran17 hours ago

To Begin Season On Injured List
Bryan Battle17 hours ago

Bout Ends in Controversy
Ange Loosa18 hours ago

Fight Ruled A No-Contest After Accidental Eye Poke
Ovince Saint Preux18 hours ago

Wins Split Decision In A Back-And-Forth Fight
Kennedy Nzechukwu18 hours ago

Suffers Split-Decision Loss To Ovince Saint Preux
Gerald Meerschaert18 hours ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Shohei Ohtani18 hours ago

Cleared To Begin Throwing Program
Bryan Barberena18 hours ago

Submitted In The Second Round
Kyle Manzardo18 hours ago

Sent To Minor-League Camp
Jackson Merrill18 hours ago

Wins Center Field Job
Denny Hamlin19 hours ago

Emerges Victorious For Second Bristol Win In A Row
Alexander Mattison20 hours ago

Visiting With Raiders
Dak Prescott20 hours ago

Cowboys Restructure Dak Prescott's Contract
Dmitry Orlov20 hours ago

Collects Four Points In Big Win
Tyler Toffoli21 hours ago

Dominates Against Columbus With Three Points
Lucas Raymond21 hours ago

Pots Pair Of Goals Versus Penguins
Kaz Grala21 hours ago

Finishes 19th At Bristol Motor Speedway
Bo Horvat21 hours ago

Scores Twice In Losing Effort
Brad Keselowski21 hours ago

Exceeds Value In DFS At Bristol Motor Speedway
Pavel Buchnevich21 hours ago

Delivers Three Assists In Sunday's Win
Ryan Lindgren21 hours ago

Suffers Leg Injury Versus Islanders
Kyle Larson22 hours ago

After 5th at Bristol: "I Hope I Never Have To Run A Race Like That Again"
Chase Elliott22 hours ago

Earns First Top 10 Finish Of 2024
Justin Haley22 hours ago

Earns Best NextGen Short Track Finish for Rick Ware Racing
Ty Gibbs22 hours ago

Has Dominant Day at Bristol but Fades Late
John Hunter Nemechek1 day ago

Found Speed At Bristol
Chris Buescher1 day ago

Secures Top 10 At Bristol
Alex Bowman1 day ago

Late Charge to Fourth Masks Early Race Struggles
Christopher Bell1 day ago

Ran Well, But His Teammates Were All Better
Martin Truex Jr1 day ago

. Matches Career-Best Finish At Bristol
Ryan Blaney1 day ago

Fades to 16th at Bristol After Handling Struggles
Russell Wilson2 days ago

Still Considered The Starter
William Byron2 days ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Options For Bristol
Ty Gibbs2 days ago

Starts 19th At Bristol After Damage In Practice
Justin Haley2 days ago

Scores A Starting Position Of 32nd For Bristol
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

Should Compete For The Win At Bristol
Brad Keselowski2 days ago

History Indicates Brad Keselowski Being A Favorable Bristol Play
Joey Logano2 days ago

Should Be Rostered With Caution At Bristol
Tyler Reddick2 days ago

Is Tyler Reddick Worth Rostering At Bristol This Week?
Martin Truex Jr2 days ago

. Could Work As A Tournament Play At Bristol
Alexander Nylander2 days ago

Totals Three Points In Saturday's Win
Sebastian Aho2 days ago

Leads Hurricanes To Victory In Toronto
Owen Tippett2 days ago

Delivers Three Assists In High-Scoring Loss
Steven Stamkos2 days ago

Extends Scoring Streak With Four-Point Performance
Nick Schmaltz2 days ago

Records Three Assists In Win Over New Jersey
Artemi Panarin2 days ago

Racks Up Five Points In Saturday's Win
Brady Tkachuk2 days ago

Sinks Islanders With Third Hat Trick
Pannie Kianzad2 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Macy Chiasson2 days ago

Gets First-Round Submission Win
Isaac Dulgarian2 days ago

Suffers First Career Loss
Christian Rodriguez2 days ago

Overcomes Early Adversity At UFC Vegas 88
Tai Tuivasa2 days ago

Suffers Fourth Straight Loss
Marcin Tybura2 days ago

Gets First-Round Submission
Justin Fields3 days ago

Traded To The Steelers
NHL3 days ago

Lukas Reichel Will Be In The Lineup Sunday
Cale Makar3 days ago

A Game-Time Decision Saturday
Zach Parise3 days ago

Likely To Return Saturday
Michael Gallup3 days ago

Panthers Bringing In Michael Gallup For A Visit
Mike Williams3 days ago

Panthers To Host Mike Williams On A Visit
New York Jets3 days ago

Jets Expected To Sign Tyron Smith
AJ Dillon3 days ago

Officially Re-Signs With Packers
Van Jefferson4 days ago

Steelers Signing Van Jefferson
Jakobi Meyers4 days ago

Raiders Restructure Jakobi Meyers' Contract
Jimmy Garoppolo4 days ago

Rams Agree With Jimmy Garoppolo On One-Year Deal
Gerald Meerschaert4 days ago

To Fight In Main Event Of UFC Vegas 88
Bryan Barberena4 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Kennedy Nzechukwu4 days ago

Looks To Get Back In Win Column
Ovince Saint Preux4 days ago

Set For 27th UFC Appearance
Bryan Battle4 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Ange Loosa4 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 88
San Francisco 49ers4 days ago

De'Vondre Campbell Heading To San Francisco
Dallas Cowboys4 days ago

Leighton Vander Esch Being Cut By Cowboys
Michael Gallup4 days ago

Cowboys Releasing Michael Gallup
Kenny Pickett4 days ago

Steelers Sending Kenny Pickett To Eagles
Pannie Kianzad5 days ago

Looking For Redemption At UFC Vegas 88
Macy Chiasson5 days ago

Ends Layoff At UFC Vegas 88
Isaac Dulgarian5 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 88
Christiaan Bezuidenhout6 days ago

Looking To Put It All Together At TPC Sawgrass
Eric Cole6 days ago

Rebounding Well In The Sunshine State
Brian Harman6 days ago

Playing The Dark-Horse Role Again At The Players
Matt Fitzpatrick6 days ago

Searching For Answers Thus Far In 2024
Sahith Theegala6 days ago

One Of The Tour's Fastest Risers To Start The New Year
Sam Burns6 days ago

Brings A Stellar Run Of Form Into TPC Sawgrass
PGA6 days ago

Sungjae Im Trending Up After Arnold Palmer Success
Jason Day6 days ago

Facing Iron Hiccup Heading To The Players
Tom Hoge6 days ago

Brings Strong Form And History To Sawgrass
Min Woo Lee6 days ago

Ready For Second Trip To Sawgrass
Will Zalatoris6 days ago

Working Toward A Win
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Russell Wilson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Free Agency Tracker - Updates On Every Free Agent Signing (2024)

The legal tampering period for NFL free agency begins on March 11 at noon EST, so news of signings will be flying in all week. Veterans like Russell Wilson and Jonnu Smith were released before their contracts expired, meaning they got a head start on free agency and have already reached agreements with new organizations.... Read More


Rome Odunze - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Coach Knows Ball: Rome Odunze NFL Draft Film Breakdown of Washington WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Kirk Cousins - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Winners and Losers of 2024 NFL Free Agency (Teams)

Well, strap in, folks, because the first week of 2024 NFL Free Agency was a rollercoaster ride. Some teams made power moves while others seemingly snoozed at the switch. The Houston Texans, for instance, came out swinging, pulling off some of the savviest deals that could very well tilt the scales in their favor this... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Next Gen Stats Review: 2023 Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

A while back, we covered the Next Gen Stats for running backs, including rushing yards over expected and the percentage of plays with eight or more defenders in the box. Check out the running back review of the Next Gen Stats, as it adds a layer to player analysis. We love the advanced stats for... Read More


Keenan Allen - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Keenan Allen Traded To Bears: Fantasy Football Impact

Star wide receiver Keenan Allen has been one of the more underrated players in the NFL over the past few years. He spent the first 11 years of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers, playing for the franchise since their days in San Diego. However, the team reportedly asked Allen to take a pay... Read More


Marquise Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Marquise Brown Signs With Chiefs: Fantasy Football Impact

Veteran wide receiver Marquise Brown signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday. Brown hopes to follow JuJu Smith-Schuster’s footprints by playing on a one-year deal with the Chiefs and earning a multi-year big-money contract the following offseason. The former Oklahoma star spent the first three years of his career with the... Read More


Justin Jefferson - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS Lineup Picks, NFL Injury News

Will The Vikings Trade Justin Jefferson? 2024 NFL Outlook

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is one of the top players in the NFL. The superstar was part of an impressive 2020 NFL Draft class. Yet, he was the fifth wide receiver off the board. Jefferson has been a superstar since his rookie year, making three consecutive Pro Bowl teams and All-Pro rosters to... Read More


Marquise Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Top Free Agency Fits For Marquise Brown – 2024 Free Agent Outlook

Free agent wide receiver Marquise Brown is one of the more explosive players in the NFL. The veteran wide receiver ran a 4.27 40-yard dash at his Pro Day coming out of Oklahoma. He was a first-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2019 NFL Draft. Brown has spent most of his career as... Read More


Nico Collins - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings For 2024 Best Ball Leagues (Tiers 4-9)

We have now entered the process of free agency, which is providing pathways for some wide receivers to seize significant roles in their new landing spots. The player movement that has ensued will also decrease the stock of other receivers whose roles will decrease within their reshaped depth charts. Participation in the best ball draft... Read More


Cade Otton - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Early 2024 Best Ball Tight End Sleepers

Top tight ends such as Sam LaPorta and Travis Kelce are bound to put up quality fantasy football numbers weekly, but most tight ends are unpredictable. The top tier of tight ends are reliable for fantasy football purposes, but most tight ends are boom-or-bust type of players. Even though it is hard to hit on... Read More


D'Andre Swift - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS Lineup Picks

D'Andre Swift Signs With Bears: Fantasy Football Impact

Newly signed Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift has been one of the most promising, but also underperforming running backs across the NFL and the fantasy landscape in recent years. After three injury-riddled seasons in Detroit where he showed flashes of greatness but didn't quite live up to the hype, Swift was traded to the... Read More


J.J. McCarthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Top 50 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings After the 2024 NFL Combine

With the NFL Combine in our rearview mirror, now is a logical time to put out an up-to-date rankings for this year’s NFL Draft. Below, you will find my top-50 players who have declared for this NFL Draft. Below those ranks, you will also find several fantasy-relevant notes I have on this class, and on... Read More


Calvin Ridley - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Calvin Ridley Signs With Titans: Fantasy Football Impact

The Tennessee Titans made a huge move once NFL free agency officially opened. They signed wide receiver Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $92 million contract with $50 million fully guaranteed. Ridley was the top receiver on the open market. The Titans swooped in out of left field and signed him to give second-year quarterback Will... Read More