Jorge Alfaro (C, MIA) - Week 10 Waiver Wire Pickups

June 2, 2019

Brady Grove profiles Miami Marlins backstop Jorge Alfaro as a potential waiver wire acquisition of value for fantasy baseball leagues in Week 10 of the 2019 MLB campaign.

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ANALYSIS: Last year, the Phillies cashed in on a great season by backstop Jorge Alfaro with a line of ten home runs, three stolen bases (in three tries), and a slash of .262/.324/.407. Fast-forward a year, Alfaro was shipped to Miami for fellow unique catcher J.T. Realmuto, and he is in the middle of a fantastic season for the fish where in which he has expanded his power range. In 154 AB so far in 2019, "El Oso" is on pace to smash his previous career-best home run total as he has hit eight already, and he has stolen one base (albeit in three attempts) with a well-rounded slash of .273/.329/.448.

Alfaro may still have mediocre plate discipline as evidenced by his 4.8% walk rate and 33.5% strikeout rate, but his other peripherals suggest nothing but high-quality contact on batted balls. He has been blasting pitches back in the opposite direction at an above-average exit velocity of 90.2 MPH, and he has been hitting for a career-high 43.9% hard contact rate on a GB/FB ratio of 1.68 with room for improvement, ultimately netting an ISO of .175. As for his base-running: Alfaro leads all MLB catchers with a sprinting speed of 28.8 feet per second. That is a healthy helping of athleticism rolled into one catcher. The thing about this position is that your share of the playing time is especially vital, and Jorge Alfaro has an even stronger hold on that with Chad Wallach on the IL with a concussion. With a .908 OPS in the last two weeks, the fact that he is rapid-fire heating up is even further confirmation.