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Jorge Alfaro 2019 Outlook: High-End C2 With Upside
6 years agoWhen the Philadelphia Phillies chose to let veteran catcher Wilson Ramos leave via free agency this winter, they signaled their trust in Jorge Alfaro. In his first full MLB season, the 25-year-old backstop hit a respectable .262/.324/.407 with 10 HR, 35 R, and 35 RBI in 108 games. Since his days as a prospect, Alfaro's calling cards have been his raw power and excellent arm. Unfortunately, in order to take advantage of that power, he has to make contact, and to put it mildly, that's been a problem for him. Last season he posted the following: 36.6% K rate, 61% contact rate, and 23.4% swinging-strike rate. The former was third-worst among all hitters with at least 350 plate appearances, and the other two ranked dead last. Still, with how thin the catcher position is and the benefit of playing half of his games in a park that boosts home runs, Alfaro only needs to make incremental progress on his contact issues to be a top-10 option at the position. Our staff rankings currently slot him at 12th among catchers, and his current ADP of 246 means your investment is minimal.
