February 16, 2021

Depending on the type of league you play in, Grandal can either be a drag on your batting average, or he is someone you should aggressively pursue because of his mix of a high OBP and desired power at catcher. In either case, he is one of the more sought-after players at his position for the pop in his at bat, and his strong defense ensures regular playing time. The big issue for him last year, though, was a jump in his K%, from 22.0 to 29.9. That made the BA less tolerable at .230, but the OBP was still strong at .351 thanks to a 15.5 BB%, which was best among all catchers last season and 13th in MLB. Grandal did raise his Launch Angle from 14.3 to a career-high 15.6. Yet that did not seem to lead to anything good, especially when you consider the alarming xBA of .210. Still, you pretty much know what you get with Grandal, and he is not going to hit .250, but you will be willing to make the sacrifice for the safe return in power at the thinnest position in the game. He should hit in a top four spot in the White Sox lineup, as he often was in the third or fourth slot last year. If you play in an OBP league, there is no real reason for concern. Grandal's ADP of 131 would obviously be higher if not for the batting average hit you will obviously take in regular 5x5 formats.--Scott Engel - RotoBaller