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When playing in two-catcher fantasy baseball leagues, your pre-draft strategy can significantly differ from one-catcher leagues. Instead of just highlighting a few names at the catcher position, you now have to double that just to ensure you draft two players you are comfortable with.
Another caveat is how much you should push catchers up your draft board. Should you reach for an elite option or wait until two fall to you at the right price and focus on other positions instead?
No matter your strategy, it is better to be familiar with some names lower on the typical catcher ranking sheets you will find. The players below are ideally taken as second catchers and are currently outside of the mainstream “top 12” options at the position. These players do have some upside to them and are worthwhile investments in two-catcher leagues.
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- Cut List- Players To Consider Dropping
Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays
ADP: 266
At the top of this list is Alejandro Kirk, the current starting backstop in Toronto due to Danny Jansen's injury, who could potentially miss the opening two weeks of the season. This injury provides the 25-year-old with an opportunity to reclaim the starting role he once held in 2022 and prove he is worth receiving a majority of playing time even when Jansen returns.
In 2022, Kirk saw much success, posting a .285 AVG, .372 OBP, and .415 SLG. However, 2023 was a year to forget, as his batting average dropped. His on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and batting average all dropped to .250, .334, and .358, respectively.
While his statistics on the surface showed a significant decline, his walk and strikeout rate remained excellent. Last season, the right-handed bat posted a 10.7% K rate and 12.8% whiff rate, which placed him in the 98th and 99th percentile among qualified batters, respectively. In addition, Kirk had an above-average 10.0% walk rate. These numbers were right in line with his dominant 2022 numbers, where he had an identical 10.7% K rate, 15.4% whiff rate, and 11.6% walk rate.
The one worry about Kirk’s game is that he will hinder your team’s power output. In 2023, Kirk placed in the back half among qualified hitters in barrel rate, hard-hit rate, and average exit velocity. While power may not be his specialty, expect Kirk to post strong counting stats as the Toronto Blue Jays hope to compete for the American League East.
In 2022, Kirk tallied 59 runs and 63 RBI, which were valuable from a catcher perspective. Kirk’s counting stats were down last year, but due to how well he can get on base, I expect those numbers to return close to the 2022 form.
Alejandro Kirk this Spring:
1.271 OPS
46.2 SweetSpot%
6.2 K%
6.2 BB%
97.1 Z-Contact%
7.0 Whiff%The power and patience could be better, but he is making a lot of contact with ideal launch angles.pic.twitter.com/JSE5sG0H5f
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) March 19, 2024
Draft Kirk and feel confident knowing that he will be a valuable asset to boost your team’s batting average and on-base percentage, but be sure to address your power hitters earlier in the draft. ATC eyes a bounce back for Kirk and projects the Blue Jay to hit for a .267 AVG and register a .350 OBP.
Austin Wells, New York Yankees
ADP: 334
The current No. 5 prospect in the Bronx is slated to receive a majority of the starts behind the plate in 2024. The former Arizona Wildcat got a taste of the big leagues last season, where he posted a .229 AVG, .257 OBP, and .486 SLG across 70 at-bats.
Unlike Kirk, Wells can be a sneaky selection late in drafts to boost your team’s power output. Wells posted a .531 SLG against right-handed pitchers and a 14.0% barrel rate, which would have placed him in the top percentile of hitters if he qualified.
What makes Wells an intriguing option as a second catcher is his ability to crush fastballs. The Yankee had a .752 xSLG and 17.2% whiff rate against fastballs, which is a strong foundation for a recipe for success in the majors.
Kirk and Wells share one similarity: They play on a good team. Even if they both consistently bat toward the bottom half of the lineup, they should see plenty of at-bats every game and be primed for RBI opportunities.
Austin Wells leads off with a single. He's now batting .320 this spring pic.twitter.com/9YtNkad62p
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) March 15, 2024
Wells is a nice complement to contact-hitting catchers like Keibert Ruiz or Gabriel Moreno if you choose to select them as your primary catcher, as Wells could see a path to hitting 20 long balls in 2024. ATC currently projects Wells to come just short of that mark with 13 home runs.
Ryan Jeffers, Minnesota Twins
ADP: 249
Rounding out this list is a proven power hitter who recently saw his batting average increase massively over the past season. Ryan Jeffers posted a career-high .276 AVG in his third full season in the majors, which is drastically different from his .199 and .208 AVG in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
In 2023, Jeffers matched his career high in home runs with 14, a feat he previously achieved in 2021. The only difference is that this time he did so with an almost 80-point higher batting average.
Austin Wells leads off with a single. He's now batting .320 this spring pic.twitter.com/9YtNkad62p
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) March 15, 2024
One reason he saw this jump in batting average was his increase in exit velocity. In 2023, he hit all three pitch types (fastball, breaking, and off-speed) harder than the year prior, improving his overall offensive output as a result.
Another positive note in his performance in 2023 was the drastic increase in his wOBA (weighted on-base percentage) from .287 in 2022 to .369 in 2023, which suggests he is drastically improving as an overall player.
The 26-year-old should see most of the starts behind the dish in Minnesota, making him a worthy and safe selection as a second catcher who could very well outperform his ADP. ATC projects another strong power season for Jeffers, hitting 16 round-trippers.
Drafting second catchers can become quite difficult as the draft progresses. Many of the catchers in the later rounds are defensive specialists and do not provide any offensive performance for a fantasy setting, which could greatly hinder your team’s success.
These three catchers have significant bat-to-ball skills and could even unlock some untapped power potential that could push your team over the edge this season.
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