X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

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
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Week 17 Waiver Wire - Catcher

With the All-Star break now behind us, it's time to look ahead to the second half of the Fantasy Baseball season. While we already know who most of this year's breakouts are, looking at you Max Muncy, catcher remains one of the trickiest positions to figure out in fantasy circles.

Those who sacrificed early picks on players such as J.T. Realmuto and Willson Contreras are sitting pretty. Others who may have waited at catcher are now scrambling to find the next big thing. If you're in the second group, and I'm sure most of you are, this is the article for you.

The players listed below are the best options for fantasy success heading into Week 17. They've found themselves in situations where they'll receive regular playing time and have done well enough to warrant a pick up. While none will give you the production of a Realmuto or Contrearas, they're all good enough to help carry the load at the catcher position during Week 17 and potentially on ward.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

All catchers listed are owned in less than 50% of leagues and readily available. If you're in need of a backstop, these six five players are cheap options who can help take your team to a Fantasy Baseball championship.

 

Tier One

If you're in need of a catcher, these players are the ones you want to own heading into Week 17. They offer the most season-long value and are the players you want to target if you're struggling at the catcher position in your Fantasy Baseball league.

Elias Diaz (C, PIT) - 16% owned

Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Elias Diaz has been one of the most underrated catchers in fantasy circles during the 2018 season. Despite being the backup to Francisco Cervelli, he has been able to put up solid numbers. With Cervelli now on the disabled list with recurring concussion problems, Diaz will have an opportunity to run with the starting job, making him arguably the best catcher option off waiver wires heading into Week 17.

Diaz is hitting .283 with seven home runs, 23 RBI and 26 runs scored over 54 games in 2018. If he qualified, Diaz's .283 avergae would rank third in the MLB among catchers while his seven home runs and 26 runs scored ranks tied for 17th and 14th respectively.

Pittsburgh's new starting catcher has had a strong month of July, hitting .270 with two home runs, four RBI and a .514 slugging percentage, his highest since April. The Pirates have clearly noticed Diaz's rise in 2018 as he has batted cleanup in his last two starts. If he continues to bat fourth his run scoring chances will only increase.

This is Cervelli's second time on the DL for concussion systems, meaning there's a chance he spends more time than the minimum 10 days. Diaz will have an opportunity to shine as a starter in the middle of the Pirates lineup. He is having the best offensive season of his career in 2018, giving him the talent and opportunity to help your team to the fantasy championship.

Omar Narvaez (C, CWS) 2.8% owned / Welington Castillo (C, CWS) - 1.4% owned

The Chicago White Sox find themselves in an interesting position at catcher heading into Week 17. In the short term, Omar Narvaez has looked great and deserving of everyday starts. However, Welington Castillo is set to return from his 80-game PED suspension on August 24; the team didn't pay him $15 million over two years to sit on the bench.

Narvaez has been a pleasant surprise in 2018, despite splitting time with Kevan Smith, he has managed to hit .286 with three home runs 17 RBI and 12 runs scored over 52 games. He has been one of the best fantasy catchers during the month of July, hitting .458 with two home runs and seven RBI. His .458 average ranks first among all catchers during that span.

Narvaez has done nothing but hit over the past two months and is worthy of a pickup as long as he sees starts. Castillo still has a little over a month left on his suspension, making Narvaez worthy of a pickup during that time. Following Castillo's activation however it's anyone's guess as to how the White Sox use Narvaez.

Prior to being hit with his suspension, Castillo was hitting .267 with six home runs and 15 RBI. He's coming off of four straight double digit home run seasons, including a 20-homer campaign in 2017. Castillo has been one of the better fantasy catchers due to his underrated offensive firepower.

With Castillo expected to return in one month and just six days, he should be monitored closely and is worth a pickup in deeper leagues. However, Narvaez is still the primary waiver wire claim while Castillo is suspended as he'll see the majority of starts during that time. It'll be interesting to see how the White Sox divvy up their starts behind the plate, but Castillo should be 1a with Narvaez functioning as 1b.

 

Tier Two

These players offer high potential, but aren't as sound as the tier one options. If no tier one options are available in your league, tier two catchers work as solid streamers who could eventually turn into season-long options.

Austin Hedges (C, SD) - 6.1 % owned 

San Diego Padres catcher Austin Hedges has been featured on this list before and continues to see low ownership. Hedges has been on fire during the month of July and should see more opportunities as the Padres slip to the bottom of the standings. If he continues to hit the ball well, owners should be willing to add the Padres catcher during his surge.

Hedges is hitting just .232 on the season with four home runs, 17 RBI and nine run scored. However, after missing most of the month of June with an injury, Hedges has had an electric July, hitting .382 with two home runs and six RBI. His .382 average ranks fourth highest among catchers during the month of July.

The problems surrounding Hedges are that he hits at the bottom of the lineup and is in an offense that currently ranks 27th in runs scored. He won't have as many opportunities to produce or score runs as others on the list.

That being said, Hedges has been one of the hottest catchers in the MLB during the month of July. He's coming off of an 18 home run season and has the potential to match that number in 2018. As long as he is swinging a hot bat, Hedges is worth a pickup for catcher needy teams in 12-14 person leagues.

Jorge Alfaro (C, PHI) - 3.7% owned

Much like Hedges, Philadelphia Phillies catcher Jorge Alfaro is also in the middle of a hot streak. While he's never been a great offensive threat, Philadelphia's lineup is vastly improved which should help Alfaro both score and produce runs.

On the season, Alfaro is hitting .254 with six home runs, 21 RBI and 22 runs scored. The home runs, RBI and runs scored are all career highs. Over the last seven days, Alfaro is hitting .455 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored. During the month of July, Alfaro is hitting .276 with a home run, five RBI and four runs scored. He also holds an impressive .805 OPS which ranks 17th among all catchers.

Alfaro will continue to see starts as the Phillies see what they have in their young catcher. There's also a strong possibility that after missing out on Manny Machado, Philadelphia will add a big-hitting infielder prior to the trade deadline. Adding to a lineup that already features the likes of players such as Rhys Hoskins, Carlos Santana and Cesar Hernandez will only increase Alfaro's chances of both producing and scoring runs.

Alfaro may not be the most consistent or offensively inclined catchers in the league, but he has been hitting well on one of the hottest teams in the MLB. He's in the middle of the best offensive season of his career and is worth a pickup if he continues this stretch.

 

Waiver Wire Order

1) Elias Diaz
2) Omar Narvaez
3) Welington Castillo
4) Austin Hedges
5) Jorge Alfaro

 

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Yordan Alvarez

Resumes Swinging -- Return Imminent?
Jake Burger

to Miss an Additional 2-3 Weeks
TreVeyon Henderson

Signs Rookie Contract
Christian Watson

Goes on PUP List
Austin Riley

Hopes to be Activated Next Week
Ketel Marte

Lands on Restricted List After Burglary
Ricky Pearsall

Heads to PUP List
Brandon Aiyuk

Placed on PUP List
Luther Burden III

Signs Rookie Deal
Washington Nationals

Eli Willits Expected to Sign Contract on Saturday
Grayson Rodriguez

Being Shut Down Again - Will We See Him Again This Year?
Ezequiel Tovar

Activated and Back in Lineup on Friday
Max Fried

"Hopeful" to Pitch Next Week - Looks Like He'll Avoid IL Stint
Steven Kwan

Receives Injection in Wrist, Considered Day-to-Day
CJ Abrams

Back to Start Second Half
Alec Bohm

Back From Rib Injury on Friday
Trey Hendrickson

Holdout to Spill into Regular Season?
Jalen McMillan

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan
Levi Onwuzurike

to Miss at Least Four Games
Nick Emmanwori

Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori Reach Agreement on Rookie Deal
Max Holloway

Set For Main Event
Brandon Lowe

Back From 10-Day Injured List
Dustin Poirier

Set For His Final UFC Fight
Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF