🖥 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE NEW
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 18 Waiver Wire: Catchers

By EricEnfermero (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Michael Griffin recommends catchers (C) who can be valuable waiver wire targets or adds to help fantasy owners for Week 18 of the 2017 fantasy baseball season.

When I looked at the ownership percentages on Wednesday, I was struck by how wide the difference is. There's a 30% difference between Brian McCann, who is at 79% and the next player, who is at 49%. Whoa, indeed. There is quite the gulf between ownership numbers.

This is what trying to navigate that chasm feels like:

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

You might see that Matt Wieters is below 50%. Ignore him. He's been steadily sliding down the ranks all season and has fallen this far thanks to a putrid July where he didn't hit a single homer. Fantasy owners are also dumping Alex Avila because his father, who is the Tigers GM, traded him to the Cubs, where he'll lose a lot of playing time to Willson Contreras. Thanks, Dad! See what gift you get next Father's Day!

 

10-12 Team League Catcher Pickups

Here are some catcher waiver wire pickups for Week 16, to consider adding to your teams. We'll show you three players to snag in 10-12 player leagues, and also three to look out for in two-catcher leagues. All of these players are just at or below 50% ownership in Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Welington Castillo  (BAL) 49% owned

Welington Castillo has been trending upward the past several days. He elicited a lot of interest when he had a four-RBI day on July 30. Such is the state of catching that even a one-day outburst will have owners' ears pricking up like starving dogs in a desert.

Mike Zunino  (SEA) - 29% owned

Mike Zunino is still being picked up by a fair amount of people. What's not to like about a catcher with a good chance of exceeding 20 homers over the course of the season? He's sitting on 16 now with August and September still ahead of him. He's more than capable of going on a couple more hot tears like he did earlier this season. Well worth a shot.

James McCann (DET) 6% owned

James McCann has also seen an uptick in ownership. Part of it may be because of the Avila trade clears the way to his having the Detroit catching job. Hitting over .400 over the course of a week is also another good reason for people to be snapping him up. He's also been driving in runs during that span. Grab him while he's still hot, folks.

 

Two-Catcher League Pickups

Manny Pina (MIL) - 11% owned

Manny Pina is still proving himself to be a popular one when it comes to the add/drop department. He's been hitting when he gets in the lineup, as evidenced by his .304 average. His hot streak, coupled with Stephen Vogt's injury, has given his manager ample reason to keep putting him in the lineup. He makes a fine addition in a two-catcher league.

Christian Vazquez (BOS) 3% owned

Now, a good portion of the 1,000+ fantasy owners who recently picked up Christian Vazquez may be Boston fans still riding the wave of euphoria from Tuesday's insane win over Cleveland (the Tribe and Sox have played some DOOZIES over the past decade-plus), but he was raking well before that walk-off homer. He's not producing enough to be in a one-catcher league, but he might vault up there if he keeps hitting like this.

Kurt Suzuki (ATL) 6% owned

Kurt Suzuki is this week's winner of the "Why The Heck Not?" competition. He's had at least one hit in four of his last five starts and fantasy owners have taken notice. Overall, he's at .266/12/33, which is not too terrible at all, especially in a two-catcher league. Why The Heck Not, indeed? We'll check back in two weeks to see who gets the slot then.

 

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Adds




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

Tim Hardaway Jr.

May Remain Out Wednesday
Christian Braun

Listed as Questionable for Wednesday
Aaron Gordon

Iffy for Wednesday
Jamal Murray

Considered Questionable for Wednesday Night
Max Strus

to Miss Another Month
Vince Williams Jr.

Making Return Tuesday Against Spurs
Trae Young

Listed as Questionable for Wednesday
Ja Morant

Ruled Out on Tuesday
James Harden

in Danger of Missing Second Straight Game
Joel Embiid

Considered Questionable for Wednesday's Matchup
Gabe Vincent

Ruled Out Tuesday, Expected to Return Wednesday
New York Giants

John Harbaugh Expected to be Favorite to Become New Giants Head Coach
Herbert Jones

Returns to Action Tuesday
Dean Wade

Back in Action Versus Pacers
Jaylon Tyson

Set to Suit Up on Tuesday
Anthony Edwards

Available Versus Heat
Victor Wembanyama

Returns to Spurs Lineup With Minutes Restriction
Jarrett Allen

Active on Tuesday
Keegan Murray

Expected to Miss at Least Three Weeks
Mason Marchment

Out Tuesday
Sean Monahan

Available Tuesday
Jason Zucker

Set to Return From 11-Game Absence
Matvei Michkov

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Tyler Herro

Active Tuesday
Matthew Schaefer

Cleared for Action Tuesday
Baltimore Ravens

John Harbaugh Won't Return as Ravens Head Coach
Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Out for Tuesday's Tilt
Adam Fox

Landing Back on Long-Term Injured Reserve
Jalen Suggs

Sidelined Again Tuesday
Seth Jarvis

Back for Hurricanes Tuesday
Bo Bichette

Unlikely to Return to Toronto?
Jordan Love

Ready to Start in Wild-Card Game Against Bears
CFB

Jadan Baugh Staying with Florida for Junior Season
Washington Commanders

Commanders "Mutually" Parting Ways With OC Kliff Kingsbury
CFB

Byrum Brown Officially Commits to Auburn
CFB

Austin Simmons Signing with Missouri
Jake McCabe

to Sit Out One Week
Hampus Lindholm

to Miss Time
Christian Dvorak

Flyers Sign Christian Dvorak to Five-Year Extension
Igor Shesterkin

Exits With Lower-Body Injury Monday
Joel Armia

Hurt in Monday's Win
Anze Kopitar

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Monday
Matthew Schaefer

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Jamie Benn

to Miss at Least Two Games
Seth Jones

Out Week-to-Week
Zach Bogosian

Unavailable Monday Night
Trevor Moore

Remains Out Monday
Aliaksei Protas

a Game-Time Call Versus Ducks
Tom Wilson

Won't Play Monday
CFB

Ty Simpson Undecided on 2026 Plans
CFB

Quarterback AJ Hill Following Ryan Silverfield to Arkansas
Atlanta Falcons

Falcons Have Requested an Interview With Klint Kubiak
Deshaun Watson

Browns Expect Deshaun Watson to be on the Team Next Year
Wan'Dale Robinson

Dealing With Fractured Ribs
Cam Skattebo

Hopes to be Back by Training Camp
Cameron Ward

Won't Need Surgery on his Shoulder
Davante Adams

Rams Expect Davante Adams to Return in Wild-Card Round
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Fire Head Coach Jonathan Gannon
Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders Fire Head Coach Pete Carroll
Malik Nabers

Unsure if He Will Be Ready for Week 1 of 2026 Season
CFB

Trinidad Chambliss Will Return to Ole Miss If Granted Sixth Year of Eligibility
Cincinnati Bengals

Zac Taylor Will Return as Bengals Head Coach in 2026
New York Giants

Giants Expected to Show Interest in Former Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski
Daniel Jones

Colts, Daniel Jones Appear to Have "Mutual Interest" in a 2026 Reunion
John Klingberg

to Sit Out at Least Three More Games
Cleveland Browns

Browns Fire Kevin Stefanski After Another Losing Season
Zay Flowers

Goes Off for 138 Yards, Two Touchdowns in Loss
Bo Bichette

Phillies Have Interest in Bo Bichette
Amon-Ra St. Brown

Dominates in Week 18 Win
Cameron Ward

Believed to Have Grade 3 AC Joint Sprain in Right Shoulder
Colston Loveland

Leads Bears in Targets, Receptions, Receiving Yards in Week 18
Kansas City Royals

Matt Quatraro Signs Three-Year Extension With Royals
CFB

Transfer QB Billy Edwards Commits to North Carolina
CFB

Sam Leavitt Visiting Texas Tech on Saturday
CFB

DJ Lagway Expected To Visit Florida State
Kyle Tucker

Blue Jays "Remain the Favorite" to Sign Kyle Tucker
CFB

Joey Aguilar Undergoes Surgery to Remove Tumor on Friday
CFB

Texas the "Team to Beat" for Transfer Running Back Isaac Brown
CFB

Rocco Becht to Follow Matt Campbell to Penn State?
CFB

Texas Targeting Cam Coleman in Transfer Portal
CFB

Former Texas Running Back CJ Baxter Visiting Kentucky
CFB

Beau Pribula Visiting Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech
Bo Bichette

Yankees Showing Interest in Bo Bichette
Houston Astros

Astros Sign Tatsuya Imai to Three-Year Deal

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP