Fantasy Baseball Catcher Options
This week we'll look at a few different types of fantasy baseball catchers. One was a higher round pick in fantasy drafts, another was a late round flier, and the third is a journeyman catcher that none of you had heard of.
All three of these catchers are exceeding their draft day valuations. While these catchers aren't sleepers, all of them are worth a look off the waiver wire in 12+ team leagues if they are still available.
Devin Mesoraco - C, Cincinnati Reds
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues
ANALYSIS: I usually don't touch on players owned in more than 70% of leagues, but I'm taking this opportunity to yell at anyone who's in a league in which Devin Mesoraco is unowned. He's only owned in 86% of Yahoo leagues, and yes I say "only" because that's still just ridiculous.
Mesoraco is putting up a top 5 catcher season, meaning he should be owned in anything more than a 6 team league. His potential is off the charts as a former 15th overall pick, and he's shown why this season with twenty home runs and 61 RBIs. He just pummeled his third grand slam of the season on Sunday night, and that was after hitting a two-run blast in the first inning.
So if he's somehow still available in your league, please leave this page immediately and go pick him up before it's too late - don't worry about the other players listed below.
Michael Zunino - C, Seattle Mariners
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper Leagues
ANALYSIS: Michael Zunino was fast tracked through the M's system as the former third overall pick. He has just over 700 career at-bats in his professional career, but he's showing glimpses of why he was so highly touted.
Since July 25th, Zunino has collected a hit in eight of the eleven games he's been a part of, belting four bombs in that span to go along with his seven RBI.
His average is not pretty, but most catchers can't be counted on for a respectable average. Zunino makes for a viable waiver wire option in deep 12+ team leagues, as long as your team can handle the batting average hit.
Caleb Joseph - C, Baltimore Orioles
BALLER MOVE: Add in Very Deep Leagues
ANALYSIS: Caleb Joseph was thrust into more playing time than he was ready for this season when Matt Wieters began rehabbing from his TJ surgery. Joseph was looking quite poor at the plate with his .199/.268/.309 slash line at the end of July.
That version of Caleb now seems to have disappeared gone (for a while anyway), as Joseph has hit a home run in five straight games last week - joining Devin Mesoraco as the only player to hit a home run in five straight contests this season.
While I can confidently assure you that he will not continue at this torrid pace, he's a wave worth riding if you're in a rough spot at the position in two catcher leagues or super deep 14+ team leagues, or just need a temporary fill-in (McCann Owners).