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It's your resident catcher advocate here, with my weekly defense for baseball's most maligned position. Instead of giving into easy narratives about the lack of talent at the catcher position and how they're the kickers of fantasy baseball, I'm here to create a place where catchers are celebrated for how they can help our teams.
Each week, I will take a look at the upcoming schedule ahead and give you my favorite streaming options at catcher. By looking at lineup trends, amount of games ahead, the location of the games, and potential pitching matchups, I'll try to guide you towards catchers that I think can be most useful for you in the upcoming week. For each catcher listed, I'll also add a chart that will provide you with data about the potential opposing pitchers that I think are meaningful in terms of allowing potential fantasy production. Plus, I'll also give a short explanation about why this catcher made the list. Every week I'll also look back at my previous recommendations so that we can have some transparency about what's working or not.
Since many fantasy managers will pay no attention to the catcher spot, your ability to constantly look for the best matchups will be a good way to get an advantage over your competition.
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Last Week Check-In
This does not include stats from Sunday 7/25
- Max Stassi (4 starts) 2-16, 1 HR, 3 Runs, 2 RBI (LOSS - I'm still holding in deep leagues though)
- Jake Rogers (0 starts) Jake Rogers was put on the IL at the start of the week, so I give myself a pass here
- Tyler Stephenson (2 starts) 2-15, 4 Runs, 3 RBI (LOSS but the runs and RBI even in a down week are nice)
- John Hicks (2 starts) 1-5, 1 RBI (LOSS - Hicks was cut on Friday, so..... my bad)
SEASON STREAMING RECORD: 37-34
All matchup projections are made in conjunction with Roster Resource Probables Grid
Week Eighteen Catcher Waiver Wire (7/26 - 8/1)
For the purposes of this article, we are considering a "streaming catcher" one who is rostered in under 50% of Yahoo! leagues. Whether or not these catchers will be useful for you will depend entirely on your league size and the number of catchers you need to play. In order to help, I will keep a weekly list of "Untouchables," meaning catchers who, in my opinion, should NOT (if healthy) be dropped for a streaming option.
Untouchables: Catchers who shouldn't be dropped for these streamers in any format: J.T. Realmuto, Salvador Perez, Willson Contreras, Will Smith, Omar Narvaez, and Buster Posey.
Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays
5% Rostered
With Danny Jansen headed to the IL, Kirk is back up in the big leagues and comes back to a schedule that couldn't get much better. Kirk will get seven total games, which likely means at least four starts, and will face a full slate of fairly average pitchers. Eduardo Rodriguez is probably the most talented arm he's set to face, but the left-hander has been struggling with his changeup for most of the year and hasn't lived up to expectations. Tanner Houck has been great, but in only 18 innings, and both Nick Pivetta and Garrett Richards feel like they could implode at any time.
When the Blue Jays return to Toronto for the first time in two years, they will welcome three below-average arms for the Royals. I know Brad Keller has been pitching better of late, but he has still been giving up a lot of hard contact. Also, while we're sad that we no longer get the hitting environment in Buffalo, let's not forget that the Rogers Centre was also a plus offensive environment, so I don't expect a massive drop-off for Toronto, making this a good week to roster Kirk.
Mitch Garver, Minnesota Twins
35% Rostered
When Mitch Garver plays in 2021, he plays well. Between multiple injuries and now the birth of his son (who has the coolest damn name ever - Gamble Lymm Garver - I mean!), Garver simply hasn't been on the field as much as we'd like. However, the veteran is expected back this week and could also be showcased for a trade with the Twins selling off pieces. A lineup that is now without Byron Buxton, Alex Kirilloff, and Nelson Cruz is certainly not as threatening, but there are still some solid hitters left, and this really is a week of tremendous matchups for Garver.
Statistically, the best arm he'll face is Wily Peralta and we're not buying what he's selling right now. There may be fewer RBI opportunities than we're used to seeing, but Garver has the power to make it hurt against these pitchers this week, so I'm still expecting big things. The only downside might be a trade in the middle of the week, but I personally think there is a low chance of that happening.
Daulton Varsho, Arizona Diamondbacks
22% Rostered
Well, it finally happened: Daulton Varsho started hitting. After beginning his major league career with some struggles at the plate, Varsho has really begun to settle down this week, hitting .471 over the last week, with three home runs, seven runs, eight RBI, and a 1.118 OPS. With Carson Kelly injured and Stephen Vogt now in Atlanta, Varsho has been getting some exposure behind the plate while also playing games in the outfield. The benefit of that is in plate appearances. While Arizona only plays five games next week, Varsho is likely to get starts in four or five of them, which is the equivalent of many other catchers who have seven-game weeks.
He also gets a pretty light schedule with two extremely exploitable matchups against the Rangers and then three games against a depleted Dodgers rotation. Now, it's entirely possible that the Dodgers will add a starting pitcher at the deadline, but starts against Tony Gonsolin, Josiah Gray, and Julio Urias aren't nearly as scary as what the Dodgers were rolling out earlier in the year. Even with only an average slate of matchups, Varsho is well worth a pick-up this week and might become a season-long hold for you at the catcher position.
Jacob Stallings, Pittsburgh Pirates
10% Rostered
Earlier in the season, we were using Stallings as a streamer because of his consistent playing time and solid batting average, but then he went into a prolonged slump and the at-bats weren't worth as much. Well, Stallings is back, hitting .368 over the last two weeks, with five RBIs, and a 170 wRC+ that is 10th among all catchers. I actually think the Pirates are a surprisingly spry offense with Bryan Reynolds, Adam Frazier, Ke'Bryan Hayes, and John Nogowski.
Now, we can't be 100% sure all of those players will still be on the team by the end of next week, but the majority will, and they stack up pretty well against the Phillies and Brewers, especially since they will be missing all of the Brewers' best arms. Eric Lauer has been good so far, but I'm not worried about him, and Stallings will get three lefties and all six pitchers with poor HR/FB%, which is lovely. Aaron Nola is legitimately the only arm I'd worry about on this slate, and he's had an issue with home runs all season, so this could be a sneaky week for the Pirates offense, and Stallings himself while he's swinging the bat this well.
Austin Nola, San Diego Padres
32% Rostered
Like with Varsho, this one is a little more of a forward-thinking move because I don't love Nola's matchups this week. I'm not a believer in James Kaprielian, but Sean Manaea has been great with increased velocity, and the Rockies have a surprisingly decent trio in German Marquez, Jon Gray, and Austin Gomber. However, Colorado's bullpen is a mess, and I'm fairly confident that Gray will be traded this week, so the Rockies may use a bullpen game or a spot starter when that spot comes up.
Regardless, Nola is a solid batting average, high on-base percentage hitter in a great lineup who will also get some starts at 1B if he's swinging the bat well. I don't think you need to rush out to add him in one-catcher leagues, but I would certainly be prioritizing him in two-catcher formats, even if this week winds up being just decent.
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