BALLER MOVE: Target ~135
CURRENT ADP: 148
ANALYSIS: Houston Astros catcher/designated hitter Evan Gattis became a vital piece in the Astros 2017 championship run. He has, however, seen a steep decrease in playing time over the past few seasons, from 153 games in 2015 to only 84 appearances last season. This can be attributed, not to injuries, but Gattis becoming more of a designated hitter/spot starter at this point in his career. When he was given opportunities he contributed, hitting .263 with 12 home runs, 22 doubles and 55 runs batted in with only 300 plate appearances.
He surprisingly fared well against right-handers last season, smacking eight home runs, 16 doubles and hitting .272. With Carlos Beltran now retired, it is possible more plate appearances have opened up for Gattis. But the youth and talent running up and down the Astros roster will make it tough for Gattis to improve upon his 2017 numbers. Gattis will be a strong starting catcher for fantasy owners, with top-five (or even top-catcher) potential.
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