J.T. Realmuto (C, MIA) - Waiver Wire Analysis

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper Formats / Most Two-Catcher Leagues

OWNED IN: 4% of Fleaflicker Leagues

ANALYSIS: The Miami Marlins surprised a lot of people earlier this year when they DFA’d Jarrod Saltalamacchia. He had two years and $15 million left on his contract, leaving a lot of fans scratching their heads. The 24-year-old Realmuto wasn’t complaining, however, as he was promoted to the team’s No. 1 catcher. Even though Realmuto is primarily known for his defense, he’s showed decent contact ability in the minors and nearly identical splits against both left- and right-handed pitchers.

He hasn’t been doing too poorly against big-league pitching either, with a slash line of .246/.272/.392 without crazy BABIP luck. Let’s keep in mind, he has just 13 Triple-A plate appearances to his name, so he’s going to be a bit raw in his first go-around in the majors. But if he can continue to do what he’s been doing at and behind the plate, then the future is looking pretty bright. So while his game will progress, he’s currently only an option for fantasy managers in 12+ team leagues who are struggling at the position. But all managers should keep an eye on him to see if his consistency improves.