Jason Castro (C, HOU) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add In AL-Only Leagues, Mixed Leagues With Two Catcher Slots

ANALYSIS: The 27-year-old catcher Jason Castro has taken a major step back this year after a breakout season in 2013. In 339 at-bats, he has posted just a .230 batting average with 11 home runs and 43 RBI. He is struggling equally against righties and lefties, but his numbers at home are significantly better than those on the road. This makes sense, considering Minute Maid Park typically favors hitters, but his overall numbers both at home and on the road are down tremendously from 2013. Castro's career-low 20.0% line drive rate (his average is 25%) shows that, for whatever reason, he is just not hitting the ball as hard as he had in the past. He is putting more balls on the ground instead of lining them which means less hits, less HR, and less overall production. This could have something to do with the fact that he is seeing less fastballs and more offspeed pitches, most of which are coming in low in the zone.  That said, the catcher pool is pretty shallow, especially with injuries to Yadier Molina, Joe Mauer and Matt Wieters, so Castro is still worthy of being owned in AL-Only Leagues and deep mixed leagues with two catcher slots, and his recent "hot streak" makes him ownable in 16-team deep leagues as well as a streamer when the matchups are right.