Jorge Alfaro (C, MIA) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

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ANALYSIS: 

Jorge Alfaro is a great backup catcher. He's hitting the ball well with six hits in his last seven games, including three XBH. He’s an everyday catcher that has found a niche to carve out. Against lefties, he’s sported a .355 wOBA and a 43% hard contact rate. We only have a 73 at-bat sample size to work with, but he's hit three homers and four doubles. He’s still over a .300 wOBA and serviceable against righties, so there’s no situation where he’s one of those useless catchers to stash.

He does strikeout 30% of the time, so be cautious of that if you’re in a league that penalizes for striking out. He’s also on the Marlins, so that never helps. With that said, we’ve seen him get better and better as the season has progressed and he’s turned into a solid hitter with a lot of xBH upside. Alfaro isn’t the catcher that’s going to break open the second half of the season, but he will hold you over while you tighten up for the playoff push.