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BALLER MOVE: Draft Target Mid-to-Late Rounds in All Leagues
ANALYSIS: The catcher position is one where if you can lock up a player that not only appears in most games, but is also solid fantasy producer, then you have to grab that catcher before it’s too late. For 2014, Yadier Molina was a top-10 fantasy catcher even though he missed time with an injury, and is projected to finish in that area for 2015. ZiPS has him projected to hit around .292 with just as many at bats as any other catcher in baseball.
Throughout his MLB career Molina has caught tons of innings, which puts pressure on his knees. In order to prevent further injuries and to prolong his career, he has lost 20 pounds during the offseason. Molina will turn 33 in the middle of the season and is coming off a season where he hit .282 with a drop off in fantasy production. Hopefully a healthier and leaner body will help him revert to the high-end production levels of 2011-2013.
Molina is certainly no Buster Posey or Jonathan Lucroy, but he is a career .284 hitter and has batted over .305 in three of the last four seasons. His upside is that he hits for average, gets a lot of at bats, hits in a very solid lineup, and can do a little bit of everything. At his current ADP of 130, Molina can provide nice value on your draft day investment.
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