Today we'll take a look at the catcher position. A position once dominated over the past few seasons by Joe Mauer, Brian McCann and Victor Martinez has suddenly shifted thanks to an influx of young talent creeping into the upper ranks.
Tier One
Joe Mauer - He's not going to hit 28 homers again, but Mauer's consistency in his other skillsets is extremely valuable. His fall in 2010 to 9 homers was disappointing, but his 2011 projections call for a rebound in power to the mid teens.
Carlos Santana - Perhaps I'm a bit optimistic here especially after his injury, but Santana's potential is the real deal. He combines power, a good average, and is able to add a solid amount of steals. Expect his name in the top tier for years to come.
Brian McCann - McCann's production should be very similar to Santana's, with probably just a slight black mark in their power comparisons. McCann is still an elite selection.
Buster Posey - Posey is the second new addition to the first tier of catchers. He moves ahead of V-Mart due to his high average potential and his ability to get on base more. After that, Posey and Martinez are fairly equivalent.
Victor Martinez - He nearly fell out of my top tier, but will be here at least one more year. I worry if he spends to much time at DH, his hitting will suffer, so watch how much catching time he gets in Spring Training.
Tier Two
Matt Wieters - PECOTA, normally very bullish on rookies, set too optimistic of a benchmark for Wieters, ultimately watching him fall short. While that may have created the perception he's a "disappointment," Wieters' walk rate was superb for such a young player, and he suffered from an unfavorable BABIP. Expect his power to continue to grow while we watch how his BABIP regression to the mean affects his overall line.
Geovany Soto - His spot in the lineup hurts his value, but even with low RBI and R numbers, Soto's power and average easily softens the blow. If he had a more favorable lineup position, opportunities with a better supporting cast could have him crack the top tier.
Miguel Montero - While I prefer Iannetta's potential, his playing time is a big concern. Montero still has some great upside, but he has already suffered knee problems; he does not come without risk.
Chris Iannetta - The next two catchers are my stupid manager selections. If either one got the needed playing time, they would make any team better, fantasy or actual baseball. I ranked Iannetta first because the team seems a bit more intent on playing him.
Mike Napoli - Mike Scioscia should be fired just based on the talent he has wasted by not playing Napoli a full season as the starter. Napoli has 35-40 home runs in his bat with a full season, but apparently only a trade will bring that. This ranking is expecting him to stay in LA, but a move to somewhere like Boston would make him my number one catcher.
Tier Three
Kurt Suzuki - A few steals and fairly effective with a solid average for a catcher. Nothing flashy though; poor walks and little upside.
Chris Snyder - There is playing time in Pittsburgh for Snyder, but that's his only really attractive feature. His average will be a distraction, but good power should still make him usable.
Jorge Posada - Probably the last year of catcher eligibility, and that means the last year of fantasy relevance. His bat is not good enough to use as a DH or Util in fantasy.
J.P. Arencibia - Fans and owners will see a lot of Arencibia's at bats end with the ball in the glove of the catcher or somewhere in the stands. He's not really a true three-outcome guy, but his power should make him a viable catcher with playing time.
John Jaso - He's a good catcher, but not great at anything, and with Kelly Shoppach back his playing time is a question.
Gambling Tier
Adam Moore - Seattle is not a team to ignore OBP, and while he could hit 20 home runs, his walk rate in his first MLB try was scary. He has shown the ability to walk before, but he might not get enough ABs to prove it.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia - Unless a trade happens, it looks like Salty is finally getting his full shot this year. Jason Varitek will work with him and give him rest a few times, but he is going to see plenty of chances in a great lineup.
John Buck - Go back to his 2010 season and look under average. Then put a big X over .281 because that will not happen again. You draft Buck for 15-20 homers and good R and RBI for a catcher, but don't expect anything else.
Yadier Molina - Molina doesn't disappoint with his average, but the rest of his skills are about as poor as his brother is fat. He does have a few good years with steals, but don't risk drafting for those on someone kneeling behind the plate all season long.
Jesus Montero - Here is your flier pick. He might only see 100 plate appearances this year, but his power could force it's way into a bigger role. The catchers ahead of him are also not the most durable, and his bat could see more time. While Montero seems destined to last behind the plate no more than 200 games before he's moved to DH, one or two big fantasy seasons with catcher eligibility could be in line.
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