We’re officially hit the All-Star break, which means it’s long past time to hold on to any illusions that you’re going to win your league with all of your brilliant draft picks intact. It’s time to throw out what you thought you knew around draft time and make adjustments. Time to decide whether you’re in it to win it this year, and what you might need to make that happen. Time to check narrative and sentiment at the door.
Nowhere is that more true than at catcher, that most dire of fantasy positions. We’re beginning to get a sense of whose slow starts are more than a fluke and whose breakouts look like they’re for real — and who we might’ve buried a bit prematurely. So if you’re like most of us, looking for any kind of production from behind the plate, here are three backstops likely available on the waiver wire who could return surprisingly solid production down the stretch.
Fantasy baseball waiver wire: Week 16 top catcher pickups
Yainer Diaz, C, Houston Astros
Roster percentage: 6.5%
That faint clamoring you hear in the distance is a chorus of Astros fans wondering why Dusty Baker insists on keeping Martin Maldonado as Houston’s primary catcher. While the veteran struggles badly at the plate, the 24-year-old Diaz continue to rake, with three homers and a .533 slugging percentage in July. Only Francisco Alvarez has hit for more power than Diaz among catchers over the past month, and his barrel rate, average exit velocity and hard-hit rate are all elite. Yordan Alvarez’s health questions should ensure that Diaz gets a fair amount of time at DH, too, because lord knows Maldonado isn’t going anywhere.
Blake Sabol, C/OF, San Francisco Giants
Roster percentage: 1.5%
Patrick Bailey has gotten all the love behind the plate for San Fran since Joey Bart’s been out, but don’t forget about Sabol — who’s also raking and comes with outfield eligibility to boot. The 25-year-old is pretty boom or bust, with an ugly 32.4% K rate and a ninth-percentile expected batting average, but when he does make contact, it’s usually loud. His barrel rate is among the best of any catcher in the league, and he’s popped 10 homers in just 203 at-bats this year — including three in just the last week. He’s finding regular playing time at catcher and in left as the Giants juggle several injuries, and the power appears to be real.
Jake Rogers, C, Detroit Tigers
Roster percentage: 0.5%
Speaking of real power: Rogers is also an average drag, but if you can afford to take that hit, his barrel rate (93rd percentile), hard-hit rate (87th) and expected slugging (76th) all point to a very productive hitter. He’s slashing .259/.355/.482 over his last 18 games, and he’s pretty much taken the 1A role from Eric Haase over that period — if you need cheap power, look no further.
