2019 Fantasy Baseball ROS Rankings

Sanchez has proven to be capable of producing truly difference-making numbers at fantasy baseball's weakest position, and there is little doubt he can again top 30 home runs if he remains healthy. He is off to a scorching start in the power department in 2019.

Realmuto hasn't really gotten going with the bat in 2019, but he's still on pace to eclipse 100 runs and 100 RBIs, thanks to his spot in the middle of the Phillies' ever-dangerous lineup. If there's once concern here, it's that Realmuto's launch angle is currently much lower than last year, leading to a lot more ground balls -- and fewer home runs. It's something to keep an eye on.

A rising star came crashing down when Contreras cratered to .249/.339/.390 with 10 homers in 544 plate appearances. He again hit grounders on over half of his batted balls, but this time it came with fewer hard hits (28.9%) and more pop-ups (10.3%). A terrible second half (.264 wOBA) derailed this season, so it wasn't even a full year of regression. He has pressed reset to start 2019, batting .320/.422/.633 with 11 homers and far more fly balls through 39 games. Without too much competition, Contreras has re-earned his spot as a top-five catcher.

Grandal in enjoying life in Milwaukee, as the move from LA has provided him with regular playing time and an excellent hitting environment. He has slumped a bit in May after a terrific April, but should still be a top-five catcher when all is said and done.

Molina's numbers never jump off the computer screen, but he's quietly putting up another quality fantasy season at age 36. He's a near lock to finish as a top-10 catcher as long as his health cooperates.

Ramos hasn't done much offensively so far in 2019, and if he doesn't begin to elevate the ball more, a 20-HR season could be a pipe dream. Still, given the state of the catcher position, most Ramos owners don't have much choice but to wait it out and hope he returns to form.

Narvaez was well off the fantasy radar prior to 2018, but then he hit .275 with nine home runs in just 280 at-bats for the White Sox. Now in Seattle, he's poised to give fantasy owners that kind of production -- or better -- over the course of a full season, which could allow him to finish the year as a top-five fantasy catcher.

Posey's power has not rebounded at all from last season, and he's also missed time with a concussion. He's pretty clearly no longer the difference-making fantasy catcher he once was, but should still play more than the vast majority of catchers and is still fully capable of providing a plus batting average. It's unlikely those who drafted him have a better option floating around on the waiver wire.

Chirinos has quietly finished as a top-12 fantasy catcher in 5x5 roto leagues for two years running, and looks well on his way to making it three straight. He appears to be starting about 2/3 of the games behind the plate in Houston, which is more than enough to get the job done.

Alfaro has been solid but not great so far in 2019, but he is one of just a handful of catchers who are playing almost every day and is worth rostering in most leagues for his untapped power potential.

The legend of Astudillo was on the rise before suffering a strained hamstring. Brandishing a stat page more in line with a player from 1918, the contact machine recorded one walk and strikeout apiece in 53 appearances while batting .347. Although playing time was sporadic, he was making the most of his chances. When healthy, the Twins will have a tougher time sitting him too often. The batting average makes him an intriguing fantasy catcher now that his return has coincided with Mitch Garver going on the IL.

Garver showed some promise last year by batting .293/.340/.474 after the All-Star break. He's scorching-hot early this season, hitting .329 with nine homers and a .475 wOBA. Although also one of the luckiest hitters according to Statcast's batted-ball data, the surge has earned him more playing time. There's enough power potential to ride the hot hand a little while healthy, but an ankle sprain will force an untimely trip to the IL.

 

Even if he continues to split time with Russell Martin all year, Barnes is one of the few catchers out there who is capable of delivering double digit HRs, a decent batting average, and handful of stolen bases.

Among all catchers with 200 plate appearances, Cervelli corralled the second-highest wOBA (.355) behind Wilson Ramos. His modest 12 homers comfortably cleared his previous high of seven, but concussions limited him to 404 plate appearances. While he looked like a fine placeholder to start the season, he quickly wore out his welcome with a .226 wOBA through 26 games. Move on in mixed leagues, but monitor his status in case he regains last year's form.

 

McCann has forced his way into more playing time by batting .336/.404/.581 with four home runs (and a career-high two steals) in 25 games. The career .247/.294/.378 hitter won't keep this up, but managers can't be too picky about a red-hot catcher. Ride the hot hand for as long as it goes.

The Red Sox saw enough in Vazquez to jettison Blake Swihart, and the 28-year-old has rewarded their trust by batting .311/.362/.519 with five homers through 34 games. Rises in walks and hard hits give this the look of a legitimate breakthrough; he certainly wouldn't be the first catcher to need a few years before figuring things out at the plate. Consider him a borderline top-15 option worth grabbing for those mix and matching at the position.

Entering the season as the top sleeper for those who waited on the position, Jansen is batting below .200 without a single home run in early May. The promise remains present, but investors in one-catcher leagues will have no choice but to move on unless he catches fire in a hurry.

Barnhart doesn't have the best bat, but his elite defense will keep him on the field for nearly 500 at-bats again. In a killer Red's lineup, that should be plenty to get him the counting stats he needs to be draftable.

Zunino is one of the better sources of power at the catcher position, but with a .207 lifetime average and enormous 34.2 percent career strikeout rate, he is a major liability in the batting average department. As a result, he's finished as a top-14 fantasy catcher just once -- in 2017, when he rode a completely unsustainable .355 BABIP to a .251 batting average. He's simply too big of a batting average drain to be an appealing starting option in 12-team leagues.

An avalanche of injuries led to Castillo posting a middling .308 wOBA in 49 games, but he clobbered 53 homers over the previous three seasons. The career .259/.318/.427 hitter could combine a solid average with 15 long balls. He should eventually wake up from a treacherous start to 2019, but the early returns have already cost him some playing time to the red-hot James McCann. That could make him a top-20 catcher rather than a top-10 choice going forward.

 

Gomes' 2018 (.266, 16 HR, 48 RBI, 52 runs) was enough to make him a top-10 catcher last season. Yet he's splitting time in Washington with Kurt Suzuki, who posted similar numbers (.271, 12 HR, 50 RBI, 45 runs) in a timeshare for the Braves. That makes both of them solid second catchers who can fill is as a one-catcher stopgap if the other one gets hurt.

Sukuzi is a 35-year old journeyman backstop who's never hit 20 home runs, but thanks to a bit of pop and very good contact skills for a catcher, he's quietly finished as a top-11 fantasy catcher in fewer than 400 plate appearances in each of the last two seasons. The problem is that even 300 plate appearances could be a stretch now that Suzuki is in Washington -- he's been serving as the clear backup to Yan Gomes so far.

Catcher is so bad that prospect pedigree kept Mejia in preseason top-10 consideration despite batting .176 (12-for-69) in the majors. He continues to struggle in 2019, batting .152/.204/.217 as of May 5. Without the results or consistent playing time, he's not someone whom anyone can justify rostering in one-catcher mixed leagues.

 

 

 

 

 

A red-hot Mitch Garver appeared to displace Castro before landing on the IL. Castro has responded with his own hot streak, homering five times in seven May starts. A below-average hitter since 2013's breakout, he now has 11 barrels and a .775 xSLG in 67 plate appearances. Playing time will be hard to come by once Garver returns, but Castro is well worth adding as a short-term replacement.

 

There is reason to be excited about Tom Murphy, but as for now, Iannetta is the starter in Coors Field so don't hesitate to add him in two catcher leagues despite his lackluster batting averages.