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Welcome, RotoBallers, to another edition of catcher waiver wire pickups. Like every year, navigating the catcher position has been extremely tough. Ryan Jeffers started the year red-hot but has since become a potential drop candidate amid a 14-for-102 (.156 average) slump at the plate.
That's the difficulty of the catcher position in fantasy. Most catchers are hard to rely on unless you roster Will Smith, Adley Rutschman, or William Contreras. Even Contreras, though, has cooled off significantly at the plate over the past month.
As we look ahead to Week 14 (June 24 to June 30), fantasy managers should be picking up these three catchers and starting them this upcoming week. The first catcher on this list is a must-add in all formats, while the last two catchers are solid adds in 12-plus team leagues.
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Catcher Waiver Wire Adds
Francisco Alvarez, New York Mets (63% Rostered)
Over the season, I've tried to only put catchers on this list who were rostered in 40% or less of Yahoo leagues. But with very limited options heading into Week 14, I'm going to put New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez on this list. He should be rostered in every league moving forward and is still available in 37% of Yahoo leagues.
A large reason why Alvarez is rostered at 63% is because he missed almost two months due to a thumb injury. That caused his rostership to drop significantly. But since his return from that injury on June 11, he has been a strong fantasy option. The 22-year-old has 10 hits in 30 at-bats with one home run, seven RBI, and one double. The slugging catcher also has a hit in four straight games and just belted his second home run of the season on Friday against the Chicago Cubs.
Francisco Alvarez gets it right back for the Mets with his second homer of the year! 💪 pic.twitter.com/kkG6aQ2Cj9
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 21, 2024
There's no reason why a catcher like Alvarez should be on waivers in any format. He hit 25 HRs in his rookie campaign in 2023 to go with 63 RBI, 12 doubles, and two stolen bases. While he did finish with a mere .209 average, it's hard to ignore those 25 long balls. He totaled the second most home runs by a catcher last season, only behind Cal Raleigh's 30 HRs. For that reason alone, pick him up and keep him in your catcher slot all season.
Patrick Bailey, San Francisco Giants (21% Rostered)
If Alvarez is unavailable in your league, look to see if San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey is available on waivers. He has been one of the hottest hitters at the plate in June, hitting .348 (16-for-46) with one home run, one double, and four RBI over the past 13 games. Bailey might not have the upside of some other catchers, but he is a player who continues to hit the ball well and gets on base at a high level.
This recent stretch at the plate has lifted his batting average to .299 on the year with five HRs, eight doubles, and 23 RBI. Those numbers should make him a must-add in all 12-plus team leagues moving forward. The 25-year-old also has long-term fantasy potential, considering his metrics rank extremely well through the first three months.
Per Statcast, here are the MLB hitters with the highest line-drive rate in 2024 (Winn & Palacios among leaders):
1. Patrick Bailey (SF): 37.3%
2. David Hamilton (BOS): 35.8%
3. Masyn Winn, #STLCards 34.6%
4. Richie Palacios (TB): 34.1%
5. Steven Kwan (CLE): 33.5%— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) June 21, 2024
His expected batting average (.312), expected slugging (.465), average exit velocity (92.2 mph), and launch angle sweet-spot rate (47%) all rank in the top half of the league. With Bailey locked into an everyday role, he's a great waiver wire add heading into Week 14, especially with seven games on the schedule from June 24 to June 30. Fantasy managers can start him with confidence.
Ben Rice, New York Yankees (21% Rostered)
New York Yankees catcher/first baseman Ben Rice made his major league debut earlier this week and immediately started the first two games for the team. With Anthony Rizzo (forearm fracture) on the injured list and out for at least eight weeks, Rice figures to see regular reps at first base against right-handed pitchers. That makes him a sneaky add in 12-plus team leagues heading into Week 14.
The Yankees' No. 12 prospect has been one of the best hitters in New York's minor league system since last year. In 2023, he hit a combined .324 with 20 HRs, 18 doubles, and 68 RBI across Single-A, High-A, and Double-A. Then, in 60 games at Double-A and Triple-A this season, Rice hit .275 with 15 HRs, 12 doubles, and 36 RBI. So, look for the 25-year-old to put up some solid numbers in his rookie season.
That first career hit feeling 🥹 pic.twitter.com/BCjBQgQ33F
— MLB (@MLB) June 19, 2024
Fantasy managers have also already seen some of Rice's potential at the plate after totaling a hit in two of the three games he has appeared in. In those contests, he has one RBI, two walks, and zero strikeouts across 11 plate appearances. It might take him some time to really get going, but his upside makes him a sneaky add. The talent is surely there for him to succeed at the bottom of New York's lineup.
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