RADIO
J.T. Realmuto 2020 Outlook: Top Catcher Bar None
5 years agoJ.T. Realmuto had a slow start to his 2019 campaign but finished the year strong to the tune of hitting .275/.328/.493 with 25 HR, 83 RBI, 92 R, and 9 SB. He also had a career-high 41 walks to go along with a solid 6.9% walk rate. He enters 2020 with an ADP of 65 as the number one catcher off the board and two-plus rounds ahead of Gary Sanchez. With the position being so scarce, is Realmuto worth the investment this early in drafts? The answer appears to be yes. Realmuto led all catchers in at-bats, runs, hits, RBI, and stolen bases. He also finished third among catchers in average, fourth in home runs, and eighth in walks. The stat that jumps out the most is his total of 538 at-bats. It is 25 more than the next closest catcher (Yasmani Grandal) and a whopping 99 more than the fifth-highest catcher (James McCann). The sheer volume of at-bats means owners will rarely have to worry about subbing Realmuto out in daily leagues. This cannot be overstated. Add in the fact that he is the premier player at the position who hits in the middle of a lineup that should be vastly improved in 2020 with the addition of Didi Gregorius and return of Andrew McCutchen, and you a slam-dunk opportunity to grab him in the middle of the fifth-round.
