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Welcome RotoBallers to our catcher fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for Week 9 (May 20 - May 26). If you are reading this, chances are you might need some help at the catcher position in fantasy.
Like every year, it hasn't been easy to navigate that position in fantasy with frequent off days and injuries piling up. Sean Murphy (oblique), Willson Contreras (forearm), and Francisco Alvarez (thumb) are all notable catchers on the 10-day injured list currently. So, if you are looking for a catcher to replace them, you have come to the right place.
This article will look at four fantasy baseball catchers whom fantasy managers should pick up and start heading into Week 9. All four of these catchers are rostered in less than 40% of Yahoo leagues.
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Catcher Waiver Wire Adds
Shea Langeliers, Oakland Athletics (39% Rostered)
Oakland A's catcher Shea Langeliers has been one of the most added catchers in fantasy over the past few weeks. That's because, in a four-game span from May 4 to May 8, Langeliers went 8-for-18 with three home runs, two doubles, two triples, and 11 RBI. While he hasn't homered or totaled an RBI since that stretch, the young catcher is still worth a look in 12-plus team formats.
SHEA LANGELIERS.
HIS THIRD HOME RUN OF THE NIGHT. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/xaFZal0RZZ
— MLB (@MLB) April 10, 2024
Since the May 8 doubleheader against the Texas Rangers, Langeliers has still gotten on base in five of the past six games while tallying a hit in four of those contests. Now, the 26-year-old might be hitting just .216 on the season, but his power potential makes him a solid option at the position. His nine HRs are tied for the second most among all catchers in 2024 and his 24 RBI are tied for sixth.
His metrics are also extremely encouraging, which should give fantasy managers some confidence moving forward. His expected slugging (.559), average exit velocity (91.9 mph), barrel rate (17.5%), and hard-hit rate (47.6%) all rank in the top half of the league. There are still things the A's catcher needs to improve on at the plate -- like lowering his strikeout numbers and taking more walks -- but there's a real possibility he will hit at least 28 HRs this season.
Tyler Stephenson, Cincinnati Reds (11% Rostered)
Just a few years ago, Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson was a sleeper option at the position. After batting .286 with 10 HRs, 21 doubles, and 45 RBI in his first major league season in 2021, Stephenson entered his sophomore campaign in 2022 with some upside. However, three different injuries (concussion, fractured thumb, and fractured collarbone) limited him to just 50 games.
Now two years removed from that injury-riddled season, Stephenson could start to emerge as a fantasy option again. The Reds catcher is currently hitting .255 with four HRs, seven doubles, and 13 RBI through the first 35 games. Most importantly, though, he is starting to heat up at the plate.
Loud, loud contact. @Tyler_Step22 pic.twitter.com/Stj1lsLIjf
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) May 17, 2024
The 27-year-old is batting an impressive .370 (10-for-27) with four doubles and two RBI over his last nine games. Stephenson also has four multi-hit games during that span. He might not have the upside of a catcher like Langeliers in fantasy, but he can be a consistent option for your fantasy team until Murphy, Alvarez, or Contreras returns.
Ivan Herrera, St. Louis Cardinals (5% Rostered)
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera is one of my favorite catchers on this list. With Contreras out for the next two months, Herrera should now see everyday playing time. That has certainly been the case for the 23-year-old, as he has started five of the seven games since the veteran went down with a forearm fracture. In those contests, he is 8-for-18 at the plate with two RBI and three walks.
It's hard not to love what the young catcher has been doing at the plate in 2024. He continues to see the ball well and has a hit in seven straight games. That stretch has lifted his batting average 66 points from .210 to .276. Herrera also has three HRs and 13 RBI on the season to go with his solid average on offense.
With the way Herrera is hitting the ball right now, he deserves to be rostered in more leagues. He has three multi-hit games over the last four contests and will remain the Cardinals starting catcher until Contreras returns. That makes him a nice addition in some formats heading into Week 9.
Blake Sabol, San Francisco Giants (1% Rostered)
If fantasy managers are looking for a catcher option in deeper formats, look no further than Blake Sabol of the San Francisco Giants. After starting the season in Triple-A and playing 21 games there, the Giants eventually called up Sabol at the beginning of May for depth purposes.
Blake Sabol details his offensive success since returning to the big-league squad 💪
Giants Postgame Live is airing NOW on NBC Sports Bay Area and streaming here: https://t.co/k8vJkLciMY pic.twitter.com/kIGZ7aHMup
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 9, 2024
Well, with injuries to Patrick Bailey (concussion) and Tom Murphy (knee), Sabol has taken on a larger role since making his season debut on May 4. He has started four straight games and seven of the past nine contests for San Francisco. In those games, he is hitting .348 (8-for-23) with two doubles, one RBI, and four walks.
The playing time will continue to be there for the 26-year-old catcher, especially with Murphy on the 60-day IL and Bailey still recovering from a concussion. The latter is first eligible to return on Sunday, so keep an eye on his status in the coming days. If he isn't going to be activated right away, though, Sabol is worth a look in deeper formats.
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