Jorge Alfaro (C/OF, MIA) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

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ROSTERED IN: 7% of leagues

ANALYSIS: When Jorge Alfaro became a Marlin back in 2019, he had to leave behind his first MLB club (for a division rival) after a three-year stint that established "El Oso" as one of the more unique, versatile backstops in the game. It's been a frustrating go of it for Alfaro since then, and while it seems from the surface that 2021 has been another step in the wrong direction, there are a few particularly compelling reasons why you might want to involve Alfaro in your September picture. First, Alfaro has earned position-eligibility as an outfielder, so he's now dual-eligible as a C/OF. That sets Alfaro apart with the likes of Daulton Varsho, Tyler Stephenson, and Eric Haase as inherently safer choices for the offensive reinforcements they offer over players only eligible at catcher (and it tends to mean more AB).

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The strange thing is that Alfaro has had significant issues at the plate this year. Once he is on base, Alfaro is electing to burn rubber quite frequently, having tallied a career-high seven swipes in just 229 AB without being caught despite his waning sprinting speed. He just seems to pick his moments with great intelligence and is now executing in volume, and in fact, he is currently tied with J.T. Realmuto for second in the league among catchers in that category. Alfaro's batting splits are a bit frustrating. He is making very good contact on batted balls and is placing them where they need to be for his .352 BABIP to hold up, but he isn't hitting for power with his low fly ball rate and he is striking out 31% more frequently than he's walking. Fortunately, he has hit ten XBH (nine doubles, one triple), stolen three bags, and slashed a solid .292/.324/.462 over his last 65 AB, and for what it's worth, he's been hitting way better in games where he's playing outfield as opposed to catcher. Jorge Alfaro is a double secret weapon: a catcher who steals bases and a catcher you can play in your outfield. He'll save you time, he minimizes the moves you have to make throughout a matchup, and in deeper leagues, he is a strategic acquisition that can provide a surprisingly big advantage.

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