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Week 1 Waiver Wire Pickups: Catcher

Kyle Schwarber owners? It's a tough blow, for all of us, as we already have to say goodbye to an exciting young player for the entire 2016 season. But it's still early, and we are here to help. It's time to take a peek down that hole known as the waiver wire for catching depth. It's a really deep hole, since there's a pretty big drop off after you pick the first five catchers. Not quite as deep as the Marianas Trench, but close. Not having good catching depth can crush you like the water pressure down there.

With that said, it's not hopeless. There's some talent to be found on that waiver wire and it could help both those in one- or two-catcher leagues. Let's go take a look. My metric is those who are owned by less than 50% of Fleaflicker fantasy owners.

Editor’s Note: to read about even more waiver wire options, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily. Prefer using your phone? Our free waiver wire app is available for download in the Apple & Android Stores.

 

Week 1 Waiver Wire Catchers

Yasmani Grandal (LAD) 28% - Yes, he's hurt, but it's still astounding that has that low ownership in the Yahoo leagues right now. He has a right forearm strain, but he's already playing in simulated games and the Dodgers think that he'll be back for their home opener next week. He's capable of hitting over 20 homers and if he gets his average up over .250 or higher, he could be a waiver wire steal, especially since we have him ranked at No. 7 among catchers.

Miguel Montero (CHC) 23% - Who wouldn't want a catcher who can hit at least 15 or more homers a season? Especially given that this is a position that has a steep drop off in talent after several picks, Montero shortcomings can be forgiven. His ownership should go up now that Kyle Schwarber is out for the year after colliding with Dexter Fowler in the outfield on Thursday and tearing both his left ACL and LCL.

Wilson Ramos (WAS) 30% - He's got solid power, hitting 15 homers in 2015, though he struck out way too many times. If he can get his average back up to the .260s range, he'll be picked up by more fantasy owners. He might be worth it as a second catcher.

Yadier Molina (STL) 45% - Yadi's power numbers have declined since that 22 homer season in 2012. Part of it is probably the wear and tear on his body. He's been in the Majors since he was 21 and 13 years of catching will take its toll on anyone. That said, he's still capable of a pretty decent average and his RBI totals are generally in the respectable range. He's in the higher percentage of ownership, but it should be even more. He's worth picking up as a second catcher or insurance on the bench.

J.T. Realmuto (MIA) 41% - Otherwise known as the Running Catcher, Realmuto swiped 8 bases in '15 and he could break the double-digit mark this season. Fans should enjoy it while they can because years of catching tends to slow down the best of them. People are on the steals train, but he's still up for grabs in the majority of leagues. Hitting more than 10 homers in '16 will also be a nice bonus.

Jason Castro (HOU) 4% - Whoa. Talk about a deep plunge. From the 20-40% picks to 4%. It's puzzling. Castro can hit ten home runs though, and he'd be great for two-catcher leagues. Yes, his power numbers have gone down, but Houston has a really good lineup so he might benefit from those who around him. He's worth taking a shot on.

Derek Norris (SDP) 44% -  He's  got double-digit power, which is always a good thing when it comes to picking catchers. Yes, the Padres are likely to be terrible this season, but he's especially able to help those who are in two-catcher leagues.  Plus who doesn't love his awesome beard? It's not in Dallas Keuchel's league, but it's pretty darn impressive. Taking him automatically gives you a great team name involving beards.

Nick Hundley (COL) 30%  - It wasn't just the Coors Field effect in '15 when he hit 10 homers - he hit 13 when he was playing for San Diego in the cavernous Petco Park. Right now nearly one-third of Yahoo owners have wised up that he could be a pretty good pick-up in either single- or double-catcher leagues.

James McCann (DET) 10%  -  Some may think of him as the Poorer McCann Brother to Brian  - they aren't really related, though. It's not like the whole Molina clan. Both just happen to be McCanns who play catcher. He has nowhere near Brian's power, but he can hit for decent average. There's plenty of lineup protection around him in the form of hitters like Miggy Cabrera, Victor Martinez, J.D. Martinez, Ian Kinsler and Justin Upton. A .265 average and 10 homers would not be out of the realm of possibility. He would be better for two-catcher leagues.

Robinson Chirinos (TEX) 2%  He's another potential double-digit homer guy and you always have to like it when you see one of those on the waiver wire. Especially when he's been given the keys to the starting job and only a small fraction of Yahoo owners seem to know who the heck he is. Be better than that and grab him.

 

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Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!




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