Whether we’re talking fantasy baseball or real life, catcher is a downright dirty, gritty position full of injuries, slumps and off-days. That’s why the best fantasy draft strategy at the position may be to find someone who’s not “just” a catcher.
Catcher-eligible players who can find their way into the lineup even when they’re not squatting behind the plate – say, at first base, in the outfield or as the designated hitter – come with extra fantasy appeal because they’ll get more at-bats than full-time catchers and could move around your own lineup. Let's take a look at how that should affect your 2016 fantasy baseball draft strategy.
2016 FANTASY BASEBALL RANKINGS:
Catcher | First | Second | Short | Third | Outfield | Starters | Relievers | Prospects
2016 Fantasy Baseball Draft Strategy: Catchers
Buster Posey, our no-brainer No. 1 catcher for 2016, fits that "versatile catcher" description. Not only does he come with an elite bat for a catcher, he also gets some time at first base. Same goes for Jonathan Lucroy, Brian McCann and Stephen Vogt. Second-year stud Kyle Schwarber may have an even bigger playing-time advantage if he’s primarily an outfielder for the Cubs.
It’s no coincidence that those guys mentioned above all rank among our top eight catchers for 2016. When it comes to a position as shallow and volatile as catcher, at-bats are at a premium, so focus your draft strategy on grabbing a “versatile catcher” who will be in your lineup more often.
MORE CATCHERS: Top 5 rankings | Prospect scouting reports
If you miss out on those guys, there are still plenty of underrated “sleepers” and/or bounce-back values coming off injuries. Sure, some may be labeled injury-prone, but keep in mind that anyone spending the majority of their playing time squatting behind the plate absorbing foul tips, wild pitches and collisions is an injury risk. If one guy is getting a steep injury discount, that could be the catcher value you’re looking for in the middle or late rounds.
To that point, don’t feel like you have to pay up for the consistency of Posey, or jump in on a catcher run if they start drying up in your fantasy drafts. Not only are they risky, injury-prone investments in general, I feel like there are 11 solid fantasy backstops this year, so there’s no rush to grab one after the elite are taken.
With that in mind, check out our full catcher rankings closely when devising your draft strategy to determine the right time to pounce.