Catchers

2013 Position Rankings: Catchers

Welcome back to RotoAuthority's Position Rankings. Last week, we ranked Outfielders, and today we continue on with Catchers. Slightly less numerous in real and fantasy baseball, our catcher list goes up only to 30...but do you really want the catchers after that? Probably not, and if you do, they'll be waiting on the waiver wire. The players are divided into groups of similar value, and tiered by where they deserve to be drafted in a standard league. If you're bidding in an auction, consider players in the same tier to be of similar price. Positions in parentheses mark other eligibilities the player has. As before, these rankings were crafted after a team discussion, featuring Tim Dierkes and the entire RotoAuthority staff.

2nd Round

1. Buster Posey, SFG (1B)

I'm not normally an advocate of taking a catcher in the second round...but I'd probably make an exception for Posey. He's the top catcher by a mile.

4th Round

2. Carlos Santana, CLE (1B)
3. Yadier Molina, STL
4. Joe Mauer, MIN (1B)

I agonized for a while over who to install second on this list, Santana or Molina. Finally, I was won over by the possibility of Santana building on his power and the likelihood of Molina's homer total returning to its 2011 level. Mauer is more easily behind the other two, because his low power reins in his upside and his history of injuries makes his downside extra-steep.

5th-6th Rounds

5. Wilin Rosario, COL
6. Matt Wieters, BAL
7. Mike Napoli, BOS (1B)

Rosario came out of nowhere (or almost nowhere) to lead catchers in home runs. There seems to be a pretty good chance he does it again, playing in Colorado. Playing first for Boston, Napoli could put up some big numbers. Unfortunately, his health status limits his draft position almost as much as it did his real-life contract. If his own team isn't sure about him, neither am I.

9th-10th Rounds

8. Salvador Perez, KCR
9. Miguel Montero, ARI
10. Jonathan Lucroy, MIL
11. Victor Martinez, DET

Perez has put up two awesome partial seasons, and you can count me among those who think he can put them together. This Montero seems to be the rare case of a player getting overrated who does lots of things pretty well but excels in none. I don't think he's in line for a bad season or anything, but I wish he had more power. Martinez is a big question mark, having missed all of last season, but the extra plate appearances he could get as a full-time DH make him a worthy risk.

11th-12th Rounds

12. Brian McCann, ATL
13. Jesus Montero, SEA

A disastrous BABIP killed McCann's batting average last year, but I'd still be willing to draft him closer to his old position if he were expected to be healthy to start the season. Instead, expect to shelf McCann for a little while, though his exact timetable is in flux. He should still be great value, though--by the end of the year you'll have forgotten the weeks you spent with a placeholder catcher. This Montero should benefit from the moving fences in Safeco, though by how much remains to be seen. He could still make the jump to elite-hitting catcher, but the chances go down each year.

13th-14th Rounds

14. Ryan Doumit, MIN (OF)
15. A.J. Pierzynski, TEX

Doumit has some sock, and should get extra at bats playing in the outfield. His ranking makes him among the first second catchers, but don't be unhappy if he's your starter. Pierzynski shocked us all last year. We aren't exactly expecting a repeat, but if even a little of that power sticks with him in Texas, he will be huge value at this point.

17th-18th Rounds

16. J.P. Arencibia, TOR
17. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, BOS

These guys are the same. Lots of power, awful batting averages. Last names that make me question everything I know about spelling. There's a pretty big gap between these two and Pierzynski, because their downside is so low, and even at their best that batting average really drags you down. But they do hit home runs....

20th-22nd Rounds

18. Tyler Flowers, CHW
19. Rob Brantly, MIA
20. Wilson Ramos, WAS
21. Chris Iannetta, LAA

There's another big jump, as we get to the last few catchers started in two-catcher leagues. Flowers is interesting, but his upside appears to be joining Arencibia and Saltalamacchia. Accordingly, make sure they're off the board before you nab Flowers. Brantley could contribute in average, while Ramos and Ianetta might add a few bombs.

23rd and Beyond

22. A.J. Ellis, LAD
23. Welington Castillo, CHC
24. Russell Martin, PIT
25. Alex Avila, DET
26. John Jaso, OAK
27. Travis d'Arnaud, NYM
28. Carlos Ruiz, PHI
29. Yasmani Grandal, SDP
30. John Buck, NYM 

Well, it gets pretty rough back here. Fortunately, only three teams are selecting a starter from this bunch (and one of those is just an injury-replacement for McCann). Ellis and Jaso should get a bump if your league counts OBP. If it doesn't, at least they might score some runs. D'Arnaud is pretty much a prospect stash, while Ruiz and Grandal should only be stashed if you have a ton of bench spots or your league lets you keep suspended players on something like the DL.

Catchers are surprisingly deep this year. Most years, the names start getting ugly really fast, and you're getting a scrub if you don't have a top-six backstop. This time around, though, you can get some quality catchers quite late. In a two-catcher league, my favorite pre-season strategy for this position is to get both of my starting catchers between the ninth and fourteenth rounds, landing me two of the players ranked between eighth and fifteenth on this list. I won't have paid a premium price for my first catcher, and I won't be stuck with bad production with my second. In a single-catcher league, I'll probably try to be among the last to draft a catcher, because the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth catchers are all pretty good. Unless, of course, Buster Posey falls to the third round....

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Sleepers & Busts: Injured Backstops

Buster Posey made a lot of people look smart in 2012. His hype machine was derailed somewhat by a grotesque injury, but those who put their faith in him on Draft Day reaped the benefit of said injury's negative impact on his value.

It's not an uncommon scenario. Well, ok, a catcher blowing out his knee then returning a year later to win the MVP is slightly uncommon in real baseball, but in terms of fantasy baseball we see the re-emergence of injured players each and every season. Here are three banged up catchers that are in comparable situations...

Victor Martinez, DET - ADP 109

Martinez enjoyed a strong season in his first year with Detroit, hitting .330/.380/.470 and driving in 103 runs. His power dipped (12 homers), but to call that "elite" production from a catcher would be putting it lightly.

However, V-Mart would then injure his left knee during his offseason training regimen. While there was some speculation that he could return late in the season, Martinez didn't play a single game in 2012.

He's currently the 10th catcher off the board over at MockDraftCentral, going ahead of Salvador Perez. If you look at ESPN's preseason rankings Martinez is the sixth catcher. That places him ahead of Perez, Mike Napoli, Miguel Montero and Wilin Rosario, to name a few.

I understand that Victor Martinez has long been a strong hitter, but the fact of the matter is that he recently turned 34, his power dipped in 2011 as it was, and he's coming off of major reconstructive knee surgery. In fact, before he could even undergo surgery to repair his torn ACL, he first underwent microfracture surgery and had to have his MCL and meniscus repaired. That's not an encouraging injury for someone who caught 6,532 innings from 2004-10 (fifth most of any player in baseball).

If you're still a believer, take a look at the last 20 years of catchers' age 34-36 seasons (min. 400 PAs). Only 10 times has a catcher even managed to be a league-average hitter, per wRC+. Only nine times has a catcher clubbed 15 or more homers at age 34-36.

Martinez at one time was an elite offensive force, but I can't see the justification of drafting him ahead of Perez's .301/.328/.471 batting line with 11 homers (76 games). Nor do I find him justified to be ranked ahead of any of the aforementioned players on ESPN.

Martinez is going two rounds ahead of Perez, per MDC, and a full five rounds ahead of fellow injured backstop Brian McCann. McCann may miss the first few weeks of 2013, but he said mid-January that he's targeting an Opening Day return. Even if he does miss a few weeks, I'll wager that 90% of a full season from the 29-year-old McCann ends up being superior to a full season of the 34-year-old Martinez.

Final ruling: Bust

Brian McCann, ATL - ADP 170

Speaking of McCann, let's discuss the former Top 3 backstop. He underwent shoulder surgery following the season after playing through some serious damage. He received a cortisone shot in August which allowed him to push through October, but an MRI following the Braves' playoff exit revealed a torn labrum. After doctors opened him up, it was discovered that the tear was larger than the MRI had shown. Whoops. And ouch.

As I stated above, McCann is projected to miss the early weeks of 2013, though he himself remains confident that he'll be able to be in the Opening Day lineup. Even if he's out for the first month or so, remember that this is a once-elite catcher who still managed to post his fifth consecutive 20-homer season despite a torn muscle in his shoulder.

He hit a career-worst .230, but that was largely because of a career-worst .234 BABIP. McCann saw his pop-up rate and ground-ball rate both rise, both of which could potentially be attributed to bad swings due to a bum shoulder. He also hit just .623 on line drives (more than 100 points below average).

McCann's plate discipline remained keen. He still whiffed in just 15.6 percent of his plate appearances and walked nine percent of the time. He rarely chased pitches out of the zone (28 percent), and his 87 percent contact rate was the best of his career. He swung through pitches just 5.4 percent of the time -- a noticeable departure from the league average of 9.1 percent.

McCann's value is being deflated by his injury, but he looks primed for a rebound season. Even if his shoulder has deteriorated, McCann still has 20-homer pop in his bat and will hit in the middle of a stacked lineup. If he does miss the early weeks, stash him in a DL spot and employ Erik Kratz for the first 25 games. Carlos Ruiz will be suspended for those games anyhow, and Kratz posted a sky-high .255 ISO for the Phillies last season. That may not be repeatable, but his .206 mark over seven Triple-A seasons suggests he can come close.

I prefer a McCann/Kratz pairing (if Kratz is even necessary) to Ryan Doumit, Jonathan Lucroy and certainly Martinez. Feel free to reach a round or two -- the power and RBIs will be worth it from your catcher slot.

Final ruling: Sleeper

Wilson Ramos, WAS - ADP 278

Ramos may have had arguably the worst 2012 ever. His season began with being kidnapped duringWinter Ball in Venezuela and ended when he tore his ACL in early May. Not exactly the follow-up to his .267/.334/.445, 15-homer 2011 season that many were anticipating.

With a (somewhat) rejuvenated Kurt Suzuki in the fold for the Nationals, Ramos will once again have to beat out an underwhelming veteran to secure the role of Davey Johnson's everyday catcher. Suzuki rebounded offensively to an extent with the Nats, but it barely moved the needle on what has been a horrible three-year stretch. Dating back to 2010, Suzuki has batted .238/.295/.361. And while he's typically around league-average in limiting the running game, he caught just five of 33 potential thieves with Washington in 2012.

In other words, Suzuki doesn't appear to be an iron-clad road block for Ramos to reclaim the starting job. Ramos was long considered one of the game's best catching prospects while with the Twins organization, and he delivered on some of that upside with a strong 2011 showing. He has 15-20 home run power and will be in a better lineup than in 2011.

Still, Ramos is a forgotten man among draftees. He's coming off the board after the likes of Wellington Castillo, Derek Norris (who no longer has a starting job) and Tyler Flowers (career 34% K-rate). Ramos should be a late steal in two-catcher leagues and is a wise target in NL-only leagues as well. I don't anticipate a Top-12 finish, but as the 28th catcher off the board currently he's clearly undervalued.

Final ruling: Sleeper

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Grandal Sparks The Padres, Fantasy Lineups

Catcher is baseball's weakest offensive position - the league average for backstops is .246/.314/.397 this year - and arguably the shallowest position in fantasy. You have the elite guys like Yadier Molina and Joe Mauer, the bottom-feeders like Miguel Olivo and Russell Martin, and not a whole lot in-between. Any time an A.J. Ellis-type surprises, he's plucked off the waiver wire in short order. Unless you're rostering one of the top guys, you almost have to hunt catchers like saves in free agency and ride hot streaks.

The latest catching fad is 23-year-old Yasmani Grandal, a switch-hitting rookie who's clubbed four homers in five games since being called up by the Padres last week. Part of last winter's Mat Latos trade, Grandal became the first player in baseball history to hit a home run from each side of the plate for his first two career big league hits. His pinch-hit, two-run dinger off David Hernandez yesterday gave San Diego their fifth straight win. Overall, Grandal has a .300/.300/.900 batting line in 20 plate appearances, a shiny performance in an insignificant sample.

Baseball America ranked Grandal as the fourth best prospect in Cincinnati's system prior to the trade, then placed him 53rd on their Top 100 Prospects List this spring. "[He] will provide above-average offense" because he "has a balanced approach, controls the strike zone and uses the entire field," they wrote in their subscriber-only scouting report. Grandal backed up that scouting report by hitting .335/.443/.521 with more walks (37) than strikeouts (35) in 235 plate appearances in Triple-A this year before being recalled, and it's worth noting that Tucson is a pretty neutral offensive environment according to StatCorner. He's a career .315/.415/.498 hitter in 709 minor league plate appearances after being the 12th overall pick in the 2010 draft.

Now obviously Grandal will not continue to hit homers at this pace, especially since he's yet to step to the plate at Petco Park since being recalled. His five games since last week have been played in Coors Field (two) and Chase Field (three), some pretty good hitting parks. Petco is quite the opposite. That said, the catcher offense bar is so low these days that Grandal is worth a roster spot just on his potential. He'll always be at the platoon advantage as a switch-hitter and he has the skill set to hit for average and pop some homers. His runs scored and RBI totals don't figure to be anything special given the lineup around him, but getting help in two of the traditional 5x5 scoring categories from your catcher is more than most guys can offer. There aren't many position players on the Padres worthy of a fantasy roster spot, but Grandal is clearly one of them.

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Recent Call-Ups: Conger, Kirkman, Moore

Let's round up three recent call-ups and their fantasy impact. Two hail from the AL West, the third from the NL East.

Hank Conger | C | Angels

Had it not been for an elbow strain earlier this season, Conger would have been up a long time ago. Chris Iannetta broke his wrist in early-May and the Angels had to turn to Bobby Wilson and John Hester to replace him while their top catching prospect was out. Now that he's healthy -- and Bobby Wilson is on the 7-day concussion DL -- Conger is in the big leagues but playing second fiddle to Hester. He's only started three of eight games since being recalled, including just one of the last six. Hester's solid batting line -- .256/.333/.349 with one homer in 48 plate appearances -- is a hindrance, as is manager Mike Scioscia's affinity for defense-first catchers.

Conger, 24, is seen as an offense-first backstop with a line drive swing from both sides of the plate according to Baseball America. He has more over-the-fence power from the left side and his minor league plate discipline rates -- 14.4% strikeouts and 8.7% walks -- are evidence of his contact-oriented approach. This isn't another Mike Napoli situation but it's similar, the Angels are focused more on defense than offense behind the plate and that works against Conger. With Wilson expected back as soon as this weekend, Conger might find himself back in Triple-A. He's a fantasy non-option until we know he's going to get regular at-bats.

Michael Kirkman | RP | Rangers

The Rangers have lost Derek Holland (shoulder), Neftali Feliz (elbow), and Alexi Ogando (groin) to the disabled list in recent weeks and with Roy Oswalt still a few weeks away, they had to dip into their farm system for a replacement starter. Kirkman, 25, has 29 appearances and 48 2/3 big league innings to his credit already, but all of them have come in relief. He's worked primarily as a starter in Triple-A but his performance hasn't been anything to write home about: 5.25 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 5.8 BB/9. The walks are a problem now and have been throughout his career based on his 4.9 BB/9 in over 600 minor league innings.

I like Kirkman -- who Baseball America ranked as the teams 28th best prospect coming into the season -- more than most because he's a four-pitch lefty with some funk and deception in his delivery. He's slated to start at home against the Astros on Saturday, making him a fine end of the week candidate if you're desperate for counting stats or need to roll the dice on someone for help in the rate categories. Kirkman might not be long for the rotation with Holland reportedly on the mend, but if he sticks around he'll pick up SP eligibility soon enough.

Tyler Moore | OF | Nationals

Bryce Harper garners all of the attention and rightfully so, but the 23-year-old Moore has two straight 30 homer seasons to his credit in the minors and tagged Triple-A pitching to the tune of .310/.372/.660 before being recalled. He hit two homers yesterday -- the first two of his big league career -- and has started three of Washington's last five games after coming off the bench for the previous month. Baseball America only ranked Moore as the team's 16th best prospect coming into the season because of his high strikeout rate (23.5% of all minor league plate appearances) and defensive shortcomings, but they do acknowledge that his right-handed pop is very real. He's totaled at least 70 extra-base hits in each of the last two minor league seasons.

With Steve Lombardozzi starting to come back to Earth a bit -- .238/.289/.333 in the last 33 team games -- Moore could see more time in left field, particularly against left-handers. He's not going to give you much average or even OBP, but Moore will hit some homers and drive in some runs if given the playing time. Keep an eye on their lineups the next few days, if Moore starts to see more and more playing time, grab him if your team is power-starved.

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2012 Position Rankings: Catcher

Draft season is rapidly approaching, and over the next few weeks we'll be revealing our position-by-position rankings, starting today with catcher. Unfortunately, one of the best fantasy catchers around will be a non-factor in 2012. Victor Martinez is expected to miss the season after tearing his ACL during an offseason workout, and he almost certainly would have been a top three fantasy backstop because he was going to DH all season, avoiding the physical wear-and-tear while enjoying more plate appearances than other players on our list.

The rankings were put together with an eye on standard 5x5, 12-team mixed leagues, and the slash lines cited are AVG/HR/RBI. We'll go 25 players deep for each position (more for outfielders and pitchers), but hopefully you won't need to go that deep to fill your roster.

1. Mike Napoli, TEX - I wouldn't expect another .320/30/75 performance again, but Napoli has legitimate all-fields power and is in the right lineup and ballpark to continue putting up gaudy counting stats. He should also see some DH time to maximize his plate appearances.
2. Brian McCann, ATL - Six straight years of at least .269/18/71 with an average of .287/22/86, and still only 27 years old (28 next month). Sign me up.
3. Carlos Santana, CLE - Santana came to the plate 105 more times than any other qualified catcher last year because he started 63 games at first base. His batting average will climb out of the low-.200s once his insanely high 17.2% infield fly ball rate comes back to Earth.
4. Miguel Montero, ARI -Fully healthy and in the prime of his career, Montero put together a .280 average with 16 homers for the second time in the last three years in 2011. He'll continue to hit in the middle of a stacked lineup and in a great ballpark, and is poised for a McCann-esque year.
5. Joe Mauer, MIN - The 2011 season was a disaster for the former AL MVP, mostly due to injury. Mauer has hit double digit homers just twice in his seven full seasons, and his freakish hand-eye skills might not be enough to overcome his slowing body, meaning those insanely high batting averages could be a thing of the past.
6. Buster Posey, SF - The collision and ankle injury get all the attenion, but Posey's production (specifically power) was down in the big way before his season ended. An uptick in ground ball rate and general wear-and-tear following the longest season of his life are to blame, but he has too much talent not to rebound at his age.
7. Matt Wieters, BAL - Wieters doubled his homer output and posted a respectable batting average last year, but his platoon splits are hard to believe. He's Barry Bonds from the right side and Neifi Perez from the left. Unfortunately, there are more right-handers than left-handers in baseball.
8. Alex Avila, DET - Avila looked worn down in the playoffs after starting 130 games behind the plate, which might carry over into 2012. Expect his .366 BABIP (and his .295 batting average) to drop if he continues put nearly two-thirds of his balls in the play in the air.
9. Jesus Montero, SEA - His opposite field power can conquer Safeco, so the real question is whether or not he'll qualify at catcher. With Miguel Olivo and John Jaso on the roster, it's not guaranteed.
10. Wilson Ramos, WAS - Now the undisputed number one in Washington, Ramos has the power to threaten 20 homers even if his batting average isn't anything worth writing home about.
11. Russell Martin, NYY - He won't ever be the guy he was in 2007 again, but Martin has enough power to flirt with 15+ homers annually and has plenty of help around him in terms of lineup and ballpark. He's probably the only backstop in the game with a chance to steal double-digit bases as well.
12. Yadier Molina, STL - The youngest Molina brother had the best season of his career in 2011 (.305/14/65) thanks to his lowest ground ball rate in five years. I keep waiting for the catching workload to catch up to him, but it hasn't yet at age 29.
13. Geovany Soto, CHC - Soto has alternated .280+ and sub-.230 batting averages for four years now, and is due for a good year in 2012. Too bad it doesn't work like that. Soto is still a threat to hit 20 homers despite the shoulder questions.
14. Chris Iannetta, LAA - The change in ballparks will definitely hurt, but Iannetta should still sock double-digit homers and draw enough walks to have big value for those of you in OBP leagues.
15. J.P. Arencibia, TOR - He's just keeping the spot warm for Travis d'Arnaud, but only three catchers hit more homers in 2011. He won't hit for a high average or contribute in any other way, however.
16. Ramon Hernandez, COL - Hernandez has always hit a good average (for a catcher, anyway), and now he's moving to a park that should boost his power. How will playing everyday for the first time in three years affect his 35-year-old body?
17. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, BOS - Finally healthy in 2011, Salty produced top-15 homer (16) and RBI (56) totals among catchers last season despite coming to the plate fewer than 400 times. There's more to come at age 26, and he'll get an added boost by his teammates and ballpark.
18. Devin Mesoraco, CIN - The Reds wunderkind has the ability to pop double-digit homers and provide a solid batting average, he just has to wrestle the full-time job away from Ryan Hanigan. That's expected to happen, but probably not on Opening Day.
19. Carlos Ruiz, PHI - Catchers that can hit for average are rare, and that's pretty much all Ruiz can do. His OBP will be artifically inflated by getting intentionally walked in front of the pitcher, which helps those of you in OBP leagues.
20. Jonathan Lucroy, MIL - Lucroy's early season power binge didn't last, and nothing in his track record suggested it would. He can still provide double-digit homers and a solid batting average from fantasy's weakest position, however.
21. Salvador Perez, KC - The 21-year-old quitely produced a .331/3/21 line in 158 plate appearances after being called up, though I wouldn't expect him to continue to hit for that kind of power. He's shown the ability to hit for average throughout the minors.
22. Rod Barajas, PIT - Another all-power guy, Barajas has hit at least 16 homers in each of the last three seasons. The only other catcher who can make that claim is McCann.
23. John Buck, FLA - It's not surprising that Buck was unable to replicate his .281/20/66 season with the Blue Jays in 2010 with the Marlins in 2011, but he has legitimate power and an improved lineup around him. The wildcard here is the Marlins' new stadium and its unknown park effects.
24. Ryan Doumit, MIN - I like Doumit as a sleeper this year since he figures to get plenty of DH at-bats, though Target Field might be a total drain on his home run total.
25. Miguel Olivo, SEA - Olivo will hit 15 or so homers for your team like clockwork, but he won't do much else. Montero and Jaso will inevitably cut into his playing time, which is a problem.

Honorable Mention: Jaso; Nick Hundley, SD; Kelly Shoppach, BOS; Kurt Suzuki, OAK; A.J. Pierzynski, CHW

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Value Catchers: How Were They Found?

I have a habit of investing heavily in catchers in two-catcher mixed leagues.  Like many of my longstanding tendencies, this needs to be reconsidered.  I could have snagged Dan Haren or Jered Weaver for my rotation instead of Geovany Soto, and a quality closer like Heath Bell, Jonathan Papelbon, or Jose Valverde instead of Mike Napoli. 

This has been a disappointing year for catchers, with at least five of the first ten drafted looking like busts.  But there have always been fantasy players who ignore position scarcity and just try to find bargain catchers late, and if they hit on this strategy their teams are much stronger for it.  A look at this year's top ten fantasy catchers and how they were acquired in leagues:

1. Alex Avila, Tigers.  In the RotoAuthority League, the team that has Avila added him as a free agent on March 26th, dropping Ervin Santana.  That team dropped him the same day for Joel Peralta, then added him again on March 30th.  Then the team cut him for Julio Borbon on April 3rd, but added him April 7th for the last time while dropping Jarrod Saltalamacchia.  Avila hit his second home run of the season in his fifth game, and by then the indecisiveness was over and he remained a member of Philly Cheez.  After an ugly 2010 season offensively, Avila was simply a flier that worked out.  Perhaps a savvy player could have targeted Avila after looking him up in the 2010 Baseball America Handbook, where he was projected as a possible .280/15 home run type.
2. Victor Martinez:, Tigers.  V-Mart profiled as a top five fantasy catcher, and he required a third round investment.  With all kinds of studs on the board at the end of the third round, and Martinez moving to a pitcher's park, this felt fairly risky to me.  But it paid off.
3. Miguel Montero, Diamondbacks.  Montero was a respected catcher, though after an off 2010 that included knee surgery, he was available in the 11th round in many leagues and the 10th in mine.  The team that took him went for A.J. Pierzynski in the 19th round as their second catcher.
4. Brian McCann, Braves.  McCann was another of the big investment types, as he went first in the fifth round in our league.  In this case the investment looks good, though we've seen plenty of early round catching busts.
5. Miguel Olivo, Mariners.  Olivo was drafted in the 23rd round in our league.  Solid value, as I had him projected for 17 home runs this year.  His home run power has not held up at Safeco, so he hit seven of his ten on the road.  This is an example of drafting a catcher who has one particular skill.  One thing that might have been anticipated was increased playing time and therefore bigger counting stats for Olivo.
6. Russell Martin, Yankees.  Martin was drafted in the 21st round in our league, a little earlier than most.  Back in spring there were questions about Martin's surgically-repaired knee, plus he hadn't shown double digit power since '08.  This pickup might only look good because Martin had a big April.  It remains to be seen if he can hold value all year.
7. Yadier Molina, Cardinals.  He was a 20th round pick in our league, from the same team that took Olivo in the 23rd.  As a high contact guy Molina can hit .300 in certain years, and that's what's making him valuable right now.  In that regard, guys like A.J. Pierzynski, Carlos Ruiz, Ramon Hernandez, and Ryan Hanigan might reward you in batting average if you're lucky.
8. Matt Wieters, Orioles.  Wieters was a tenth round pick in our league, as everyone still kind of anticipates a breakout.  He hasn't done anything amazing, but he doesn't hurt you either.  Really, you expect more than .275-6-31-23-0 from a tenth round pick, though that looks great to the guy who made a huge reach for Soto in the sixth round.  Yes, that's why I'm in last place.  Then again, if Soto repeated his '08 or '10 season over 425 ABs this year the pick would look just fine.
9. J.P. Arencibia, Blue Jays.  Arencibia went in the 20th round.  He's doing exactly what was expected - showing 20 home run power and hitting in the .230s.  Pretty much a young fantasy Olivo, but with more upside and a better ballpark.
10. Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers.  Lucroy was picked up in our league on April 21st by a team that dropped Hanigan.  He's basically matched Wieters.  His work in the high minors didn't hint at double digit power.

Only two examples of waiver bait here, so picking your catchers on draft day is important.  A good strategy might be to grab one of the 10-11th round younger upside types, pairing him with a 20th round veteran or Arencibia-type flier.

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Catcher Rankings

It's time to get serious and attempt some position rankings for mixed leagues.  This is how we find the undervalued players.  As always, my dollar values reflect a 12-team mixed league with 23-man active rosters (two catchers).  As such, the 24th-ranked catcher should be worth a buck.

Please note that these rankings are very much subject to change and I welcome your input.  I've included the player's average round drafted per Mock Draft Central in parentheses.  Also keep in mind that playing time is crucial to these rankings, and a swing of 75 ABs one way or another would move a player several spots.

1. Joe Mauer (2) - $30.12
2. Carlos Santana (10) - $22.92
3. Buster Posey (4) - $22.87
4. Victor Martinez (3) - $22.47
5. Brian McCann (3) - $20.68
6. Jorge Posada (14) - $13.90
7. Geovany Soto (9) - $13.63
8. Mike Napoli (10) - $13.54
9. Chris Iannetta (28) - $12.34
10. Kurt Suzuki (16) - $12.29
11. Matt Wieters (12) - $11.97
12. Miguel Montero (11) - $10.59
13. John Buck (20) - $9.03
14. A.J. Pierzynski (25) - $7.14
15. Miguel Olivo (21) - $6.78
16. Russell Martin (27) - $5.32
17. Yorvit Torrealba (32) - $5.26
18. Carlos Ruiz (19) - $5.25
19. Yadier Molina (18) - $5.08
20. Nick Hundley (Not drafted) - $4.37
21. Rod Barajas (31) - $3.15
22. Ramon Hernandez (33) - $2.90
23. Chris Snyder (34) - $2.31
24. Jonathan Lucroy (28) - $1.00

Carlos Santana deserves special mention.  He's not necessarily a better bet than all those catchers listed after him.  I simply think he will do big things if he gets 480 ABs.  It could be a fluke, but his nine steal attempts in 438 PAs last year lead to a seven-steal projection for 2011, which would top all catchers except for Martin.  Throw in a .280 average, 20 homers, and 80 RBIs, and you can see why Santana would sneak past guys with similar numbers but six fewer steals.  Santana is a riskier choice than backstops like Posey, V-Mart, and McCann, but that's balanced by his 10th round ADP.  He had knee surgery in August, and is now doing baseball activities and is expected to be ready for Opening Day.

Posada jumps out as a potential bargain.  I've put him down for 500 ABs, which might be aggressive but seems quite possible as a full-time DH.  He is coming off a minor November knee surgery and is 39, so that's why you'll find him in the 14th round.  But he's easily in the top ten if he can hit 20 homers and knock in 80.  Soto is another player coming off surgery; he had a September procedure on his shoulder.  If Soto finds 475 ABs he's a fourth-round value.

Iannetta is so far off the radar that he is not being drafted in mixed leagues.  He's the starting catcher for the Rockies and should have no problem reaching 20 home runs for the first time if he gets 450 ABs.  He only has to fend off Jose Morales for those ABs.  I can see Buck reaching 20 homers again, as the Marlins gave him a big contract and barring injury he should set a career-high in ABs.  Hundley also has a clearer path to a career-high in playing time, with Rob Johnson serving as his backup.

I've always been a big Napoli fan, but he does not have a starting job right now and I'm hesistant to project more than 400 ABs.  Bump him from 400 to 450 and he jumps to $17.53, so take a chance if you think he'll sneak in those additional ABs bouncing around at third-string catcher and backup 1B/DH.  Guys like Ryan Doumit, Jesus Montero, and Kelly Shoppach would also intrigue me with 450 ABs.  Injuries to catchers are common, which is why you have to watch RotoWorld like a hawk.

Back in August I was intrigued by J.P. Arencibia, labeling him the Napoli of 2011 minus playing time issues.  However, I am starting to think the better comp might be Barajas or Snyder.  Can Arencibia crack a .240 average or rack up decent RBI/run numbers at the bottom of Toronto's lineup?  It's possible he gives you 20 home runs and little else, so I'd take him only as a second catcher during the last few rounds.

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2010 Sleepers: Catchers

Thanks to Baseball Monster, here are 2010's top mixed league catchers.  I've also added the round in which they were drafted in March, using data from Mock Draft Central.

1. Joe Mauer (2)
2. Brian McCann (4)
3. Mike Napoli (14)
4. Miguel Olivo (21)
5. Geovany Soto (13)
6. Buster Posey (24)
7. John Buck (28)
8. Kurt Suzuki (11)
9. Victor Martinez (2)
10. Jorge Posada (11)
11. John Jaso (not drafted)
12. Russell Martin (12)
13. Yadier Molina (19)
14. Ramon Hernandez (25) 
15. Jason Kendall (not drafted)
16. Carlos Ruiz (24)
17. Miguel Montero (12)
18. Yorvit Torrealba (27)
19. Rod Barajas (27)
20. Ryan Doumit (17)
21. Matt Wieters (8)
22. Chris Snyder (not drafted)
23. Ronny Paulino (not drafted)
24. Ivan Rodriguez (28)

Those who returned major value: Napoli, Olivo, Soto, Posey, and Buck.  Let's attempt to classify these five players and determine why they were undervalued. 

• Napoli: Playing time concerns.  Fantasy leaguers must have overreacted to concerns that Jeff Mathiswould get most of the playing time for the Angels behind the plate.  It is true that Napoli benefited from Kendry Morales' freak injury.  But there was no reason to think Napoli would not get 375 ABs, which is why I ranked him sixth among catchers.
• Olivo: Playing time concerns.  I figured Olivo to be Chris Iannetta's backup and accordingly projected 225 ABs.  He would've cracked the top 15 with 375 ABs.  As early as March 17th Rockies manager Jim Tracy suggested Olivo and Iannetta would split time initially, so savvy drafters knew Olivo's value could skyrocket with an Iannetta slump.  There is an element of luck or Coors Field involved in Olivo hitting .281. 
• Soto: Had experienced success, but disappointed in previous season.  The "what have you done lately" fantasy mantra caused Soto to drop to the 13th round.  He'd gone in the sixth coming off his Rookie of the Year campaign.  I ranked him seventh among catchers before the season just based on projected numbers.  But we all knew there was room for more given '08 and the weight Soto lost in the offseason.
• Posey: Playing time and call-up concerns.  We thought Posey's call-up might be delayed until June, and that he'd have a hard time supplanting Bengie Molinaanyway.  But not only is Posey projecting for 300 ABs, he's playing far beyond what I thought he was capable of as a rookie.  Posey raked in Triple A before his call-up, even more so than in 2009, and those numbers combined with positive scouting reports made him worth stashing in May if possible.
• Buck: History showed major flaw in his game.  Buck was a career .235 hitter entering the season, and his .277 average this year separates him from the Chris Snyders of the world.  Baseball HQ says Buck's expected batting average is .260 this year, but I still think the batting average is mostly a fluke this year.  If you say you drafted Buck because you thought he'd provide his usual power numbers plus a .277 average, I don't believe you.
• The cases of Napoli, Olivo, Soto, and Posey might be instructive.  Heading into the 2011 season we'll try to identify skilled catchers who are dropping due to playing time concerns or backstops who had big years in 2009 but slumped in 2010.  That's where the sleepers will be found.

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J.P. Arencibia Examined

Unfortunately it's probably too late to pick up Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia, who homered twice in his Saturday big league debut.  The 24-year-old's power shouldn't come as a surprise - he hit .303/.360/.639 with 32 home runs in 420 Triple A plate appearances this year.

Keep in mind that Arencibia is more of a 2011 target, aside from the next nine Jays games.  MLB.com's Jordan Bastian wrote today that All-Star catcher John Buck is on track for an August 20th return, at which point Arencibia will go back to Triple A.  I imagine Arencibia will be back again on September 1st.  However, keep in mind that the Blue Jays want Buck to achieve Type B free agent status, so they're unlikely to sit him an extraordinary amount in September.

Arencibia profiles as next year's Mike Napoli, hopefully without the playing time issues.  I see him smacking 20+ home runs but with a batting average potentially south of .260.  Even after his '08 season Napoli was drafted in the 14th round on average, so you should be able to get Arencibia in that range next year.  Another comparison: after the '07 season, Geovany Soto was going in the 16th round.

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Good Catchers Lacking Playing Time

Catchers with 20 home run power are rare, but two such players are mostly riding the pine so far this year: Mike Napoli and Chris Iannetta.  Consider trying to acquire them if you've got second catcher problems in a mixed league.

This is a good opportunity to buy low on either player.  In a two-catcher league, if you let the second spot go on draft day, you might be tempted to piece things together with the Jason Kendalls and Gregg Zauns of the world.  This is a big mistake.  A dozen additional home runs on your ledger at season's end - what kind of difference would that make in the standings?  In the RotoAuthority league last year, second place had 306 home runs and fifth place had 297.  Three points in the standings is a big deal, and Napoli and Iannetta will provide more RBIs than waiver catchers as well.

That's not considering the very real possibility that Napoli and/or Iannetta is thrust into more frequent duty.  Chris Snyder would've been on this list, but Miguel Montero went down.  Dioner Navarro became a full-timer with Kelly Shoppach's injury. 

In this year's RotoAuthority league, I drafted Geovany Soto in the 10th round but foolishly let my second catcher go until a 25th round pick of Ramon Hernandez.  A leaguemate proposed sending me Iannetta for Joel Pineiro, and I pulled the trigger.  Seems like a trade that can work for both sides.

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