We’re just past the quarter pole and quite a bit has changed. This week, we’re taking a trip around the diamond and ranking each position for rest of season fantasy value. As always 5×5 rotisserie scoring is assumed.
The catcher position is the most overlooked both on draft day and in season. These guys often struggle to provide impact fantasy totals and their limited at-bats can make it tough to really move the needle. Still, quite a bit has changed since our pre-draft rankings and it’s time to figure out what we’ve learned over the first seven weeks of the season.
Rising
Yan Gomes: Backing up 2013 breakout with .276-20-6-18 showing through 38 games.
Devin Mesoraco: Mesoraco is slashing an insane .443/.493/.770 while playing around a pair of DL stints. He showed 15-20 home run power in the minors while hitting for average so we’re buying the early success.
Miguel Montero: Right back on that .284-65-16-87 pace we saw in 2011-12 and, most impressively, has slashed that strikeout rate to career-best levels.
Derek Norris: Derek is doing his best Chuck impression, walking more often then he strikes out (13.5 BB% vs. 11.7 K%) and hitting just about everything with authority. While we don’t expect a .380 BABIP to last, improved contact rate and above average pop will keep his value afloat.
Falling
Carlos Santana: The walk rate remains elite and he’s suffered from a bit of poor luck, but a 42% drop in ISO slugging coupled with an increase in ground balls has crushed Santana’s production. Though better days are ahead, placing him at the top of our preseason rankings was a mistake.
Brian McCann: We’ve seen some nice pop so far (6 HR, 18 RBI) but a reduced walk rate and .221 average are hard to swallow. He’s swinging (and missing) at more pitches out of the zone than ever before.
Wilson Ramos: Came into the season with massive expectations after a furious finish to 2013. Injuries have once-again played a role in a sluggish start.
2014 Rest of Season Catcher Rankings
| Rank | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buster Posey | SF |
| 2 | Yadier Molina | STL |
| 3 | Wilin Rosario | COL |
| 4 | Yan Gomes | CLE |
| 5 | Joe Mauer | MIN |
| 6 | Carlos Santana | CLE |
| 7 | Jonathan Lucroy | MIL |
| 8 | Devin Mesoraco | CIN |
| 9 | Miguel Montero | ARI |
| 10 | Salvador Perez | KC |
| 11 | Jarrod Saltalamacchia | MIA |
| 12 | Evan Gattis | ATL |
| 13 | Brian McCann | NYY |
| 14 | Derek Norris | OAK |
| 15 | Wilson Ramos | WSH |
| 16 | Carlos Ruiz | PHI |
| 17 | John Jaso | OAK |
| 18 | Jason Castro | HOU |
| 19 | Josmil Pinto | MIN |
| 20 | Matt Wieters | BAL |