Realmuto and Hundley: Deep League Waiver Wire

So here you are, a month from Opening Day, reading a Deep League Waiver Wire column. If you’re actually perusing the wire, it’s either because you’re one of the few fantasy owners who’s already drafted or, like me, you’re frantically patching holes in a sinking fantasy Spring Training team that’s been decimated by injuries.

I’m writing this weekly column to help those of you looking at rather threadbare free agent pools find suitable replacements, Plan Bs, and maybe if we strike gold together, some…gold. This week, we focus on a couple overlooked catchers who are either going late in drafts or not at all. So, let’s go digging.

J.T. Realmuto – currently the 10^th catcher of the board in NFBC drafts, Realmuto is taken only 17^th on average according to FantasyPros. You’re not drafting Realmuto for his bat, although as he showed last season, double digit home runs are certainly not out of the question. Rather, he exhibits speed at a position where there is none, having swiped 8 bags in his first full major league season. His minor league career includes several seasons of double-digit steals, dispelling the notion that last year was a fluke while quite possibly intimating that there’s more to come.

Look, it’d be disingenuous of me to try to sell you on Realmuto’s bat. He’s not a patient hitter nor does he have a particularly inspiring batted ball profile. He’s never hit for eye-popping power in the minors but he did hit 10 homeruns last year, 6 out of which left Miami’s cavernous confines. He also makes contact; his 6.9% SwStr% ranked 10^th out of 45 catchers with at least 200 plate appearances.

Obviously, much of his value is tied to speed and while he’s projected to lead the position in steals, the extra half dozen or so bases you can expect from him are unlikely to make a huge difference in your final standings. But it’s that speed that transmutes what might otherwise be the nadir of your fantasy team into something workable and perhaps even redeemable.

Realmuto’s combination of steals, contact, and unspectacular but nevertheless mentionable pop, hint at power, speed, and batting average upside, making this Marlin a fresh catch at a frozen, farm-raised price.

Nick Hundley – do you remember the opening lines of The Departed? “I don’t want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me.” I feel like that should be read to every Rockies player before road games.

Last season in fewer than 400 plate appearances, Hundley went 10/5 with an .806 OPS. On the road, he posted a 71 wRC+ but at home? How’s 128 sound to you? His plate discipline improved and he saw his batted ball distance increase too. It’s amazing what a move from Petco to Coors can do.

Now, I realize his BABIP was certainly a tad on the high side last year but Steamer foresees another 10/5 season coupled with a strong batting average. And as with Realmuto, NFBC drafters are higher on Hundley than the average fantasy owner, taking him 15^th, ahead of Derek Norris, Francisco Cervelli, and Yadier Molina. Currently, Hundley is the 19^th catcher off the board according to FantasyPros.

I love what Hundley provides in terms of batting average, especially in daily leagues where I can swap him out on the road. Go ahead and bet on the environment; I like what it’s producing.

That’s it for now. Come back next week when we take a look at forgotten deep-league first basemen and the devout position scarcity zealots who love them.