RotoGraphs Consensus Rankings – May Update: Catchers
We’re not quite a quarter of the way into the season – which isn’t the quarter pole, by the way, that comes around 122 games though that won’t stop anyone – but it is a perfect time to update the consensus rankings here at Rotographs. First off, we’re about to have Memorial Day weekend and what better way to spend the extra time off than by retooling your fantasy team? To do that, you’ll need to know how we value players going forward so you don’t get ripped off at the trading table. Secondly, even though we’re only about 39 games through the season (some teams are as high as 41 played while three others are down at 36), a lot has changed.
We’re going to roll them out by position starting with catchers. I guess that means they won’t all be out by Memorial Day. Well, I guess you’ll have to go to the ballpark or lake or pool party instead. This position has seen a lot of tumult in just a month and a half with several big names going down which left an opening for a pair of late-round catchers – including one who wasn’t catcher-eligible in March – to emerge.
For this update, you’ll get the rankings of myself, Zach Sanders, and Mike Podhorzer. Jeff Zimmerman will return for the midseason update. Without further ado:
| Num | Player | Team | League | Paul | Zach | Mike | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buster Posey | Giants | NL | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| 2 | Evan Gattis | Astros | AL | 5 | 5 | 2 | 4.0 |
| 3 | Stephen Vogt | Athletics | AL | 3 | 2 | 8 | 4.3 |
| 4 | Russell Martin | Blue Jays | AL | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4.7 |
| 5 | Yasmani Grandal | Dodgers | NL | 2 | 4 | 9 | 5.0 |
| 6 | Yan Gomes | Indians | AL | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6.0 |
| 7 | Salvador Perez | Royals | AL | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7.0 |
| 8 | Jonathan Lucroy | Brewers | NL | 9 | 11 | 4 | 8.0 |
| 9 | Brian McCann | Yankees | AL | 11 | 12 | 3 | 8.7 |
| 10 | Derek Norris | Padres | NL | 6 | 8 | 16 | 10.0 |
| 11 | Miguel Montero | Cubs | NL | 10 | 9 | 11 | 10.0 |
| 12 | Wilson Ramos | Nationals | NL | 12 | 10 | 14 | 12.0 |
| 13 | Travis d’Arnaud | Mets | NL | 14 | 14 | 10 | 12.7 |
| 14 | Yadier Molina | Cardinals | NL | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 15 | Matt Wieters | Orioles | AL | 16 | 18 | 12 | 15.3 |
| 16 | Jason Castro | Astros | AL | 15 | 19 | 18 | 17.3 |
| 17 | A.J. Pierzynski | Braves | NL | 19 | 17 | 20 | 18.7 |
| 18 | Mike Zunino | Mariners | AL | 24 | 16 | 15 | 18.7 |
| 19 | Nick Hundley | Rockies | NL | 18 | 20 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 20 | Devin Mesoraco | Reds | NL | 20 | 24 | 17 | 20.3 |
| 21 | Caleb Joseph | Orioles | AL | 17 | 21 | 29 | 22.3 |
| 22 | James McCann | Tigers | AL | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22.7 |
| 23 | J.T. Realmuto | Marlins | NL | 21 | 27 | 27 | 25.0 |
| 24 | Kurt Suzuki | Twins | AL | 26 | 23 | 28 | 25.7 |
| 25 | Carlos Ruiz | Phillies | NL | 28 | 28 | 25 | 26.7 |
| 26 | Francisco Cervelli | Pirates | NL | 27 | 15 | 36 | 27.0 |
| 27 | Wilin Rosario | Rockies | NL | 23 | 37 | 21 | 27.3 |
| 28 | Jarrod Saltalamacchia | Marlins | NL | 34 | 29 | 22 | 28.3 |
| 29 | Robinson Chirinos | Rangers | AL | 29 | 38 | 24 | 30.0 |
| 30 | Carlos Perez | Angels | AL | 31 | 41 | 30 | 31.0 |
| 31 | Blake Swihart | Red Sox | AL | 33 | 35 | 26 | 31.3 |
| 32 | Rene Rivera | Rays | AL | 25 | 31 | 34 | 32.0 |
| 33 | Chris Iannetta | Angels | AL | 44 | 26 | 31 | 33.7 |
| 34 | Brayan Pena | Reds | NL | 36 | 25 | 41 | 34.0 |
| 35 | Alex Avila | Tigers | AL | 30 | 41 | 33 | 34.3 |
| 36 | Tyler Flowers | White Sox | AL | 40 | 30 | 35 | 35.0 |
| 37 | Dioner Navarro | Blue Jays | AL | 32 | 32 | 42 | 35.3 |
| 38 | Kevin Plawecki | Mets | NL | 41 | 36 | 32 | 36.3 |
| 39 | Welington Castillo | Cubs | NL | 35 | 33 | 43 | 37.0 |
| 40 | Geovany Soto | White Sox | AL | 45 | 34 | 38 | 39.0 |
| 41 | Michael McKenry | Rockies | NL | 37 | 41 | 44 | 40.7 |
| 42 | Jordan Pacheco | Diamondbacks | NL | 38 | 41 | 45 | 41.3 |
| 43 | Ryan Hanigan | Red Sox | AL | 46 | 41 | 37 | 41.3 |
| 44 | Josh Phegley | Athletics | AL | 39 | 40 | 46 | 41.7 |
| 45 | Tuffy Gosewisch | Diamondbacks | NL | 46 | 41 | 39 | 42.0 |
| 46 | David Ross | Cubs | NL | 46 | 41 | 40 | 42.3 |
| 47 | Cameron Rupp | Phillies | NL | 42 | 41 | 47 | 43.3 |
| 48 | Austin Hedges | Padres | NL | 43 | 41 | 48 | 44.0 |
| 49 | Hank Conger | Astros | AL | 46 | 39 | 49 | 44.7 |
- Our biggest disparity was between Mike and Zach with a 26-spot split in the ranking of Cervelli.
- Mike and I have a much rosier outlook for Rosario than Zach, too, with the split ranging as high as 16.
- Among the impact backstops, Norris was most divisive with a 10-spot split between myself at six and Mike at 16.
- Grandal, Vogt, and Martin joined the top 10 for all three rankers.
- There was complete consensus on Posey and Molina while McCann, Hundley, Gomes, Perez, and Montero were really close.
First off, awesome stuff! Second in a one catcher league and somewhat small bench, I have on my roster three catchers Gattis and TDA and Wieters. Do either of my injured catchers have any trade value? I have a ton of pitching depth and can package a gio, odorizzi, lackey and maybe arrieta. Thanks!
only in a 20 team league
appreciate the response. I guess i should just take the loss and drop one of TDA or Wieters? Or give it another week or two and see what their time tables look like?
I would offer both TDA and Wieters around your league and see if you can get anything in return. Otherwise, if you are in a standard 10 or 12 team league, you can probably move on from TDA or Wieters.