Thursday's Catcher Value Rankings
Here are theScore's catcher value rankings for Thursday, April 14:
Value Rankings
C | 1B/DH | 2B | SS | 3B | OF | SP
Top Options
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Lucroy (MIL) | at STL | 9 |
| Miguel Montero (CHC) | vs. CIN | 9 |
| Matt Wieters (BAL) | at TEX | 8 |
| Cameron Rupp (PHI) | vs.SD | 8 |
Lucroy came into Wednesday with a hit in each of his first six games. He's hit over .300 against lefties for his career, smashing a third of his career home runs in roughly a quarter as many at-bats as he has against righties. Similarly, Montero owns right-handed pitching, and he can be used at a discount even against a good starter like Reds RHP Raisel Iglesias.
Mid-Tier Targets
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Hundley (COL) | vs. SF | 7 |
| Francisco Cervelli (PIT) | vs. DET | 7 |
| Welington Castillo (ARI) | at LAD | 6 |
| Wilson Ramos (WAS) | vs. ATL | 6 |
| Salvador Perez (KC) | at HOU | 5 |
| Yasmani Grandal (LAD) | vs. ARI | 6 |
Even with the Coors Field price bump, Hundley is well worth the investment with a very favorable matchup against Giants RHP Matt Cain. It remains to be seen if Grandal will play in back-to-back games, but he's a great option when facing lefties.
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Brian McCann (NYY) | at TOR | 5 |
| Yan Gomes (CLE) | at TB | 5 |
| Jason Castro (HOU) | vs. KC | 4 |
| A.J. Pierzynski (ATL) | at WAS | 4 |
| Devin Mesoraco (CIN) | at CHC | 4 |
McCann is likely to rejoin the Yankees' lineup, after taking Wednesday night off. He'll have a good lefty/righty matchup against Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman, but he's somewhat of a risk after taking a ball off the foot in his most recent game.
Mesoraco can be left for tournament play, as he continues to search for his first home run of the season.
Nothing to See Here
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Buster Posey (SF) | at COL | 3 |
| Derek Norris (SD) | at PHI | 3 |
| Russell Martin (TOR) | vs. NYY | 2 |
| Yadier Molina (STL) | vs. MIL | 2 |
| Jarrod Saltalamacchia (DET) | at PIT | 2 |
Like McCann, Posey is also dealing with a foot injury, which has already caused him to miss more time than expected. Even if he plays, foot injuries can have a dramatic effect on power numbers. Martin and Molina continue to struggle desperately.