Monday's Catcher Value Rankings
Here are theScore's catcher value rankings for Monday, August 15 (all stats exclude Sunday's games):
Value Rankings
C | 1B/DH | 2B | SS | 3B | OF | SP
Top Options
| NAME | VALUE | OPPONENT |
|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Lucroy (TEX) | vs. OAK | 9 |
| Wilson Ramos (WAS) | at COL | 9 |
| Tony Wolters (COL) | vs. WAS | 8 |
Lucroy gets to tee-off against pitcher Ross Detwiler (4.18 ERA as a starter for his career) at Globe Life Park. He has 10 hits in 11 games since joining the Rangers at the deadline; six were home runs and one was a double. Since the trade, no catcher has had this sort of game-changing power potential. Lucroy is better suited for a GPP lineup but can still be used in cash games.
Relatively cheap and completely unheralded, Wolters has been an important part of the Rockies' offense. The left-handed batter has hit .387 with a 1.020 OPS over his last 10 games and gets the typical boost in ceiling from playing at Coors Field. He'll have to overcome Nationals ace Max Scherzer, but the price and venue is right for Wolters to put on a show worthy of GPP inclusion.
Mid-Tier Targets
| NAME | VALUE | OPPONENT |
|---|---|---|
| Gary Sanchez (NYY) | vs. TOR | 7 |
| Buster Posey (SF) | vs. PIT | 6 |
| Francisco Cervelli (PIT) | at SF | 5 |
Some will see Posey being scratched from his Sunday start as a red flag, but it seems to be more a matter of getting the fulcrum of the lineup a little extra rest after catching three straight games. He hasn't exactly crushed RHPs this season, but former teammate Ryan Vogelsong doesn't strike fear into the hearts of batters at this point in his career. Posey could be a sneaky GPP play.
Nothing to See Here
| NAME | VALUE | OPPONENT |
|---|---|---|
| J.T. Realmuto (MIA) | at CIN | 4 |
| Stephen Vogt (OAK) | at TEX | 4 |
| Brian McCann (NYY) | vs. TOR | 2 |
Both Realmuto and Vogt have hit over .300 with OBPs sitting above .390 over their past 10 games. Unfortunately, their struggles in hitting against LHPs could bring a screeching halt to their recent momentum. At their current prices, it's best to leave them alone against lefties, even struggling ones like Brandon Finnegan and Martin Perez.
McCann has hit just .184 over his past 10 games, and of his seven hits over that span, only one was for extra-bases (and a double, at that). In 38 career at-bats against Blue Jays knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, the Yankees' backstop has managed to hit a paltry .158 with an even uglier .273 slugging percentage. All signs point towards McCann continuing to struggle.