Catcher is always an interesting subject when it comes to fantasy baseball, especially in the American League. This year will be no exception, as the options behind Gary Sanchez aren’t all that enticing. Mitch Garver? Sure, but he certainly doesn’t have the track record. Sal Perez coming back from a year off? Yasmani Grandal switching leagues later in his career? Clearly, the options aren’t all that enticing. If you’re considering an American League-only catcher, you’d be better off waiting for some of the lower options on the list. Let’s take a look at some interesting Fantasy Baseball options for the catcher position.
Jason Castro, LAA
Castro has always been a solid catcher, but there’s a reason why he’s been somewhat anonymous over the past two seasons. He struggled mightily in 2018 before succumbing to injuries, and he was overshadowed by Garver in 2019. However, Castro still put up solid numbers last season (including 13 homers and a .767 OPS), and he’ll have the full-time catching gig in Los Angeles this season.
Tom Murphy, SEA
Last season, the only knock against Murphy was his lack of playing time. Despite compiling only 260 at-bats, the 28-year-old still managed to smack 18 homers and 40 RBIs, leading to an incredible .859 OPS.
This year, Omar Narvaez is out of the picture, meaning Murphy could see his at-bats almost double. Sure, regression should obviously be factored into the equation, but Murphy has as good of a shot as any to be this year’s Mitch Garver.
Austin Romine, DET
The 31-year-old should finally have his first shot at a full-time starting role in 2020. If his backup numbers gave us any clue, he should emerge as at least a top-10 option in American League formats.
Romine’s 2019 season was arguably the best offensive year of his career, as he compiled a career-high .281 batting average to go along with eight homers and 35 RBIs. He also totaled 10 homers and 42 RBIs in 2018, proving that he definitely has 20-homer potential.
Robinson Chirinos, TEX
The veteran continues to mash, as Chirinos finished last season with 17 homers and 58 RBIs. He’s averaged a .800 OPS over the past three seasons, and he’ll now be returning to the batters paradise in Texas. Sure, he could suddenly fall off whenever, and his batting average will never help. Still, you can comfortably expect him to put up his usual counting stats for at least another season.
