Here, friend, are some catchers that I will be targeting at my 2021 fantasy drafts after the top options are gone. I’m not going to get into the strategy of punting catchers. Been there, half-drunkenly wrote that during the Ottoman Empire. Applies to oranges, it still applies. Click on the player’s name where applicable to read more and see their 2021 projections and blurbs I wrote for them. This is a (legal-in-most-countries) supplement to the top 20 catchers of 2021 fantasy baseball. Now, guys and five girl readers, I am not saying avoid catchers like Yasmani Grandal if they fall, but, to get on this list, a catcher needs to be drafted later than 200 overall, and, to preemptively answer at least seven comments, yes, I will go around the entire infield, outfield and pitchers to target very late. Anyway, here’s some catchers to target for 2021 fantasy baseball:
Austin Nola (ESPN 251) One quick note: If NFBC, Yahoo or ESPN isn’t listed in the parenthetical, then the catcher is ranked (or being drafted) above 200 overall. In Nola’s case, NFBC is 156, and Yahoo is 189. One quick note, Part II, That Note Was Too Quick: NFBC is two-catcher leagues, so that ADP is slightly misleading. Wouldn’t say I’m the high man on Nola, that’s the guy on Bourbon Street wearing 200 bead necklaces and screaming, “Show me something foxy!” Take it easy in the Big Easy, Beads Guy. I might actually be the low man on Nola, according to my 2021 fantasy baseball rankings, but any catcher after 200 is a possible draft target. I’ll explain quickly. After you get past 200 overall, you’re filling up your team vs. sticking hard to rankings. If you have pick 207th, it doesn’t matter if Bobby Dalbec is the suggested pick if you have three 1st basemen on your team or something along those lines. As for Nola, I don’t see the attraction. Haha, way to lead off the post with a catcher sleeper to draft! Don’t get me wrong, I would draft Nola if he were around 250th overall at ESPN, but I do think at sites like NFBC he’s a bit too high. Caratini will play at once a week, and likely twice. Nola’s Steamer projections are 39/9/43/.249/2, which are hilariously bleh, but, again, for the price of 250th overall? Sure, it’s worth a flyer.
Mitch Garver (NFBC 200, Yahoo 215, ESPN 256) I’m gonna channel our writer, Coolwhip, “Garver?! Stonks!” Coolwhip already gave you his Mitch Garver fantasy, I wouldn’t even try to match 17,000 words about Mitch Garver with half of the words being told to Coolwhip by Garver himself.
Sean Murphy (ESPN unranked) Was dealing with a collapsed lung, but I’m doing collapsed lunges trying to draft Murphy in every league. “Lunge A-1…2…3!” That’s me doing lunges while dabbing A-1 sauce into my mouth. Murphy has 17-homer power, and appeared to be a .280+ hitter in the minors. “Don’t let the lung fool ya.” — Me about Murphy or my grandmother talking to a cigarette as she smoked through a hole in her throat? You make the call!
James McCann (Yahoo 233, ESPN unranked) Bit surprised McCann hasn’t moved up people’s rankings to the point where I (we, if you’re following my rankings) couldn’t own him. He’s a .280 hitting over the last two years and hit 18 homers in 2019, and 7 HRs in only 31 games last year. Um, how is he not better than Realmuto this year? Is there any way? Okay, those expectations are high, but for the price? 100% owning McCann, which is also what I say to my skinny jeans.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa (Yahoo unranked) Couple points here, Israel Diner-Falafel shouldn’t have catcher eligibility, but Yahoo being Yahoo, he does. If I were ranking Falafel as a catcher, he’s likely around the 7th best catcher. His projections are borderline top three for catchers, ACKSUALLY. Seriously, which do you want: 57/18/67/.259/2 or 78/8/61/.283/18? Is it even close? That’s Contreras vs. Israel. Someone needs to get Contreras in NATO.
Tom Murphy (NFBC 334, Yahoo unranked, ESPN unranked) Bit more for two-catcher leagues-slash-deeper-leagues-slash-axl. Murphy could easily lead all catchers in homers, but, similar to Gary Sanchez, he might hit .210. If I’m being real with you, I’d put a $5 bitcoin side bet that Murphy hits for a higher average than Gary, but that $5 would turn into $50,000 and I’d have to sell my Reggie Jackson baseball card collection to pay off that bet, and that would make me sob for days. You wanna see me bawl out? Not cool.
Danny Jansen (NFBC 310, Yahoo 304, ESPN unranked) I’m the high man on Jansen across just about every rankings or ADP I’ve seen. Not even particularly close in some cases. People must be thinking Alejandro Kirk will be cutting into his playing time. Meh, maybe, but Jansen only needs to play five days a week, like literally every other catcher. He has solid contact numbers, and should hit for 15+ HRs with some upside there.
Elias Diaz (NFBC 433, Yahoo 314, ESPN unranked) Have a few here that say “unranked,” but all of them are ranked within the catcher positional rankings just unranked in their top 300 overall, except Diaz at ESPN. Honestly, thought I missed something. Could they not have even ranked a Rockies catcher? Then I realized I wasn’t the one who missed something. They have Tony Wolters ranked on Pittsburgh, but no Rockies catcher. Oh…*sails around the world*…kay. As for Elias, he’s about to set some records! *intern whispers in my ear* Not related to Elias Sports Bureau? I see. I don’t expect a lot from Diaz, but a flyer in Coors is the epitome of “you can do worse.” See, I have faith in you (in doing worse)! Ignore the parenthetical there, homey, that shizz is directed at someone else. *wink, wink, nudge, nudge, hand under armpit making fart noise*
