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This one feels too easy. Usually I don’t tell you a catcher is overrated because, well, they’re catchers. It kinda goes with the territory. I’m giving myself a pass this year to call Daulton Varsho overrated because he has outfield eligibility. That outfield eligibility is actually what’s going to make it super easy to prove how overrated he is. We’re gonna compare him to other outfielders! Taking me out of the equation at first because you know I bring fire, but others have smoke. On our 12-team Player Rater, Daulton Varsho is currently ranked 120th overall, right next to Steven Kwan, who might be as valuable, but is a tough comp, because they’re not at all similar. Another outfielder near Daulton Varsho is Nick Castellanos, and further down the road is Ramon Laureano, who might be the best comp, so let’s try him on for size. Daulton Varsho is a 27/16/.235 hitter. You can debate the projections, but that’s what he just did. Ramons Laureano went 24/13/.288. Wait, that’s much better…Hold on! Sorry, that’s what Laureano did earlier in his career. Yeah, no way he does that again (there is a way, but let’s continue). Ramon Laureano’s projections are 21/20/.233. So, push on average; four more steals and six less homers. Hmm, well, they must be going close to each other in drafts, right? Hold on! They’re not? Geez, these surprises are a lot for my heart. Daulton Varsho is going around 39th overall and Laureano is going around 208th? Oh, wow. Hmm, that seems like a big difference.
“Okay, but Daulton Varsho has catcher eligibility!” You scream at yourself in the mirror, as tears roll down your cheeks. Right, gotcha, there, there, buddy. He sure does. Let’s see that Player Rater again. Oh, boy, Varsho is ranked ahead of Will Smith and Alejandro Kirk! Damn, point made. They are respectively ranked 125th and 128th. Wow, big difference there. Kirk aka Bart Harley Jarvis is worth $11.60 and Varsho is worth $12.3. A full seventy cents of difference. They must be really close in ADP, huh? Kirk is sixty spots after Varsho? Hmm, that doesn’t seem very close. So, I guess besides all of that, why is Daulton Varsho overrated for 2023 fantasy baseball?
Now for the part of the program where I poke apart Daulton Varsho’s stats. Varsho should never face a lefty, and, if the Jays aren’t benching him, you should. Out of 27 homers last year, one was vs. lefties, which also accounted for his only run as a lefty, which is legitimately hilarious. His whiff% vs. lefties is wildly awful. It’s like he’s wearing Opti-Grab glasses when he faces lefties. His walk rate goes from 9.3% vs. righties to 2.3%, and strikeouts from 23.5% to 27.9%. Jays have options, Varsho should not be one. Anyway, as I’ve said before, lefties on most occasions shouldn’t face lefties so that isn’t a deal breaker. That Varsho hits weak grounders or fly balls all to his pull side might be something to look into. His spray chart is a clusterfudge of janked righties. I looked too, and the shift stats aren’t promising. No, infielders, whereever they’re aligned, should be able to catch up to his balls. That’s what she said, in a confusing manner.
Well, at least he’s got his speed that only got him caught 38% of the time. Hmm, that doesn’t sound great. His sprint speed went from 66th best to 177th best in two years, and I have to wonder if the Jays will stay excited about him stealing. Maybe he can hold the bulk of his 16 steals from last year, but if I had to bet the over/under, I’d go under easily. Over feels like a chump’s bet. Also, the Jays have not one solid catcher, but two in front of him. Varsho is not going to catch many games without an injury to Kirk or Jansen. Therefore, he must stick in the outfield. That’s possible, but the Jays have said they will try Biggio in the outfield and Nathan Lukes and Kiermaier and, well, we’ll see. Varsho should be an everyday outfielder vs. righties at least. So, couple weak contact with platoon splits with a stacked lineup that might push him to the bench, and is not at all a burner on the basepaths, and strikeouts that went 21.3% to 24.5% year over year? Geez, no wonder people are clamoring for him in the top 35 overall, huh? Position scarcity absolutely bugs people’s minds out, don’t let it bug out yours. Stamp Daulton Varsho schmohawk and move on!
