After much anticipation (and I’ve gotten plenty of emails asking when this would debut), it’s finally time for The Fantasy God’s official rankings. Each day this week I will rank a different position. Why should you listen to The Fantasy God? Because if you would put him in a league with all the other “fantasy experts” of the world, The Fantasy God would win the championship. Fact. The viewers of Baltimore Sports Report immediately took me seriously last season when I told them all to draft Michael Pineda in the late rounds. Two weeks into the season I was flooded with emails and comments asking me question after question for fantasy advice. I will be available all season long to do the same. Don’t forget that my fantasy cheat sheet is available featuring the top 1,180 players in a color coded format. The sheet will tell you exactly who to draft this year. For a preview and information on getting the cheat sheet click here.
2012 Fantasy Catcher Rankings:
1. Joe Mauer (MIN)
2. Buster Posey (SF)
3. Matt Wieters (BAL)
4. Carlos Santana (CLE)
5. Brian McCann (ATL)
6. Miguel Montero (ARI)
7. Mike Napoli (TEX)
8. Alex Avila (DET)
9. Jesus Montero (SEA)
10. JP Arencibia (TOR)
11. Devin Mesoraco (CIN)
12. Wilson Ramos (WAS)
13. Jonathan Lucroy (MIL)
14. Miguel Olivo (SEA)
15. Geovany Soto (CHC)
16. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (BOS)
17. Russell Martin (NYY)
18. Chris Ianetta (LAA)
19. Yadier Molina (STL)
20. Wilin Rosario (COL)
21. Kurt Suzuki (OAK)
22. Nick Hundley (SD)
23. John Buck (FLA)
24. Ramon Hernandez (COL)
25. Rod Barajas (PIT)
26. Ryan Doumit (MIN)
27. Josh Thole (NYM)
28. Carlos Ruiz (PHI)
29. AJ Pierzynski (CWS)
30. Salvador Perez (KC)
31. AJ Ellis (LAD)
32. Chris Snyder (HOU)
33. Brayan Pena (KC)
34. Jose Lobaton (TB)
35. Jose Molina (TB)
Full rebound for Joe Mauer. He’s looked perfectly fine this spring. Expect an average over .320, which is something that no other catcher, and maybe no other player in baseball will touch. He isn’t a power hitter, and will only hit about 10 HR’s, but you really can’t rely on power from a catcher anyways. The important thing is that he will keep your team consistent. Posey will do enough to be #2. My favorite catcher, Matt Wieters, will continue to progress. 25+ HR’s is likely out of him, with an improved average. Eventually he projects to be a .300+ hitter. He probably won’t hit that high this year, but his numbers will be good enough to be #3 overall.
Santana, McCann, Montero, and Napoli are all similar. Santa is ranked as the #1 catcher on most lists, but he shouldn’t be. All of these guys will hit at least 20 HR. Montero has the best average of the bunch, but also has the least amount of power. He will reach 20 HR though. Napoli won’t play everyday, will see a huge drop in average, and won’t reach 30 HR again. He can still hit 25 HR.
Then come the young guns. Avila, Montero, Arencibia, Mesoraco, and Ramos. Avila showed what he could do last year and should do pretty much the same thing. Montero will experience some growing pains, but he’s good for 15-20 HR, and will play everyday. He has massive power. Eventually he’s a 25+ HR guy. I don’t see it happening this season though. Arencibia should repeat similar numbers to last season. Mesoraco has a ton of upside. He is a pretty big sleeper. You won’t find him ranked this high in the free agent pool of any fantasy league. Mesoraco has the same upside as guys like Carlos Santana, and Brian McCann. I expect him to start hitting this season. He won’t reach his potential for another year or two, but he’s still worth a late round add on your team, if you wait on catching. I’d prefer to get one of the top ranked catchers between rounds 5-7. Ramos will continue to improve in all categories. He’s a solid hitter.
Since most fantasy leagues are 12 teams, the rest of these guys aren’t really worth having. Lucroy is solid during streaks and is still young. Olivo, Soto, Saltalamacchia, Martin, and Ianetta will all hit between 15-18 HR’s. None of them carry a good average. Yadier Molina had a career year last season, which he will not repeat this year. His HR total and average will both drop. I’d avoid him. Wilin Rosario is a good contact hitter, so he could produce a decent average eventually. Suzuki, Hundley, Buck, Hernandez, Barajas, and Doumit will all start. Doumit either in the outfield or at DH. All of them are completely mediocre in every way possible.
The rest of the guys aren’t even mediocre. They are all starters though. Salvador Perez would have been higher if he wouldn’t have gotten injured this past week. He had some nice upside, but he will miss about 3 months of the season. His backup Pena isn’t very good. Both of the platooning Tampa Bay Jose catchers round out the bottom. I love it that they are actually the worst at something.
First base rankings will be up on Tuesday. Second base on Wednesday. Third base on Thursday. Shortstops on Friday. Closers on Saturday. Starting Pitching next Monday. You can get my thoughts on every player in the league immediately with my fantasy cheat sheet. If your interested in that you can click here.
Listen to this past week’s Baltimore Sports Report podcast. I joined the cast to talk fantasy baseball drafting. You can listen to my sleepers, busts (cough cough Mike Napoli), and late round picks by clicking here.
The Fantasy God’s First Base Rankings
The Fantasy God’s Second Base Rankings
The Fantasy God’s Third Base Rankings
Follow The Fantasy God on Twitter @FantasyGodmb.
Napoli ranked 7th? Why won’t he play everyday? He hit .320 with 30 homers in 369 at bats (113 GP). His OPS? 1.046. Are you just guessing he’s going to regress without actually saying it?
He is in a contract year, and can play 1st as well as DH. Again, why would a guy with those numbers get reduced playing time? It makes no sense, the fans in Texas LOVE him, his numbers over a full season are almost unbelievable, he plays at one of the most hitter friendly ballparks, and top it off he carried it all over into the Post-season where he had great numbers and clutch hits.
You got to have a better explanation on this one. Myself and many others have him as a top 3 catcher, with a ton of power/rbi potential, as well as 1st base eligibility (for those of you who get Mauer at pick 126 like I somehow did).
He only played 113 games last year. He sits way too much. Anyone who owned him last year, knows this, and was highly frustrated with his playing time. He needs more rest than most guys. He is only a .264 career hitter. The .330 average was based on the limited at bats. It’s not likely that he will be that far over his career average again. To take Napoli in round 4-5 your paying for his 2011 numbers and his high average. If his average drops to .270 he’s a fantasy bust at that price. I project him between .270 and .280. That significantly lowers his value. If and when he hits .270 with 25 HR’s he is already under the production of Mauer, Posey, Wieters, Santana, McCann, and Montero. Mauer will destroy his average. The other guys will at least match his HR and probably hit for a better average.
You really think he’s going to sit that much this year? He can Catch, DH, and play 1st base. Their 1st basemen this year is Michael Young (who plays 3rd, 2nd, even SS if necessary, and DH too) and Mitch Moreland (who plays 1st and RF). Moreland shouldn’t be hitting over Napoli in games this year.
He’s gone on a great diet plan since the year he was traded and is in better shape than ever. I drafted him at pick 60 overall which I was VERY happy about, then got Mauer at pick 122. I know one or two other people in my league who drool over Napoli so do you think I should possibly trade him?
I just don’t see the Rangers benching him for more than 10-15 games this year which is nothing. Barring an injury he should put up similar numbers to last year, with more RBIs.
Appreciate your feedback.
He sat that much last year, so why wouldn’t he this year? The more he plays, the lower his avg will be. It’s a lose lose either way. If he would fall in your draft and the 6 guys in front of him were gone, then I would take him. Since you have Mauer I would certainly sell him. Trade him for a guy that was drafted higher than what you took him, or for a need.
My God people , get a life , who follows this stuff anyway ? Aren’t your mother’s calling you guy’s ?
You know what’s worse? Taking the time to click on fantasy articles just to dispute fantasy. Talk about not having a life.
You are repeating yourself dummy. I now know what kind of people read this stuff.
Smart people. Educated People. People who are good with math and numbers. People who have statistically enhanced brains. People who do more than just work a 9-5 then get hammered drunk on weekends to wash away their pathetic lives. That’s who reads this stuff.
Get an activity book too.
Yeah, I wish my mother was still around to call me. Dick.
Just because fantasy baseball and statistics are a hobby doesn’t mean you have to hate. Mark does a great job, and I bet he will be working for a premiere website one day.
Hey! I saw that http://www.sportsrageous.com/top-5-fantasy-baseball-catchers-03-07-2012 has a list! I’ve been updating from this! 😀
That list is pathetic.
this blog is pathetic too.
Ha! This blog will win your league for you. Ask the thousands that it helped last season.
@fantasy god, very good ranking. Mauer all the way this yr.
LOL Molina 19th?? I need some of whatever you are smoking. I’m not even a Cards fan and I bet he places in top 10 this year. Mauer #1? He’ll be a bust. He had one great year and came down to planet earth last year and everyone this year that drafted him early overpaid. Wieter at 3? Biased pick. Orioles blow, Angelos is screwing your team into the ground. Santana, Posey, Napoli behind Wieters? Napoli should be ahead not only for numbers but for slot designation even with him resting a bit. I had him last year, and while the previous owner was frustrated, I thought he was a steal when I picked him up off the waiver. I don’t care how many games he plays as long as he’s hitting. JP is an AVG drag, so as long as you are punting AVG that’s fine, but there are much better options. LOL Looks like you got your head in the clouds. Just because you told people to pick Pineda late last year doesn’t make you a Fantasy God. I’d love for you to play in one of my leagues following the rankings you have. Would be easy money. Anyone following your advice is an idiot. And really classy responses lol Can’t take the heat? Don’t have your own lame ass blog lol
Yadier Molina overachieved last year. He hit .305 but his career avg is only .274. He set a career high in runs and more than doubled his HR total. Those kind of numbers from an overachieving low ceiling catcher have fluke written all over them. He will not reach a .300 again this season. His runs will drop significantly with a decrease in team offense. He will not reach 14 HR again. The 18 guys in front of him will outproduce him.
Mauer will bust? Why? He had one good year? So his .323 career average stemmed from one season? I’m guessing his one good year was his MVP season in 2009. So that means when he hit .347 with 13 HR and 84 RBI in 2006 it wasn’t really a good year. What about in 2008 when he hit .328 with 84 RBI. That was a bad season too. He did kind of slump after his MVP award in 2010 because he only hit .327 with 75 RBI. Or maybe you had a mistype and meant to say that he’s only had one bad season. And that was because of injury last season. Guess what Mauer hit this spring? The answer is .358. I guess that number doesn’t mean that he is healthy and playing well does it? Your right, there are no signs whatsoever that point to Mauer having a good season. He will probably be a bust since he’s had an awful career and all.
I should really stop there because you have nothing to back up any of your statements. I guess I’ll carry on for fun. So because the Orioles are bad, and the owner is bad, Matt Wieters will be bad? Is that how it works? Wieters was 5th last year among all catchers in HR’s. He was 2 away from cracking the top 3. Because of his high ceiling, and expected progression, he can easily crack the top 3 this season. He also has the chance to be 2nd in avg among catchers only next to Mauer.
The fact that you admitted to picking Napoli up off waivers last year after he was cut proves my point on him. Everyone likes to look at those fancy 30 HR and think they are getting a real bargain, but when your actually paying the game day to day, and you see a big fat “X” beside your starting catcher 2 or 3 days a week, you’ll want to trade him. Not to mention the huge average drop he will have this season. Sure he might hit you a HR or 2 each week, but he will also sit twice and go 0/4 twice that same week.
Good luck this season. Your going to need it.