If you have a weak stomach you may want to pop a handful of Tums before you go any further. Yeah, it’s that bad. If you thought the catcher pool for mixed leagues was less than inspiring, my 2020 AL-Only Catcher Rankings will not help with your mental state. But then, if you clicked on this article you’ve probably braced yourself for the worst. Let’s trudge on through and try to make the best of it.
Enjoying these AL-Only Catcher Rankings? For more great rankings, strategy, and analysis check out the 2020 FantraxHQ Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit. We’ll be adding more content from now right up until Opening Day!
About the Tiers
It is a bit of a challenge laying out tiers in a position as weak as this. We want the rankings to be linear and go from highest value to lowest. While my rankings follow that path, the differences in value after the top five or six catchers are almost negligible. It’s almost a case of pick your poison. Do you want some of the catchers who can pop 15 to 20 homers, but come with a .220 average. Or do you want the handful of catchers who won’t hurt your average, but offer little else. I’ve grouped them as logically as possible, but my feeling won’t be hurt if you diverge from my tiers in a draft… Just don’t tell me.
Drafting Catchers in AL-Only Leagues in 2020
So how should you approach catchers in your AL-Only drafts? Good question and as usual there’s no one right answer. If you want Gary Sanchez you’re going to have to reach further than you think. Even though he’s never quite lived up to that torrid stretch of his 2017 season, his potential is obvious. I’m not a fan of reaching for specific players, but if Sanchez plays up to his potential he offers a huge advantage in AL-Only leagues. I might reach a round earlier than what you think it will take to get him. Of course in AL-Only leagues that might mean grabbing him in round 3. Does he dominate the AL catcher pool enough to warrant that? I don’t think I can go there, but if you have confidence in your skills later in the draft I could see it working.
Once you get past Sanchez upside is really hard to find. Yasmani Grandal and Mitch Garver had very nice seasons in 2019, but I’m not sure they have additional ceiling. Salvador Perez is a nice power bat if he’s healthy, but he’s no explosion waiting to happen. Sean Murphy of the A’s may be the best combination of upside and cost.
Maybe the best strategy is to pair one of Murphy/Chirinos/Zunino with one of mcGuire/Astudillo/Kiner-Falefa. Cobined they will give you close to 30 HRs and hopefully an average over .250. It doesn’t seem like much, but at the catcher position it’s about as good as you can expect.
If you’re like us you can’t wait until spring to get the 2020 fantasy baseball season started? Well, you don’t have to. Leagues are already forming at Fantrax.com, so head on over and start or join a league today.
2020 AL-Only Catcher Rankings
Like all rankings, my 2020 AL-Only Catcher Rankings are a work in progress. There is still a few jobs in flux, with at least one decent free agent who could sign with an AL team. Whatever happens, I’ll be updating my rankings as news comes out and roles change. I’ll re-publish with each update so you can stay up with the latest. BTW if you also do the NL, you’ll want to see my NL-Only Catcher Rankings.
[table “342” not found /]Got a beef with my rankings? Did I miss someone? Let me hear it in the comments below or call me out on Twitter (@rotodaddy). Just be gentle. Dealing with this AL catcher pool has taken a toll.
Fantrax was one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites of 2019 and we’re not letting our foot off the pedal now! With multi-team trades, designated commissioner/league managers, and drag/drop easy click methods, Fantrax is sure to excite the serious fantasy sports fan – sign up now for a free year at Fantrax.com.