The two-catcher format has become pretty common around the fantasy baseball industry. The setup certainly changes the way one approaches a draft, as it brings with it the task of finding a second relatively productive bat at such a seemingly shallow position. What constitutes a player being worthy of a starting spot must be altered in this, usually late-round, search. The following three players, all of which sit outside the Top-12 in catcher ADP around the industry at the time of writing, are ones to seriously consider for that number-two catcher spot here in 2021.
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Buster Posey (C – SF) ADP C: 14 | Overall: 241
Even with top prospect Joey Bart — who saw 103 big-league at-bats last year — waiting in the wings, Posey remains the “primary catcher” in San Francisco. Manager Gabe Kapler stated as much back in mid-December despite the fact that Posey sat out all of 2020. Kapler further alluded that he believes the extended time off has greatly benefited the soon-to-be 34-year-old backstop.
Posey has caught nearly 1,000 MLB games and earned six All-Star selections over the past decade-plus. His best days are definitely well behind him, but that does not mean the career .302 hitter is completely devoid of fantasy value, especially in this format.
Batting average is likely to be the category in which Posey contributes the most for fantasy purposes. Since his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2010, he has hit at least .284 in all but one season (2019). On top of that, if teammates such as Mike Yastrzemski, Brandon Belt, and Alex Dickerson maintain their strong offensive form from last summer, Posey should find plenty of opportunities to drive in or score runs.
Pedro Severino (C -BAL) ADP C: 17 |Overall: 265
Like Posey, Severino has an elite prospect breathing down his neck in Adley Rutschman. Nevertheless, Severino should be locked in behind the plate in Baltimore for at least most of 2021. Even in the event that Rutschman does supplant him as the starter at some point this year, there should still be plenty of at-bats remaining in order for Severino to produce.
Over the last two years, Severino has been the exact type of late-round option those in two-catcher leagues want to find. Across 519 plate appearances since the outset of the 2019 season, the 27-year-old Dominican native has posted a .730 OPS with 18 homers and 65 RBI.
Severino does not strikeout an exorbitant amount (21.9% last three years) relative to the rest of the league and is a dead-pull hitter that elevates the ball. That is a profile that plays well in offensively-inclined Camden Yards, particularly for right-handed batters.
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Yan Gomes (C – WSH) ADP C: 32 | Overall: 384
Gomes has been in a virtual 50-50 timeshare with Kurt Suzuki over the last two years in D.C. Now, with Suzuki moving cross-country to join the Angels via free agency, Gomes is poised to be the main backstop for the Nationals this season.
Though his calling card is definitely defense, Gomes has typically been quite useful to fantasy owners throughout his nine-year career due mainly to his ability to drive the ball out of the park. His 103 home runs since his MLB debut, which he has hit at a pace of 21 per 162 games, are evidence of that.
More recently, Gomes has still provided enough pop to warrant the attention of fantasy players. Since 2018, the 33-year-old has posted a .743 OPS, .429 SLG, and .177 ISO across 900-plus plate appearances. Those marks all land in the top-14 among catchers with at least 500 plate appearances during the last three seasons.
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Nate Miller is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Nate, check out his archive and follow him @Miller_RotoDad.
