Thursday's Catcher Value Rankings
Here are theScore's catcher value rankings for Thursday, April 28:
Value Rankings
C | 1B/DH | 2B | SS | 3B | OF | SP
Top Options
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Stephen Vogt (OAK) | at DET | 10 |
| Welington Castillo (ARI) | vs. STL | 10 |
| Matt Wieters (BAL) | vs. CWS | 9 |
| Yadier Molina (STL) | at ARI | 8 |
| Francisco Cervelli (PIT) | at COL | 8 |
| Dioner Navarro (CWS) | at BAL | 8 |
Vogt has been a great boom-or-bust tournament player, driving in runs with two homers and five doubles in his last 10 games. Against Tigers righty Anibal Sanchez, who gave up the most homers in the American League last season, Vogt is more likely to boom than bust.
Castillo has six homers in his last nine games. Even though that pace is not sustainable, the D-Backs' catcher is cheap and making enough contact that he can easily be slotted into any format.
Mid-Tier Targets
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Lucroy (MIL) | at CHC | 7 |
| Cameron Rupp (PHI) | at WAS | 7 |
| Christian Vazquez (BOS) | vs. ATL | 6 |
| Nick Hundley (COL) | vs. PIT | 6 |
| Jarrod Saltalamacchia (DET) | vs. OAK | 6 |
| A.J. Pierzynski (ATL) | at BOS | 5 |
Lucroy has neutral splits against both left and right-hand-dominant pitching, and other Brewers have been hitting lefties well to start the season, so he makes for an alright tournament play against Jon Lester.
Hundley's return from injury is a positive sign but at the same price point, the hotter Cervelli is a better way to take advantage of the Coors Field park factor.
Nothing to See Here
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| J.T. Realmuto (MIA) | at LAD | 3 |
| Jose Lobaton (WAS) | vs. PHI | 3 |
| Miguel Montero (CHC) | vs. MIL | 2 |
| Yasmani Grandal (LAD) | vs. MIA | 1 |
Montero hasn't been able to contribute much of late, as his lingering back issue has kept him cold at the plate and some days out of the lineup altogether.
Grandal has just three hits in his last six games and faces one of the best pitchers on the slate in Jose Fernandez.