Below is a chart of every AL catcher covered in MLB.com's 2008 Fantasy Preview, a rundown that includes established big leaguers and up-and-coming prospects.
The list features dollar values compiled by our MLB.com staff based on standard 23-man, $260, 5x5 AL-league play. We included projected stats for the 2008 season as well as a one-liner prediction that encapsulates every player's value in 10 words or fewer. This page will be updated throughout the spring to reflect the impact of inevitable transactions, injuries and changing job situations.
An indispensable part of the draft-day kit, the cheat sheet can make the difference between winning and losing your fantasy league. With quick-hitting rankings and forecasts, it'll help you keep the remaining players on the board in order as the draft wears on. The last thing you want to be doing is flipping through some magazine when it's your turn to pick.
So play fair, but don't forget your cheat sheet when you head to your draft.
| Catchers |
TM |
$$ |
Avg |
R |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
Notes |
| Victor Martinez | CLE | 29 | .300 | 81 | 28 | 100 | 0 | Durable, consistent All-Star in prime of career. |
| Joe Mauer | MIN | 24 | .328 | 74 | 15 | 89 | 8 | Has potential to be big difference-maker. |
| Jorge Posada | NYY | 18 | .280 | 80 | 17 | 80 | 1 | Don't anticipate repeat of '07 |
| Kenji Johjima | SEA | 15 | .290 | 60 | 15 | 65 | 0 | Likely to continue delivering steady numbers. |
| Jarrod Saltalamacchia | TEX | 14 | .264 | 59 | 18 | 63 | 0 | Talented youngster could top 20 HR. |
| Mike Napoli | LAA | 11 | .251 | 59 | 22 | 71 | 7 | Could be in for big season. |
| Jason Varitek | BOS | 10 | .259 | 55 | 13 | 65 | 1 | Still good, but age may catch up to him soon. |
| Ivan Rodriguez | DET | 10 | .277 | 60 | 8 | 70 | 2 | Diminishing skills offset by RBI opportunities. |
| A.J. Pierzynski | CWS | 9 | .273 | 55 | 13 | 59 | 0 | Veteran workhorse provides steady numbers. |
| Ramon Hernandez | BAL | 8 | .266 | 60 | 15 | 73 | 0 | Should bounce back with return to health. |
| John Buck | KC | 6 | .257 | 51 | 16 | 64 | 0 | Career likely still on upswing. |
| Dioner Navarro | TB | 5 | .258 | 51 | 13 | 60 | 2 | Intriguing option following strong finish to '07. |
| Kurt Suzuki | OAK | 5 | .268 | 55 | 12 | 61 | 0 | Chance to realize potential on rebuilding squad. |
| Mike Piazza* | FA | 3 | .258 | 34 | 11 | 41 | 0 | Future HOFer still looking for home. |
| Gregg Zaun | TOR | 3 | .259 | 47 | 11 | 55 | 0 | Still productive, though age is a concern. |
| Miguel Olivo | KC | 3 | .255 | 23 | 8 | 24 | 2 | Former starter headed for backup duty. |
| Kelly Shoppach | CLE | 2 | .260 | 25 | 6 | 30 | 0 | Will need trade to fulfill offensive potential. |
| Gerald Laird | TEX | 2 | .250 | 38 | 8 | 42 | 4 | Defense ensures decent PT. |
| Jeff Mathis | LAA | 1 | .250 | 25 | 5 | 25 | 0 | Offense has yet to catch up to defense. |
| Jeff Clement | SEA | 1 | .250 | 23 | 6 | 25 | 0 | Backstop with pop doesn't have place to play. |
| Rod Barajas | TOR | 1 | .243 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 0 | Won't provide much value as backup. |
| Mike Redmond | MIN | 1 | .283 | 20 | 0 | 24 | 0 | Mauer insurance. |
| Taylor Teagarden | TEX | 1 | .244 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0 | Coming off huge year, needs to stay healthy |
| Doug Mirabelli | BOS | 1 | .195 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 0 | Specialty catcher has no value. |
| Toby Hall | CWS | 1 | .264 | 10 | 3 | 12 | 0 | Could bounce back with respectable AVG. |
| Rob Bowen | OAK | 1 | .248 | 17 | 3 | 12 | 0 | Will see AB if Kurt Suzuki struggles. |
| Curtis Thigpen | TOR | 1 | .260 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 2 | Could begin '08 at Triple-A. |
| Jose Molina | NYY | 1 | .260 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 0 | Won't duplicate surprising '07 numbers. |
| Matt Wieters | BAL | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 07 first-rounder will move up quickly. |
| Sal Fasano | TOR | 1 | .199 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 0 | Veteran influence provides little fantasy help. |
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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