2014 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper: Colorado Rockies Catcher Wilin Rosario

By Timothy Downs
Colorado Rockies Wilin Rosario
Getty Images

In fantasy baseball, the catcher position can often be an extremely puzzling and frustrating roster spot to manage. While there are options in MLB that you can take early in the draft like the San Francisco GiantsBuster Posey and St. Louis CardinalsYadier Molina, many fantasy owners prefer to take their catcher later in the draft due to the fact that it is typically an underwhelming offensive fantasy baseball position.

Perhaps no catcher is a more intriguing second-tier option than Colorado Rockies Wilin Rosario.

In 2013, the underrated Rosario hit .292 with 21 HRs and 79 RBIs in 121 games. Of his 131 hits, 22 were doubles and he added one triple, giving him a total of 44 extra-base hits. The biggest flaw in the young catcher’s game is his lack of on-base skills. In 466 plate appearances, he only walked 15 times and accumulated a below average .315 on-base percentage.

Currently, Rosario is ranked as the fifth-best catching option and 83rd-best fantasy baseball player overall according to the fantasypros.com charts. He carries an average draft position (ADP) of 90.4, meaning he is being drafted toward the end of the ninth or beginning of the 10th round on most host sites.

While Rosario’s on-base percentage does worry me, his ability to hit .300 with 20 plus HRs is hard to ignore for a 10th-round catcher. He falls into the same boat as the Milwaukee BrewersJonathan Lucroy and Kansas City RoyalsSalvador Perez.

I implore you to take Rosario or one of the other mentioned players as your catcher later in the draft rather than reaching down for Posey or Molina, as there are plenty of other more important spots that early picks can be used to fill on your roster.

Timothy Downs is a fantasy sports writer for www.RantSports.com. You can add him on Google or follow on Twitter @Tidow1212.

Share On FacebookShare StumbleUpon

You May Also Like