Unless you have one of the big two or three catchers in fantasy baseball, you aren’t going to have a sexy name penciled in behind the dish. Tucker Barnhart may not have produced the biggest or sexiest stat line behind the plate, but he was a more than adequate option, and furthermore, he was one of just six catchers to log at least 500 plate appearances in 2018. Sure, he hit below .250, only 10 home runs and wasn’t a difference maker in any particular category, but if you miss out on the big names behind the dish and you don’t want volatility, Barnhart can give you consistency behind the dish. At time of writing, Barnhart’s current ADP of pick 272 equates to a near certainty that Barnhart provides fantasy value in 2019, and at the end of the season, I doubt we see 17 catchers outperform Barnhart. He certainly doesn’t have the upside of some of the players ahead of him, but his floor is much safer, not to mention that Barnhart’s job security is safe this season.

Looking back at 2018, Barnhart’s 10 home runs were as many as Chicago’s Willson Contreras and Miami’s new backstop Jorge Alfaro .

His 50 runs scored were tied for seventh-best among catchers, and he ended the year with a higher total than Robinson Chirinos , Buster Posey , Francisco Cervelli , Mike Zunino , and Wilson Ramos .

Barnhart’s 46 RBI in 2018 placed him ahead of Zunino, Posey, Alfaro and Chris Iannetta last season.

Since the start of the 2017 season, Barnhart has the same OBP as J.T. Realmuto , a batting average just three points below Willson Contreras , and a WAR higher than Wilson Ramos . By no means is Barnhart better than the guys listed in the previous sentence, but don’t overshadow Barnhart in 2019. In deeper formats, he’s a more than adequate starter and in two catcher setups, his price point is excellent for your second catcher.

Let me just say it now. This will be Barnhart’s best statistical season yet of his career. The Reds offense is even better this year than prior seasons, and his home park is a haven for hitters and helping boost offensive numbers. Despite hitting at the bottom of the order, he’ll have his chance with runners in scoring position, and when he does drive those guys in, the guys at the top of the order are more than capable of bringing Barnhart around to cross home plate. Hitting just in front of him will be the likes of Jesse Winker , Yasiel Puig , Nick Senzel (when ready) and such, and at the top of the order, José Peraza , Scooter Gennett and Joey Votto can drive him in.

While he just missed the 50 runs scored and 50 RBI club, Barnhart has 60 run and 60 RBI potential in 2019. For a frame of reference, there have only been nine occurrences over the past three years where a catcher has reached the aforementioned marks. Furthermore, in that three year window, only two catchers (Posey, Realmuto) have repeated those numbers.

Barnhart’s barrel rate per Statcast is less than ideal, but his hard hit percentage has been increasing, and he’s trading ground balls for fly balls. His hard hit rate of 38.4 percent and fly ball rate of 30.7 percent last season is comparable to Kansas City’s Alex Gordon , Miami’s BrIan Anderson and fellow catcher Jorge Alfaro . Barnhart may not have the power upside of some of those guys, but Barnhart’s three degree improvement in his launch angle is encouraging nonetheless for his power outlook in 2019.

I may be higher than most on Barnhart on 2019, but there’s a lot to like heading into 2019, including:

  • Increased hard hit rate (up 10 percent since 2016)
  • Improved launch angle last season
  • Improved supporting cast in Cincinnati
  • Excellent hitter’s park
  • Job security

At his current ADP, Barnhart has the capacity to provide massive return on investment, and in his 28-year-old season, he’s primed for his best statistical season to date. He may not be a difference maker in any particular category, but reliability and marginal production across numerous categories is really all you can ask from a catcher without the last name of Realmuto or Sanchez.

His ADP is incredibly low for a catcher in a good offense and home park with a chance to tally 10+ home runs, 60 runs scored and 60 RBI with a .250 batting average in 2019.

Statistical Credits
Fangraphs.com
BrooksBaseball.net
thebaseballcube.com
baseballsavant.mlb