Marlins Fantasy Value: Pitchers and Catchers

With pitchers and catchers reporting this week, I found it fitting to wrap up the Marlins fantasy outlook by covering the two. During the fantasy season, pitchers will account for most of the surprises. Catchers on the other hand, could turn into placeholders on your roster without proper research. Here are a few Marlins who’ll make an impact on your fantasy squad.

Catchers:

Rob Brantly:

Brantly is an interesting backup candidate for fantasy. He’s hit at all levels and put together a .290/.372/.460 line in 113 major league PAs. Brantly doesn’t offer much power, but any catcher not hurting your team’s average is a blessing.

It is worthy to note that Brantly isn’t the best defender behind the plate. His defensive woes may not be a problem if he’s hitting .290, but an extended slump could have him seeing bench time in favor of a sure glove. For someone who plays in about 130 games maximum, any extended bench time could hurt Brantly’s value.

Out of pure speculation, first base for the Marlins may be a revolving door if Logan Morrison’s injury bothers him and newly signed Casey Kotchman isn’t performing, and Brantly may see time there for some extra at-bats. Even with this added flexibility, the Marlins catcher doesn’t crack the top 20 catchers in the league quite yet and only has fantasy value for NL-only leagues.

Pitchers:

Ricky Nolasco:

Nolasco has pitched at least 150 innings the last four years. So while he doesn’t rack up the strikeouts or post an impressive ERA or WHIP, it seems he will always be an arm on the waiver wire. Is your team injury-laden or full of busts? Are you in a weird points league where IP counts? Claim Nolasco off waivers—he probably won’t be drafted.

2013 Breakout?

Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Jacob Turner:

Turner was a joy to watch in his seven major league starts for the Marlins in ’12. And the best is yet to come with scouting reports claiming he’s a little polish away from being a dominant starter in the league. Turner is only 22 and deserves a little patience as we wait for a breakout, but he’s worth a late-round draft pick just in case the righty puts it together early.At worst, Turner’s excellent control will allow him eat innings the same way Nolasco does: Few strikeouts, few walks. If Turner does happen to progress towards his lofty potential, look for a pitcher who can benefit every pitching category besides Wins.

Steve Cishek:

The Team USA representative has an advantage over numerous other fantasy bullpen options: he’s the “established” closer. While some teams will debate who gets to pick up saves throughout the season, Cishek has the spot until something bad happens.

Cishek walks more than desired for a closer and could hurt your team’s WHIP. That is, unless he doesn’t pitch enough to affect your team’s stats. The Marlins aren’t projected to have a season where their closer picks up 30-40 saves. So while there’s no question that Cishek is the guy getting the saves, there’s doubt as to how many he gets. NL-only draft pick.