6. Mitch Garver- Minnesota Twins
2019 stats: 93 games .273/.365/.630 31 homers 67 RBI
2020 steamer: 90 games .253/.333/.464 16 homers 51 RBI
Steamer clearly isn’t a believer in Mitch Garver’s 2019 breakout. Garver broke out as the Minnesota Twins Bomba Squad hit 307 homers to set a new major league record. Garver’s catching partner, Jason Castro, just signed with the Angels, so the job is going to be Garver’s which makes him a better target for your 2020 fantasy baseball team.
Among catchers with at least 100 plate appearances, Garver was second in homers, third in runs scored, seventh in RBI, first in slugging percentage at .630 and WRC+ at 155. He only had a BABIP of .277 but was fifth in hard-hit rate among all catchers at 47.4%. That’s a good sign moving forward that he consistently made such hard contact.
If Garver can continue making hard contact, his BABIP should improve. Could this lead to an uptick in his numbers? Sure. It’s certainly possible he doesn’t hit 31 homers again, but maybe some more extra-base hits and run production? Sign me up to have him as my catcher for my 2020 fantasy baseball squad.