Dodgers: Yasmani Grandal Enters 2017 as Starting Catcher

By Bill Pivetz | Feb 24, 2017

Oct 18, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal (9) celebrates after hitting a two run home run during the fourth inning against the Chicago Cubs in game three of the 2016 NLCS playoff baseball series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal will be the team’s starting catcher. With the added benefit of more playing time, he should see a boost in fantasy value.

The Los Angeles Dodgers plan to own the National League West this season with their rotation, revamped bullpen, and young offense. One of the key pieces to the last part will be catcher Yasmani Grandal. A lot of news has come out around Grandal and they all lead to great things for him.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is fully invested in Grandal. Eric Stephen of True Blue LA tweeted that Roberts confirmed Grandal is the first-string catcher. This will not be based on his L/R splits, but the schedule and his ability to stay healthy.

The Dodgers cut bait with a few of their older players this offseason, and with good reason. The team has a young core of hitters to build on for years.

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Grandal was expected to be one of them when he first entered the league in 2010. However, he bounced from Cincinnati to San Diego before landing in LA.

In his two seasons with the Dodgers, he averages just 120 games played. Last season, he only started 106 times. His lack of ability to hit right-handed pitchers forced management to play A.J. Ellis instead.

Despite that, Grandal was able to hit 27 home runs and 72 RBI with 49 runs scored. He led all full-time catchers (sorry Evan Gattis) in home runs and was fifth in RBI.

The downside was that most of that came from the left side of the plate. He hit .224 with four homers,12 RBI against and 53.6 ground ball rate against left-handed pitching as a righty.

Things could change this season According to CBS Sports (h/t Rotowire), Grandal is working on improving his right-handed hitting. “He said he was struggling to ‘sit back (on his right leg) and turn on it’ when he was in the righty box.”

A successful switch-hitting batter is rare, let alone a switch-hitting catcher. Now that he won’t lose at-bats to Ellis, or whoever the backup catcher is, increases Grandal’s value in all league formats.

Next: Is Yu Darvish ready to bounce back?

With fantasy leagues already drafting, Grandal is slated as a 15th round pick. If he can make improvements from the right side of the plate and stay healthy, he could soar into the top-five of catchers.

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