Max Stassi News

Max Stassi

29-Year-Old CatcherC

Los Angeles Angels

2019 Stats

AVG

.136

RBI

2020 Projections

AVG

RBI

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2020 Fantasy Outlook

Stassi was exactly league average at the plate by wRC+ in 2018, and when factoring in defense, was worth 2.7 wins above replacement that year (by FanGraphs' WAR). However, his offense slid down the stretch in 2018 and those issues carried over to 2019. He posted a .460 OPS in 18 games before going down with a knee injury, and the Astros eventually dumped him off to the Angels after acquiring an upgrade in Martin Maldonado. Things only got worse in Anaheim, with Stassi going 3-for-42 before being shut down and sent for right hip surgery. His recovery time was estimated at 4-to-6 months, putting Opening Day in question. While Stassi remains a significant plus behind the plate, and his abilities as a backstop should keep him around when healthy, his bat is extremely limited. He will always have those first few months of 2018, but it was a flash in the pan. Read Past Outlooks

RANKS

#600

ADP

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League Majors

Bats R

Throws R

40 Man Yes

Height 5'10"

Weight 206

DOB 3/15/1991

Drafted 4th Rd 2009

Valued for pitch-framing skills

CLos Angeles Angels

April 6, 2020

Stassi is locked in as the Angels' No. 2 catcher due largely to his ability to frame pitches, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

ANALYSIS
The Angels have emphasized pitch framing in recent seasons because of the boost it can give to their pitching staff. As such, the team employs two of the league's top pitch framers in Stassi and Jason Castro. While Stassi has yet to attain a primary catcher role in the big leagues, he ranks 11th in pitch framing among backstops who have caught at least 1,000 innings over the last four years, per FanGraphs.

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Batting Stats

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2019

2018

2017

2019 MLB Game Log

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2018 MLB Game Log

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2017 MLB Game Log

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Minor League Game Log

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Batting Order Slot Breakdown

vs Right-Handed Pitchers

vs RHP

vs Left-Handed Pitchers

vs LHP

Left/Right Batting Splits

Since 2017

+11%

OPS vs RHP

2019

+130%

OPS vs RHP

2018

+7%

OPS vs RHP

2017

+10%

OPS vs RHP

	OPS	PA	R	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OBP	SLG
Since 2017vs Left	.559	155	13	4	13	0	.171	.252	.307
Since 2017vs Right	.622	273	27	7	23	0	.203	.297	.325
2019vs Left	.194	42	1	0	0	0	.028	.167	.028
2019vs Right	.447	105	6	1	5	0	.177	.229	.219
2018vs Left	.681	100	9	3	11	0	.228	.290	.391
2018vs Right	.729	150	19	5	16	0	.225	.333	.395
2017vs Left	.731	13	3	1	2	0	.167	.231	.500
2017vs Right	.806	18	2	1	2	0	.167	.389	.417
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Home/Away Batting Splits

Since 2017

+46%

OPS on Road

2019

+8%

OPS on Road

2018

+60%

OPS on Road

2017

+34%

OPS on Road

	OPS	PA	R	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OBP	SLG
Since 2017Home	.476	187	12	2	11	0	.158	.246	.230
Since 2017Away	.694	241	28	9	25	0	.217	.307	.387
2019Home	.361	67	2	0	3	0	.136	.209	.153
2019Away	.391	80	5	1	2	0	.137	.213	.178
2018Home	.529	108	9	1	7	0	.177	.269	.260
2018Away	.848	142	19	7	20	0	.264	.352	.496
2017Home	.650	12	1	1	1	0	.100	.250	.400
2017Away	.868	19	4	1	3	0	.214	.368	.500
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Stat Review

How does Max Stassi compare to other hitters?

This section compares his stats with all batting seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 400 plate appearances)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity and Barrels/PA % are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 400 PA) and Hard Hit Rate is benchmarked against last season's data (min 400 PA). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.

BB/K
Walk to strikeout ratio
BB Rate
The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a walk.
K Rate
The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a strikeout.
BABIP
Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many of a batter’s balls in play go for hits.
ISO
Isolated Power. Slugging percentage minus batting average. A computation used to measure a batter's raw power.
AVG
Batting average. Hits divided by at bats.
OBP
On Base Percentage. A measure of how often a batters reaches base. Roughly equal to number of times on base divided by plate appearances.
SLG
Slugging Percentage. A measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats.
OPS
On base plus slugging. THe sum of a batter's on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
wOBA
Weighted on-base average. Measures a player's overall offensive contributions per plate appearance. wOBA combines all the different aspects of hitting into one metric, weighting each of them in proportion to their actual run value.
Exit Velocity
The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
Hard Hit Rate
A measure of contact quality from Sports Info Solutions. This stat explains what percentage of batted balls were hit hard vs. medium or soft.
Barrels/PA
The percentage of plate appearances where a batter had a batted ball classified as a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.

BB/K

0.24

BB Rate

8.2%

K Rate

33.3%

BABIP

.202

ISO

.030

AVG

.136

OBP

.211

SLG

.167

OPS

.378

wOBA

.181

Exit Velocity

89.3 mph

Hard Hit Rate

45.9%

Barrels/PA

2.1%

Advanced Batting Stats

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Additional Stats

Games By Position

Defensive Stats

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Batted Ball Stats

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Stats Vs Upcoming Pitchers

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Angels Depth Chart

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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Max Stassi

The Z Files: Winning Tendencies, Part Four

21 days ago

Todd Zola continues his breakdown of last year's NFBC Main Event rosters and explains why he thinks Christian Yelich showed up on so few league-winning squads.

Games Played By Position: 2020 Eligibility Notes

234 days ago

Clay Link looks at appearances by position and makes note of multi-position eligibility and lost eligibility for 2020.

AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week

286 days ago

Erik Siegrist looks over the available talent on the AL waiver wire and notes a number of prospects who got pre-September promotions, including the Mariners' Jake Fraley.

AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week

307 days ago

Erik Siegrist looks over a post-deadline free agent pool that features a few very big fish, including newest Houston ace Zack Greinke.

The Z Files: Stealing Points

323 days ago

Todd Zola examines ways to improve your position in stolen bases and whether it's worth acquiring or deploying a speedster like Mallex Smith.

Past Fantasy Outlooks

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2010

Finally given an Opening Day roster spot after playing a total of 44 big-league games over the previous five seasons, Stassi proved to be an adequate backup catcher. He hit .226/.316/.394 (good for a league-average 100 wRC+) with eight homers in 250 plate appearances, spending stretches as the primary catcher while Brian McCann battled knee injuries. The Astros were hesitant to trust Stassi with a starting job, however, and brought in Martin Maldonado for the stretch run. After both McCann and Maldonado left in free agency, the team signed Robinson Chirinos. Stassi's excellent framing metrics will likely afford him a few starts per week, but that's it.

Those looking to fill the second catcher spot on the cheap in 15-team leagues should consider Stassi. He displayed improved patience with Triple-A Fresno last season, lifting his walk rate from 7.5 percent to 13.2 percent. Stassi also flashed more power, hitting 12 homers with a .207 ISO in 287 plate appearances with Fresno and adding two more long balls in just 31 trips with the big club. He hit .338/.430/.613 against left-handed pitching with Fresno, and got on base at a .361 clip against right-handers. Brian McCann has been durable throughout his career, but McCann made two trips to the DL last season (concussion, knee) and is now entering his age-34 season. With Evan Gattis likely to serve as the primary designated hitter, Stassi has a clear path to semi-regular at-bats, and he's one injury away from a primary role in an elite American League offense.

Stassi was once again a September call-up for the Astros, making it four years in a row. Although Stassi hit well in his extremely limited big league action from 2013-2015, he got just one hit in 13 at-bats in 2016 after hitting .230 with seven home runs for Triple-A Fresno. While he flashed average power at lower levels, Stassi has averaged just 10 home runs while walking at a rate of well under 10 percent the last three years. He's never hit above .280 in any full season, and at just 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, there's little to suggest the potential for major improvements in the power department. Jason Castro is gone, but the Astros traded for 32-year-old catcher Brian McCann in the offseason as a replacement. It's clear the Astros don't think much of Stassi's chances to become a viable starting catcher.

Stassi, who has been a September callup for the Astros each of the past three seasons, hit .211/.279/.384 with 13 home runs and 43 RBI over 84 games for Triple-A Fresno last season. It was the fourth time he's posted 13 or more homers during a season in the minors, but it also marked the second consecutive season in which he posted an OBP below .300. Hank Conger was traded to Tampa Bay in the offseason, creating an opening for the backup job behind Jason Castro, Stassi has shown little to suggest he's worthy of anything more than sporadic opportunities.

The Astros have a logjam at the catcher position and Stassi currently has the least big league experience of the backstops on their 40-man roster. Known for his bat as opposed to his arm and defense behind the plate, the soon-to-be 24-year-old struggled last season for Triple-A Oklahoma City, hitting .247/.296/.378 with nine home runs and 45 RBI in 101 games. While it was his first full season with fewer than 13 long balls, Stassi remained healthy for the most part, logging 425 plate appearances. It's possible that he'll repeat Triple-A again, but his future in Houston is currently undecided. His clearest path at playing time would likely come as the backup to Hank Conger if Jason Castro is traded. Then again, Stassi could be a trade candidate himself if the Astros choose experience over youth and upside.

Stassi, a right-handed hitting catcher known for his excellent bat and average defense behind the plate, put together a fine offensive campaign for Double-A Corpus Christi after undergoing sports hernia surgery last offseason. In 76 games, the soon-to-be 23-year-old slashed .277/.333/.529 with 17 home runs and 60 RBI before an injury to Astros backup catcher, Carlos Corporan, opened the door for him in Houston. Stassi's time in the majors was short-lived, however, after he was forced to the disabled list with a concussion. Stassi has been hampered by a number of injuries throughout his career, but if he can stay healthy and keep hitting like he has in the minors, he could easily overtake Corporan as the backup behind Jason Castro. He will most likely return to Triple-A for the start of the 2014 campaign, but there's a good chance he will spend more time in Houston next season.

The A's selected Stassi in the fourth round of the June draft, but he's considered to be first-round talent and signability concerns led to his slide down the draft board. The track record for high school catchers isn't great, and we won't have a feel for Stassi's pro prospects for several more seasons, but the scouting report on him is pretty favorable.

More Fantasy News

Starting Friday

CLos Angeles Angels

March 6, 2020

Stassi (hip) is starting behind the plate and batting sixth in Friday's Cactus League game versus the Royals.

ANALYSIS
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Pulled from starting lineup

CLos Angeles Angels

Hip

March 1, 2020

Stassi (hip) is no longer listed in the starting lineup for Sunday's split-squad game versus the Rockies, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

ANALYSIS
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Starting at DH

CLos Angeles Angels

Hip

March 1, 2020

Stassi (hip) is batting second as the designated hitter in Sunday's split-squad game against the Rockies.

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Expected to play Tuesday

CLos Angeles Angels

Hip

February 25, 2020

Stassi (hip) is slated to appear in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Reds as a designated hitter.

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Expected to be ready by Opening Day

CLos Angeles Angels

Hip

February 22, 2020

Stassi (hip) is on track to be healthy for Opening Day, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

ANALYSIS
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