Nick Fortes DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Miami Marlins catcher Nick Fortes exited Wednesday's Grapefruit League game versus the Nationals in the first inning after being struck in the groin by a foul ball. The 28-year-old is considered day-to-day, but fantasy managers relying on the veteran backstop would be wise to keep tabs on his status in the event anything changes. Right now, the former fourth-round draft pick is expected to be the Opening Day starter for the Marlins, with prospect Liam Hicks currently projected as his backup. Fortes doesn't have much fantasy appeal, but if Hicks were forced into a full-time role, he is a superb contact hitter and draws a ton of walks who would be an intriguing fantasy asset. The team also has their fourth-ranked prospect Agustin Ramirez waiting in the wings who profiles as a big-time power hitter and is also eligible at 1B on Yahoo were he to get thrust into the mix.

Miami Marlins catcher Nick Fortes went 3-for-3 with a homer, a walk, three runs, and three RBI in an 8-0 win over the New York Mets on Friday. Fortes turned in his best offensive performance of the season in the lopsided win over New York. The veteran catcher launched a three-run homer off of Mets starter Christian Scott in the second inning as part of a four-run frame for Miami. Overall, Fortes is hitting just .159 with two homers, seven runs, and eight RBI across 82 at-bats. He will look to stay hot moving forward, although he only had six homers in 294 at-bats in 2023, so don't expect frequent power displays from the 27-year-old.

The Miami Marlins and manager Skip Schumaker are expecting more out of catcher Nick Fortes offensively this year after the 27-year-old backstop worked on his stance and swing mechanics this offseason. In his third year in the big leagues in 2023, Fortes struggled at the plate, slashing .204/.263/.299 with six home runs, 10 doubles, 26 RBI, four stolen bases and 33 runs scored in 323 trips to the plate over a career-high 108 games played. While he's unlikely to make significant gains at the plate in 2024, Fortes should remain Miami's primary catcher this year for his work with the team's pitching staff now that Jacob Stallings is no longer around. He will split playing time with Christian Bethancourt in 2024. Fortes is a low-upside, low-floor catching option for fantasy managers in two-catcher leagues.