Daulton Varsho

Daulton Varsho

28-Year-Old OutfielderOF
Toronto Blue Jays
Out
Injury Shoulder
Est. Return 2/1/2025
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Varsho, like many other Jays, did not get the expected offensive bump to his numbers when the club reconfigured Rogers Centre. In fact, Varsho's numbers backslid in his first season with the club from what he did with Arizona the previous season. His season was weird in that he hit all 20 of his homers off righties, but hit just .202 against them while the lefty hit .292 against fellow southpaws. That means 53 of his last 54 homers have come against righties but his batting average has been better against lefties. His heavy pull approach to batted balls was not saved by the adjustments to the shifting rules and his increasing flyball rate did not help those matters either. Varsho's fantasy value takes the additional hit this season of him losing that sweet catcher eligibility he has possessed the last couple of seasons which has inflated his draft day value. This profile goes from an above-average catching option to a below average outfield option on draft day. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Rest of Season From Preseason
#319
ADP
$Signed a one-year, $5.65 million contract with the Blue Jays in January of 2024.
May be available for start of spring
OFToronto Blue Jays
Shoulder
September 25, 2024
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Wednesday that Varsho (shoulder) is expected to be close to a full participant for the start of spring training, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.
ANALYSIS
Varsho underwent surgery on his right shoulder Monday, and though the extent of the procedure wasn't known at the time, the Blue Jays indicated that the 28-year-old required a standard rotator cuff repair, with no other damage being detected. While the lack of additional damage to his shoulder qualifies as good news for Varsho, he could still face a tight window to gain full clearance by the time position players report to camp in the second half of February. Any setbacks in the rehab process over the winter could put Varsho at risk of opening the 2025 season on the injured list.
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Batting Stats
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2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
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Batting Order Slot Breakdown
vs Right-Handed Pitchers
vs RHP
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
2
32
1
9
27
16
13
3
2
vs Left-Handed Pitchers
vs LHP
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
7
1
7
2
1
Left/Right Batting Splits
Since 2022
 
 
+4%
OPS vs RHP
2024
 
 
+21%
OPS vs LHP
2023
 
 
+9%
OPS vs LHP
2022
 
 
+45%
OPS vs RHP
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2022vs Left .686 350 38 4 31 10 .264 .313 .373
Since 2022vs Right .713 1334 179 61 162 32 .213 .288 .424
2024vs Left .813 104 19 3 11 5 .287 .356 .457
2024vs Right .671 409 54 15 47 5 .195 .277 .395
2023vs Left .722 117 11 0 7 3 .292 .345 .377
2023vs Right .662 463 54 20 54 13 .202 .270 .392
2022vs Left .553 129 8 1 13 2 .221 .250 .303
2022vs Right .801 462 71 26 61 14 .240 .317 .484
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Batting Splits
Since 2022
 
 
+10%
OPS on Road
2024
 
 
+12%
OPS at Home
2023
 
 
+32%
OPS on Road
2022
 
 
+13%
OPS on Road
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2022Home .671 809 106 29 89 15 .209 .282 .389
Since 2022Away .740 875 111 36 104 27 .237 .304 .436
2024Home .741 257 42 10 34 3 .225 .300 .442
2024Away .659 256 31 8 24 7 .202 .286 .373
2023Home .576 272 29 8 23 6 .181 .254 .323
2023Away .761 308 36 12 38 10 .254 .313 .448
2022Home .698 280 35 11 32 6 .221 .293 .406
2022Away .786 311 44 16 42 10 .248 .311 .475
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Daulton Varsho 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.
  • Expected BA
    Expected Batting Average.
  • Expected SLG
    Expected Slugging Percentage.
  • Sprint Speed
    The speed of a runner from home to first, in feet per second.
  • Ground Ball %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are on the ground.
  • Line Drive %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are line drives.
  • Fly Ball %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are fly balls.
BB/K
0.35
 
BB Rate
9.4%
 
K Rate
26.7%
 
BABIP
.262
 
ISO
.194
 
AVG
.214
 
OBP
.293
 
SLG
.407
 
OPS
.700
 
wOBA
.308
 
Exit Velocity
86.1 mph
 
Hard Hit Rate
29.6%
 
Barrels/PA
3.9%
 
Expected BA
.186
 
Expected SLG
.316
 
Sprint Speed
24.5 ft/sec
 
Ground Ball %
32.2%
 
Line Drive %
15.0%
 
Fly Ball %
52.9%
 
Prospect Rankings History
Advanced Batting Stats
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Additional Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Batted Ball Stats
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Stats Vs Upcoming Pitchers
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Daulton Varsho See More
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65 days ago
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68 days ago
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75 days ago
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Lineup Lowdown: American League
79 days ago
Parker Meadows has locked down the Tigers' leadoff spot against righties and has started making contact at a high clip for the first time in his career.
The Z Files: What It Takes
79 days ago
Todd Zola provides some data to help you determine whether even Aaron Judge is capable of slugging your team into contention over the season's final stretch.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
On the strength of 27 homers and 16 steals, Varsho finished as the No. 2 catcher in 5x5 roto leagues last season. His .235 average dragged him behind the Phillies' JT Realmuto, but regardless it was an incredibly impressive campaign, and most importantly for our purposes, he maintains catcher eligibility entering 2023 (31 appearances, 18 starts behind the plate). There is some frigid blue on his Statcast page, so perhaps he will continue to struggle to hit for average, but the power-speed combination from the catcher position makes Varsho a valuable asset in the rotisserie game. Being traded to the Blue Jays should only benefit Varsho's production, as the better lineup around him should only increase his chances for runs and RBI. Rogers Centre is also slightly more friendly to hitters compared to Chase Field in Arizona. As good of a young player as he is, those playing in one-catcher leagues and/or points leagues should beware not to overrate Varsho based on where he ranks on two-catcher, roto cheat sheets.
Varsho finished the season with a modest .246/.318/.437 line, but it's his 290/.349/.530 mark with five steals in five tries after the break that has everyone's attention. Well, that and catcher eligibility with the defensive chops to play the outfield. Last season, Varsho squatted 41 times while he shagged flies in 49. As a hitter, Varsho combined good plate skills (21.3 K% and 9.5 BB%) with 84th percentile sprint speed. After registering a 90.3 mph average exit velocity on flyballs over the first half, Varsho muscled it up to 93.1 mph after the break. With Carson Kelly handling the bulk of backstop duties, Varsho will be the primary backup. However, there are pathways to playing time in center and right field. Even if he only plays four or five times a week, Varsho has the potential to be a top-5 fantasy catcher with five-category potential, and he's being drafted as such.
Varsho debuted with a disappointing .188/.287/.366 line across 115 PA in 2020. However, that has done little to dim his shine, and that's because Varsho brings to the table a unique combination of skills for a player who was primarily a catcher throughout his time in the minor leagues and is still catcher-eligible in most fantasy leagues (10 appearances in 2020). Most notably, Varsho can run with 86th percentile sprint speed which he is not afraid to use on the basepaths. He stole 40 bases in the minors from 2018-19 (188 games) and was 3-for-4 on steal attempts in 2020. Varsho also has legitimate power, even if that was missing in his first taste of the majors. Still only 24, Varsho is not going to be the primary catcher in Arizona in 2021, but he can move around and even play center field capably. Expect the team to take advantage of that versatility and get Varsho into the lineup more often than not.
The dream of a legitimate five-category catcher is alive and well with Varsho, who has 30 home runs and 40 steals (on 48 attempts) in 191 games over the past two seasons. At 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, he does not look like a candidate for that kind of production, but he is a 55-grade runner with great instincts on the bases. His plus hit tool is what will get him to the majors -- he uses the whole field and rarely strikes out. Behind the plate, he is a good receiver, but his arm is below average for the position. Varsho has seen reps in the outfield, and is unlikely to be a full-time catcher at the highest level, but could get enough starts there to retain eligibility in most formats. He tore an ankle ligament playing in Japan this offseason and may not be ready for the start of spring training. Varsho will spend at least a couple months at Triple-A and could make his MLB debut this summer.
One of the most unique catching prospects in recent memory, Varsho could steal 20-plus bases while playing in the field on days he does not catch. Despite his stocky 5-foot-10, 190-pound build, he is a good athlete and above-average runner (34-for-43 on SB attempts in 151 career games, including the Arizona Fall League). His 31.5 IFFB% was the sixth-worst mark in the Cal League and his 50.9 Pull% was the 10th highest mark -- indicators that suggest he may struggle to hit much better than .250 in the big leagues. A broken hand cost him six weeks in the middle of the season, but he made up for lost time by going to the AFL, where he logged an impressive 14:12 K:BB in 18 games. Evaluators have speculated that Varsho could handle second base and the outfield in addition to catching, but Arizona has understandably kept him behind the dish for now. It is possible he could develop into a 20/20 catcher, but his home run output may fall short of that.
Varsho was selected from a small school in the Midwest (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) with the No. 68 overall pick in last year's draft, and while questions about his defense behind the plate remain, his bat stole the show in his pro debut. He was the best hitter in the Northwest League (150 wRC+) and belted seven home runs -- seven more than older teammate Pavin Smith, who was selected with the seventh overall pick in the same draft. At 5-foot-10 and with a fringe-average arm, Varsho may not stick at catcher, but unlike most catching prospects, his above-average speed allows him to profile in left field and perhaps even at second base. His bat might even be special enough that he is moved out from behind the plate strictly to maximize his offensive upside, a la Bryce Harper and Wil Myers. Varsho has an excellent feel at the plate, striking out just 14.2 percent of the time (sixth best in the NWL). He has 20-20 potential and has the potential to move very quickly, especially if he switches positions.
More Fantasy News
Moved to 60-day IL
OFToronto Blue Jays
Shoulder
September 24, 2024
The Blue Jays transferred Varsho (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Tuesday.
ANALYSIS
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Surgery completed
OFToronto Blue Jays
Shoulder
September 23, 2024
Blue Jays manager John Schneider confirmed that Varsho (shoulder) underwent right rotator cuff surgery Monday, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.
ANALYSIS
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Headed for shoulder surgery
OFToronto Blue Jays
Shoulder
September 17, 2024
Varsho, who was placed on the 10-day injured list due to a shoulder strain Tuesday, will undergo surgery on his rotator cuff as soon as possible, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.
ANALYSIS
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Out with shoulder strain
OFToronto Blue Jays
Shoulder
September 17, 2024
The Blue Jays placed Varsho on the 10-day injured list Tuesday, retroactive to Sept. 14, due to a right shoulder strain.
ANALYSIS
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Managing sore shoulder
OFToronto Blue Jays
Shoulder
September 15, 2024
Varsho is out of the lineup for Sunday's game due to shoulder soreness, Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star reports.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Getting catching reps
OFToronto Blue Jays
September 14, 2023
Varsho said he's done some catching work since Danny Jansen went down with a fractured finger in early September, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca.
ANALYSIS
The outfielder caught 72 games for Arizona between 2021 and 2022 but has yet to work behind the plate for Toronto this season, though that could change down the stretch with Jansen out for the regular season after undergoing surgery. The Blue Jays have Alejandro Kirk and Tyler Heineman on the roster to handle the catching duties, but Varsho could provide some flexibility as a tertiary option. Varsho's first season with the Blue Jays has been a struggle, as he has a .652 OPS through 144 games, and he's currently mired in a 2-for-24 slump.
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