Tier One - Top of the Order Catchers
#1: Adley Rutschman - Baltimore Orioles
2023:
127 wRC+
.277/.362/.445/.807
687 PA, 84 R, 20 HR, 80 RBI, 1 SB
13.4% BB, 14.7% K
The only catcher capable of .290/.390/.500 on this list. 46 games at DH, 110 at catcher in 2023. The catchers at the top of this list have bats worthy of DH-ing, bats which are needed in the lineup every day. There is certainly some weirdness in Adley's profile. 20 HRs in 683 plate appearances, less flyball (34.6%) and pull (37.2%) than you want from a power player in present day baseball. And a zone contact rate of 92.4% which leads to a lot of poor contact. His elite hand/eye coordination can be a hindrance.
That said, Adley hits second in a good offense, is undeniably a 60 hit/60 power catcher, and he is a likely candidate to lead all catchers in plate appearances in 2024. He's safe, he's talented, he's probably getting to 180 runs plus RBIs, and he's just 25.
#2: William Contreras - Milwaukee Brewers
2023:
124 wRC+
.289/.367/.457/.825
611 PA, 86 R, 17 HR, 78 RBI, 6 SB
10.3% BB, 20.6% K
2022 felt like an anomaly for William. .344 BABIP. 53% ground ball rate. And yet, he hit .278/.354/.506 with 20 HRs.
2023? .348 BABIP. 55% ground ball rate. .289/.367/.457 with 17 HRs (albeit in 611 plate appearances). His batted ball profile is most similar to his brother's with the extreme ground ball rate, going up the middle and the other way, and the low launch angle. But his 48.4% hard hit rate is tops among the top 16 catchers, he is the only other catcher besides Adley to top 600 PAs, and he tossed in 6 stolen bases to boot. It is a strange profile, and if you aren't 100% comfortable with it, I understand, but plate appearances are king, he hits the ball hard, and it is two seasons of high average and an OPS above .800. For catchers, position in the batting order (he is poised to hit second) and plate appearances are paramount. Adley and William hit second and DH a good amount. These are two major reasons why they are atop this list.
Tier Two - The Dreamer Tier
#3: Mitch Garver - Seattle Mariners
2023:
138 wRC+
.270/.370/.500/.870
344 PA, 45 R, 19 HR, 50 RBI, 0 SB
12.8% BB, 23.8% K
Never had more than 359 plate appearances in a season? Age 33 season? New ballpark which suppresses right handed power? These are all true.
Mitch Garver signed a 2-year, $24M contract with the Seattle Mariners this off-season. He's coming off of a season in which he hit 19 homers in 344 PA with a slash line of .270/.370/.500. He DH'd 57 games, and caught 28.
Here's why he's the number three catcher. Garver was signed to be a full time DH. He may catch occasionally versus left handed pitching (Cal Raleigh's weaker side). But the Mariners will likely carry an extra catcher to keep Garver healthy. If you keep him upright, he will do serious damage. 12.8% walk rate, 48.1% flyball rate, 49.1% pull rate, 12.6% barrel, and slotted to hit third behind JP Crawford (.380 OBP) and Julio Rodriguez.
Garver has thunder in his bat. He will have a ton of RBI opportunities. He has the power to overcome the marine layer in Seattle, and there is no defensive expectation. .260/.360/.500 is not out of the question. And if he can get to 450 plate appearances as the primary DH, we are looking at 25-30 HR and 90 RBI. This is obviously optimistic, but I'm betting this is the Mitch Garver career year.
#4: Cal Raleigh - Seattle Mariners
2023:
111 wRC+
.232/.306/.456/.762
569 PA, 78 R, 30 HR, 75 RBI, 0 SB
9.5% BB, 27.8% K
Age 27 season. Cal now has two years of similar production. Big power. Low average. RBI opportunities. Surprisingly, the Mariners were 12th in MLB in runs scored per game in 2023. Cal Raleigh hits cleanup. He led all catchers in homers, drove in 75, and like Garver, pulls a ton of fly balls.
There is enough swing and miss to suppress his average. .211 in 2022. .232 last season. He won't help you in a hits or average league. But his runs/RBIs, his HRs, and his OPS will. Cal Raleigh is what he is. A slugging catcher who is durable, will hit in the top half of the order, will strike out a lot, but will fuel your power categories. Cal is a safe bet to finish as a top 5 fantasy catcher. Just don't expect a ton more upside.
#5: Sean Murphy - Atlanta Braves
2023:
129 wRC+
.251/.365/.478/.844
438 PA, 65 R, 21 HR, 68 RBI, 0 SB
11.2% BB, 22.4% K
It's a blessing and a curse to hit in such a potent lineup. Murphy will clearly have RBI opportunities. He hits behind names like Acuna, Albies, Riley, Olson, Ozuna, and Harris. And if you counted, he's likely hitting 7th. Position in the batting order matters in fantasy, and it is a major differentiator at the catcher position.
That said, Murphy can hit. 21 homers in 438 plate appearances. .844 OPS. A nice FB/GB mix, pulls the ball more than 50% of the time, and averaged 91.5 mph exit velocity and 15.8% barrel (led this top 16 catcher list). The trade for Murphy with the Oakland A's paid off for the Braves. An .800+ OPS with 20+ HRs is likely in 2024. And yet, despite better plate skills than Cal Raleigh, he is ranked one spot below the Big Dumper because he's hitting 7th and Travis d'Arnaud will continue to get time at catcher for the Braves. Fewer plate appearances, fewer runs scored, lower rank. But Murphy certainly won't disappoint.
#6: Yainer Diaz - Houston Astros
2023:
127 wRC+
.282/.308/.538/.846
377 PA, 51 R, 23 HR, 60 RBI, 0 SB
2.9% BB, 19.6% K
23 homers in 376 plate appearances. They weren't cheap either. According to Baseball Savant, any other park would have been somewhere between 18 homers (SF) and 29 homers (Seattle, Philly, Cincinnati). Diaz caught 60 of his 104 games in 2023, so there is little risk of moving off of catcher, at least in the short-term. Finally, Victor Caratini is the other catcher on the roster as of now, making Diaz "THE MAN."
Diaz presents some questions though. 2.9% BB rate and 46.4% chase rate in 2023 makes it hard to justify throwing him strikes. Teams will adjust to his 2023 success, and dare him to walk. He also is slated to hit sixth in the Astros lineup, which isn't optimal. That said, it is hard to argue that Diaz won't eclipse 400 plate appearances, and if he can maintain his power, he should be a candidate for mid 20s HRs, 70 RBI, and an OPS above .800. Diaz over names like Will Smith, JT Realmuto, and Willson Contreras is a nod to the .290 average with 30 HR potential Diaz possesses. Will he do it? Likely no. But he is 24, solidly a catcher, and coming off of an .848 OPS season. Buy now.
#7: Will Smith - Los Angeles Dodgers
2023:
119 wRC+
.261/.359/.438/.797
554 PA, 80 R, 19 HR, 76 RBI, 3 SB
11.4% BB, 16.1% K
Seriously? The Dodgers cleanup hitter? Seventh rated catcher? Hitting behind Betts, Shohei and Freeman?
Yep. Here's why. There's no arguing with his bat. He doesn't strike out much, he hits the ball in the air, he doesn't chase, and he's hit somewhere between 19 and 25 HRs, with 76-87 RBI and an OPS between .797 and .860 the past three years. But the acquisition of Shohei Ohtani takes away all opportunity for Will Smith to DH. He spent 14 of his 126 games at DH last season and 25 at DH in 2022. This will be his age-29 season, and he has played 130, 137, and 126 games the past three years. Finally, Daulton Rushing and Diego Cartaya, two of the top 10 catching prospects in baseball are on their way to Los Angeles in 2024/2025.
The presence of DH-only Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman's desire to play first base every day, the wear and tear on Smith from catching the past three years, and talented young players on the way spell fewer plate appearances for Will Smith in 2024. He may be better per plate appearance given more rest, but the counting stats we have come to count on from Will Smith will be fewer. And as stated earlier, playing time is king at catcher.
#8: Francisco Alvarez - New York Mets
2023:
97 wRC+
.209/.284/.437/.721
423 PA, 51 R, 25 HR, 63 RBI, 2 SB
8% BB, 26% K
Age-22 season in 2024. Alvarez has a 25 homer season in his portfolio, has run double digit walk rates at every stop in the minors, averaged 90+ mph and maxed out at 114.1 mph on batted balls, and ran a .222 BABIP with a normal GB/FB ratio. Alvarez is slated to hit seventh according to RosterResource, but if he starts hitting like the top 5 prospect he was, he will climb in the order, boosting his runs and RBI. He also was in the 84th percentile for barrel% and 72nd for Hard-Hit. If the BABIP normalizes and Alvarez continues to hit the ball this hard, .260/.350/.500 is within reach. The talent in his bat is real, and in dynasty, invest in Alvarez now. His stock is only going to rise.
Tier 3 - The Geriatrics Ward
#9: JT Realmuto - Philadelphia Philies
2023:
102 wRC+
.252/.310/.452/.762
540 PA, 70 R, 20 HR, 63 RBI, 16 SB
6.5% BB, 25.6% K
One has to wonder how many more years JT can exceed 500 plate appearances. Since 2016, the Covid-shortened 2020 season was the only season Realmuto hasn't been over 531 PAs. That's a lot on a full time catcher. Whether he gets hurt, or starts to truly decline offensively, counting on Realmuto to keep posting 500 PAs, 20ish homers, and an .800ish OPS may prove foolish. He'll be 33 years old this season and he DH'd a grand total of ZERO games in 2023. His 6.5% BB rate was his lowest since 2017 and his 25.6% K rate was his highest since his rookie year (2014). On a roster with defenders like Schwarber, Bohm, Castellanos, and an older Bryce Harper, JT won't be first in line for DH plate appearances in 2024 either. Catchers like Diaz and Alvarez ranked higher than JT is a bet on their upside as much as a bet on JT's physical decline, but due to his 20 HR power and unique contribution with steals (16 last season), Realmuto remains a top 10 catcher. He's just not the clear cut top 3 catcher he once was.
#10: Willson Contreras - St.Louis Cardinals
2023:
127 wRC+
495 PA, 55 R, 20 HR, 67 RBI, 6 SB
.264/.358/.467/.826
10.3% BB, 22.4% K
Willson may never be a counting stat monster, but his rate stats and 20 HRs can be counted on. He's hit 21, 22, and 20 homers the last three years. He's scored 61, 65, and 55 runs. And he's driven in 61, 55, and 67 runs. Couple his consistency with a 10% BB rate, a couple of SB, and an OPS around .800, Contreras is a very safe bet to not sink you at catcher. The upside isn't there, despite an aEV of 91.3 mph, 12.2% barrel rate, and a 46.9% Hard-Hit. He hits too many grounders to take full advantage of his power.
Contreras is 32 years old. He will likely hit fifth in the Cards lineup until Jordan Walker heats up. He has been over 500 PAs once in his eight year career. And yet, he's become the Honda Accord of the catcher position. Reliable, smart, and uncool.
#11: Salvador Perez - Kansas City Royals
2023:
86 wRC+
.255/.292/.422/.714
580 PA, 59 R, 23 HR, 80 RBI, 0 SB
3.3% BB, 23.3% K
23 homers and 80 RBIs will work at the catcher position. In fact, of the top 16 catchers, Salvy was second in RBIs (Heim - 92) and tied for third in HRs. The issue is his .714 OPS and sub .300 OBP are potential anvils. Perez has never walked, but he posted .986 and .859 OPS in 2020 and 2021. He's entering his age-34 season, and his back and knees bark. But he'll likely hit third or fourth in the Royals lineup, is in line for more DH plate appearances as he ages, and hit 48 (!) homers just three years ago. .260/.300/.500 with mid 20s HRs and 80ish RBIs is a definitive possibility. At this point, Salvy is a counting stat fantasy catcher who you hope becomes more of a full time DH. Not an exciting pick, but another which won't sink your fantasy season.
Tier 4 - Catcher Dregs
#12: Keibert Ruiz - Washington Nationals
2023:
93 wRC+
.260/.308/.409/.717
562 PA, 55 R, 18 HR, 67 RBI, 1 SB
5.5% BB, 10.3% K
At first glance, .260 with 18 HRs and 67 RBIs isn't bad for a catcher, right? But underneath the hood, you will find 87.4 mph aEV (16th percentile), 5.8% barrel (25th), 31.9% Hard-Hit (12th), 36.5% chase (9th), and 5.5% BB (12th). Ruiz is a free-swinger who makes a ton of weak contact in a bottom third scoring offense (2023). He's slated to hit third, he's only 25 years old, and his bat to ball skill is elite. If Keibert can somehow learn to be more selective, swing less, and hunt his pitch, he has the ability to climb this list. But until he learns, he'll continue to be a bottom tier starting fantasy catcher.
#13: Jonah Heim - Texas Rangers
2023:
103 wRC+
.258/.317/.438/.755
501 PA, 61 R, 18 HR, 95 RBI, 2 SB
8% BB, 19.2% K
95 RBIs isn't happening again for Jonah Heim. He had 363 PAs hitting 6th last season, 58 PAs hitting 5th, and 56 PAs hitting 7th. The ascent of Evan Carter will likely drop Heim to the #7 spot in the order, cutting his RBI opportunities. He had 48 RBIs in 450 PAs in 2022, and he's a very average hitter from a metrics standpoint (89.2 aEV - 8% barrel - 38.5% Hard-Hit). Counting on Jonah Heim to produce 95 RBIs again is foolhardy, but he is not unlike Ruiz, Salvy, and a few others just above him on this list. High teens homers, 70ish RBIs, and a mid .700s OPS places Jonah Heim at the bottom of the fantasy starting caliber catchers.
Tier 4 - The Young Bucks
#14: Bo Naylor - Cleveland Guardians
2023:
124 wRC+
.237/.339/.470/.809
230 PA, 33 R, 11 HR, 32 RBI, 5 SB
13% BB, 23% K
Love me some Bo Naylor. Personal favorite at catcher. Gets on base, 50% fly ball in 2023, 11 HRs in 230 PAs, adds an element of speed from the catcher position, slated to hit sixth in the Guardians lineup in 2024.
You'd like to see him pull the ball a bit more (39.7% pull rate last season) and his exit velocities weren't great (87.7 mph aEV). But Bo Naylor allows you to dream on 25 HRs, 12 SB, and a .250/.360/.475 type of statline. He has some star potential, and he's going to be in his age-24 season. There remains a bit of platoon risk (.217/.294/.664 vs L and .243/.352/.500 vs R last season) but if the stars align for Bo, he and Harry Ford may top this list in a few years due to their all-around contributions. Naylor and the next two on the list have breakout potential, just don't expect it to happen immediately.
#15: Logan O'Hoppe - Los Angeles Angels
2023:
115 wRC+
.236/.296/.500/.796
199 PA, 23 R, 14 HR, 29 RBI, 0 SB
7% BB, 24.1% K
A torn labrum in his left shoulder cut Logan O'Hoppe's season short. He was out from April 21st through August 18th. However, when healthy, O'Hoppe displayed big power which resulted in 14 HR in 199 plate appearances. While he isn't expected to keep up this rate, he is a more well-rounded hitter than he displayed in 2023. There's a lot of swing and miss in his game as evidenced by his 15.9% SwStr, 32.1% whiff, and 24.1% K rate. And yet, .250/.340/.475 is a somewhat realistic expectation. Roster resource has him hitting seventh in the Angels lineup which will look drastically different without Shohei Ohtani, but injuries (Rendon, Trout, Ward hit in front of O'Hoppe) and/or big displays of power could elevate Logan higher in the order. A healthy Logan O'Hoppe could hit 25 HRs, but score 60 runs and drive in 60. As a catcher at the bottom of the list of palatable catchers, that's not bad. And there's upside to boot.
#16: Gabriel Moreno - Arizona D'Backs
2023:
103 wRC+
.284/.339/.408/.747
380 PA, 33 R, 7 HR, 50 RBI, 6 SB
7.6% BB, 19.7% K
Gabriel Moreno is the starting catcher on the, "if he could only All-Stars." His 54.6% ground ball rate and 4.2° launch angle prevent Moreno from being a star. Learning how to elevate is something we've seen, but Moreno is a line drive hitter, who thrives by spraying the ball around the park. Do the Diamondbacks tinker with his swing and get, say, 17 HRs and a .260/.330/.430 line from Moreno? Or do they let him do his thing and hit 10 HRs with a .300/.360/.430 sort of stat line with more extra base hits?
Moreno will be in his age-24 season, so there is plenty of time to grow into his profile. And he is listed as the number three (!) hitter in the Arizona lineup. So there should be tons of RBI opportunities. I'm guessing the D'Backs let him be, take the high average hitter and allow him to thrive. You will have to supplement Moreno's lack of HR power elsewhere, but he should provide plenty in the other categories.
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Shea Langeliers (OAK)
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Top 10 Minor League Dynasty Catchers
Next Up: First Base Preview
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