It’s all about having a plan. Of course as soon your draft begins, that plan goes out the window, so maybe framework is the better word. You have positions to fill and categories of production to secure. Rankings are great, but breaking them into positional tiers is always better. With the catching position, we really are just after power and run production while trying to minimize the hit to your batting average. Let’s take a look at how the catcher tiers are comprised this year by utilizing NFBC ADP for 12 team leagues (as of drafts through 2/26).
Catcher Tiers in 2024 Fantasy Baseball Drafts
Tier One
1. Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles, 54
While there are some intriguing contestants to potentially join Adley Rutschman in the future, for now, he is in a class of his own. Thanks to a liberal use of the DH spot, 46 games, we got 154 games of Rutschman’s bat in the lineup last year. He walks just about as much as he strikes out and hit for average at .277 while going deep 20 times. The catcher position is getting better so there is less incentive to jump the position, but with 84 runs scored and 80 RBI, along with the batting average, Rutschman stands out.
Tier Two
2. J.T Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies, 80
3. William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers, 78
4. Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers, 87
5. Yainer Diaz, Houston Astros, 104
J.T. Realmuto represents the old guard, and while he continues to produce at a high level, he is on the verge of being surpassed. He continues to log a heavy workload, but the batting average decreased by 24 points along with a drop of 21 RBI and an increased strikeout rate. Realmuto still stole 16 bases and had an 11.2% barrel rate, so don’t count him out just yet.
The .289 batting average sets William Contreras apart from his peers, but with just 17 home runs last year, it is a trade-off. Batting in the middle of the order does help from both a runs and RBI perspective though. Will Smith shows a similar profile, but just with a batting average closer to .260 and in a better lineup. Yainer Diaz gets a chance to truly show what he can do with regular at-bats this season. After he hit 23 home runs and drove in 60 runs 104 games last year hitting .282, optimism is high. It is for good reason after Diaz also had a strong 12.2% barrel rate in 2023.
While it’s hard to find many faults with this tier, depending on roster construction, I prefer to look elsewhere based on the price. However, you get a clear advantage from a batting perspective though and that does have value.
Tier Three
6. Francisco Alvarez, New York Mets, 151
7. Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners, 145
8. Willson Contreras, St. Louis Cardinals, 145
9. Jonah Heim, Texas Rangers, 175
I freely admit that I’m high on Francisco Alvarez, and I can easily see him rise to the next tier in 2025. Adjusting to the major leagues is quite difficult to do as a hitter, but the wrinkle of learning a pitching staff and how to run a game from behind the plate makes things incredibly harder. Alvarez did a great job contending with that last year and still hit 25 home runs in 123 games. The .209 batting will have some recovery, but we are looking at a 30/80 hitter here. Alvarez will have company there with Cal Raleigh after he finished with 30 home runs and 78 RBI last year. We aren’t going to see a batting average much better than .230, but he has settled in as a power threat.
It was a rough start to Willson Contreras’ career with the Cardinals, but he finished with his usual 20 home runs and 67 RBI while batting .264. We can’t expect much more here, but the veteran is as consistent as they come. While he isn’t a true power threat, Jonah Heim would have finished with more than 100 RBI last year had he not been injured. Heim still played in 131 games and drove in 95 runs while hitting 18 home runs. The problem here is that Heim is likely going bat a little further down in Texas’ order, but he is still a fine option at a fair price.
Tier Four
10. Sean Murphy, Atlanta Braves, 144
11. Gabriel Moreno, Arizona Diamondbacks, 158
12. Bo Naylor, Cleveland Guardians, 171
13. Logan O’Hoppe, Los Angeles Angels, 166
14. Mitch Garver, Seattle Mariners, 183
15. Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals, 130
16. Keibert Ruiz, Washington Nationals, 181
Should there be a run on catcher, or other areas you have to address, there is nothing wrong with using this tier to fill your catching needs. Some options offer more upside than others, but you should leave with solid production.
Despite a large step up in supporting cast, Sean Murphy did have some issues adjusting to life in Atlanta. The expectation is for that to be resolved for 2024, but regardless, Murphy still hit .251 with 21 home runs and 68 RBI last year. That cannot be overlooked. Gabriel Moreno also had a new home last year, Arizona, and it was also his first season with regular playing time. In 380 plate appearances, Moreno’s biggest skill was on display as he hit .284 with 50 RBI. With just a 4.8% barrel rate and seven home runs, perhaps there is a little more power development, but it won’t be a true asset.
After a strong performance in 67 games last year, there is some optimism with Bo Naylor. He hit 11 home runs, stole five bases, and drove in 32 runs which set the stage for 2024. With respect to Logan O’Hoppe, we were shortchanged last year as the rookie only made it through 51 games. What we saw was impressive though as O’Hoppe finished with 14 home runs and 29 RBI although he hit just .236 (.240 BABIP). O’Hoppe’s .264 ISO is impressive as was his 15.6% barrel rate.
The fact that Mitch Garver enters the season as the full-time DH in Seattle should help to keep his bat in the lineup. Enjoy the eligibility at catcher along with the 30 home run upside and RBI potential if he can stay in the lineup. At some point, Salvador Perez is likely going to slow down, but the Royals can also utilize the DH spot for him. Perez still finished with 23 home runs and 80 RBI last year while hitting .255, and that plays here.
There is some level of divisiveness here as Keibert Ruiz is the perfect example of why you can wait at catcher in leagues that only require you to start one. We have no issues with workload here as Ruiz hit .260 with 18 home runs and 67 RBI last year in 136 games. It was a large jump from seven in the season prior as he also boosted his barrel-rate from 3.7% to 5.8%.
Tier Five
17. Luis Campusano, San Diego Padres. 206
18. Shea Langeliers, Oakland A’s, 274
19. Ryan Jeffers, Minnesota Twins, 250
20. Elias Diaz, Colorado Rockies, 270
21. MJ Melendez, Kansas City Royals, 290
22. Tyler Stephenson, Cincinnati Reds, 243
23. Henry Davis, Pittsburgh Pirates, 250
24. Danny Jansen, Toronto Blue Jays, 321
Now this is where things begin to get interesting. We have been waiting a few years for Luis Campusano to find his footing at the big league level, and it appears this will be the year. While he doesn’t have elite power, Campusano did hit seven home runs in 49 games last year while batting .319. Shea Langeliers is another intriguing young player, but it does hurt him being on Oakland. Despite the home park, he still finished with 22 home runs last year. had he been part of a better lineup, Langeliers would likely have had more than 63 RBI. Additionally, he is a batting average liability, .205 last year, and that will be a problem.
From a fantasy perspective, the Twins just need to commit to giving Ryan Jeffers regular playing time. That keeps his ranking from being higher as Jeffers finished with 14 home runs and 43 RBI in 96 games last year while batting a strong .276. For Elias Diaz, it is all about riding the Coors Field wave, but it is all perceived. Diaz is a solid contributor who appeared to be immune to any splits last year. MJ Melendez has leveled out at this point, but he is projected to be Kansas City’s leadoff hitter while playing left field. Despite impressive metrics that should lead to more power, Melendez hit just 16 home runs last year in 148 games. At this point, it’s unclear if he can put everything together at the big league level.
Despite a strong and exciting lineup around him, that likely won’t be the case for Tyler Stephenson. He doesn’t hit for a particularly strong average, but he’s not a power hitter either and being projected to bat ninth doesn’t help. In most leagues, we likely will have to wait for Henry Davis to secure catcher eligibility, but he could be worth the wait in deeper leagues. Going deep off Corbin Burnes helps with the hype, but the former number-one pick does have some real power to harness. For Danny Jansen, the big issue, is that he needs to stay on the field. After only playing 86 games last year, it’s difficult to trust him. However, he did go deep 17 times to go with his .246 ISO.
Tier Six
25. Austin Wells, New York Yankees, 334
26. Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays, 292
27. Jake Rogers, Detroit Tigers, 345
28. Connor Wong, Boston Red Sox, 357
29. Rene Pinto, Tampa Bay Rays, 357
30. Yan Gomes, Chicago Cubs, 359
Anytime we see a left-handed hitter play for the Yankees, it’s easy for the imagination to run wild. In the case of Austin Wells, he does bring some real power to the table, but he’ll likely struggle to hit for average. Alejandro Kirk’s double-digit walk rate helps in OBP leagues, but with a barrel rate of just 5.2% last year we aren’t going to see any power from him. Jake Rogers will bring the power, but we also have to contend with a liability in the batting average department. This is thanks in part to a strikeout rate of over 30%.
At this point, Connor Wong figures to receive the majority of the playing time behind the plate for Boston. Wong has shown some power in the minor leagues along with the ability to steal a few bases, and he is a decent streamer in two catcher leagues, that is about it. Based on playing time, Rene Pinto has the potential to be a little more than that as there is limited competition currently in Tampa Bay. Strikeouts will be a problem, but Pinto has a little pop in his bat and has shown the ability to hit for a solid average in the past. It’s unclear how much playing time Yan Gomes will get, but when in the lineup the veteran should provide solid production, but nothing to truly rely on.
For more of the great fantasy baseball rankings and analysis you’ve come to expect from FantraxHQ, check out our full 2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit! We’re here for you all the way up until Opening Day and then on into your championship run.