We’re three weeks into the Dynasty Keepers for 2025 and immediately we flip our consideration to catchers. This can be a place that’s mind-numbingly weak as there’s not loads of high quality depth.
Few catchers will allow you to throughout the board. Chances are you’ll get a catcher who has energy however kills your common and on-base proportion. Or it’s possible you’ll get a catcher who hits properly and will get on base however has no energy in any respect. The typical main league hitter this season posted a slash line of .240/.309/.394. Of the 53 catchers I checked out, their common slash line was .238/.300/.381. Principally, this can be a place that’s beneath the common participant throughout the board.
Solely six catchers hit 20 or extra homers and just one reached 30. Solely three catchers drove in additional than 90 runs. Those who can do all of it are price their weight in gold as they will provide you with an enormous benefit at that place towards opponents if you’re fortunate sufficient to land certainly one of these unicorns.
Anyway, let’s get to the rankings.
These Who Missed the Reduce
I don’t assume any of the next gamers are going to make you upset that they aren’t listed in Tier 4.
Nick Fortes appeared in 107 video games for Miami, however he slashed .229/.259/.323 with 4 homers and 29 RBI. Christian Vazquez performed in 91 video games for the Twins, however he had a .226/.251/.333 slash line with seven homers and 27 RBI and he’s no spring rooster.
Henry Davis was purported to be the subsequent up-and-coming catcher, however the Pirates backstop principally spent the entire season on the IL and when he did play, he slashed .144/.242/.212 and in 99 profession MLB video games he has a .191/.283/.307 slash line – although with eight residence runs.
David Fry is a participant who actually is a superb dynasty keeper. Whereas he qualifies as a catcher, I see his future extra within the discipline so I didn’t put him into my Prime 40. However in the event you want a catcher for subsequent season, Fry can actually be a drive for you at that place.
Should you want a catcher who isn’t ranked, then simply throw names of free agent catchers right into a hat and take whoever you pull out.
As a result of dynasty leagues range of their guidelines concerning prospects, I don’t listing them in my place rankings and Itch does an amazing job with regards to the prospects. However for leagues that blend prospects and main league gamers into the identical pool of gamers, there are some strong catching prospects who you must watch. I gained’t go into particulars, however beneath are my favourite catching prospects:
Ethan Salas, San Diego Padres
Kyle Teel, Boston Crimson Sox
Samuel Basallo, Baltimore Orioles
Harry Ford, Seattle Mariners
Dalton Speeding, Los Angeles Dodgers
Jeferson Quero, Milwaukee Brewers
Tier 4
*Age as of April 1, 2025
RANK
PLAYER
2024 TEAM
AGE
40
James McCann
BAL
34
39
Danny Jansen
BOS
29
38
Carson Kelly
TEX
30
37
Hunter Goodman
COL
25
36
Mitch Garver
SEA
34
35
Elias Diaz
SD
34
34
Jake Rogers
DET
29
33
Korey Lee
CWS
26
32
Ivan Herrera
STL
24
31
Freddy Fermin
KC
29
This whole tier of gamers ought to solely be in your staff as a result of it’s worthwhile to carry two catchers or you’re having to switch an injured catcher. In any other case, it’s largely a set of gamers who could be changed by nearly anybody with a pulse.
At Least He’s Younger
Hunter Goodman did one factor properly for the Rockies this previous season, and that was hit residence runs. In 70 video games he hit 13 homers and drove in 36 runs with a .417 SLG. However Goodman additionally hit solely .190 with a .228 OBP, 28.6% strikeout fee and a measly 3.6% stroll fee. However in the event you like catchers with 5.8% residence run charges and are below the age of 30, Goodman is your man.
A Pair of Vets
Mitch Garver and Elias Diaz will each be 34 on Opening Day. That’s actually the one factor you actually need to learn about them. Garver does have energy as he hit 14 homers this 12 months and has hit 10 or extra dingers in every of the final 4 seasons. Should you don’t care about his age and simply desire a catcher who can slug, then Garver is usually a strong catcher to have as he does have a profession slugging proportion of .454. However he’s coming off certainly one of his worst seasons on the plate with regards to his slash line and he’s not getting youthful.
Diaz was truly an All-Star for Colorado in 2023, however when Diaz shouldn’t be enjoying in Denver, his manufacturing takes a tumble. In 5 seasons with the Rockies he had a .403 slugging proportion whereas in 5 seasons with the Pirates his SLG was .355. After being traded to the Padres, he appeared in solely 12 video games and struggled with a .190/.292/.429 slash line.
The Better of Tier 4
Ivan Herrera is a strong backup catcher who gained’t kill you when he’s within the lineup. In 72 video games this previous season he slashed .301/.372/.428 and in 96 profession video games his slash line sits at .289/.365/.398. He doesn’t hit for lots of energy, however that’s why he’s a Tier 4 catcher.
Freddy Fermin is among the finest “backup” catchers on the market. He has to play second fiddle to Salvador Perez in Kansas Metropolis, however he seems in additional video games than the common backup because of Perez usually enjoying at first base or DH. Fermin has respectable energy as he had six homers this 12 months and 9 final 12 months in 70 video games. However in 184 profession video games he has a .272/.316/.398 slash line and his 162-game common is 13 homers and 60 RBI.
Tier 3
RANK
PLAYER
2024 TEAM
AGE
30
Travis D’Arnaud
ATL
36
29
Jacob Stallings
COL
35
28
Kyle Higashioka
SD
34
27
Alejandro Kirk
TOR
26
26
Adrian Del Castillo
ARI
25
25
Gabriel Moreno
ARI
25
24
Miguel Amaya
CHC
26
23
Victor Caratini
HOU
31
22
Jonah Heim
TEX
29
21
Patrick Bailey
SF
25
The Previous Of us
Travis D’Arnaud did an amazing job filling in for Sean Murphy this 12 months as he hit 15 homers, the fifth straight season he has reached double digits in homers (not together with 2020). He’s a median catcher with regards to the common and OBP and he’s above common in slugging. A wholesome Murphy will depress D’Arnaud’s at-bats subsequent season, however I nonetheless like him greater than these Tier 4 catchers.
Jacob Stallings is a probable candidate to be a backup catcher subsequent season as he shall be 35 and has a profession .239/.319/.353 slash line. Goodman would be the starter subsequent 12 months as Stallings has a mutual possibility with the Rockies for 2025. However he has an honest sufficient bat that he is usually a respectable backup on somebody’s roster subsequent 12 months.
Kyle Higashioka produced 17 homers and 45 RBI for the Padres this previous season, a profession excessive, after hitting precisely 10 residence runs in every of the earlier seasons. However the Padres have tons of catchers and being a free agent this offseason, who is aware of the place Higashioka will find yourself and what his function shall be. However even when he’s a backup, he produces when he performs and could be strong No. 2 catcher in your roster.
What Will Arizona Do?
The Diamondbacks have an honest drawback in they’ve two catchers who they’ll flip to and sure be proud of. However for dynasty house owners, that isn’t an amazing state of affairs.
Gabriel Moreno has at all times been a strong hitter on the plate. He has a profession slash line of .280/.347/.393 – numbers method above the common catcher. However Moreno doesn’t hit for energy. In 233 profession video games, he has 13 homers and a 1.4% residence run fee. In the meantime, the Diamondbacks even have Adrian Del Castillo ready within the wings. As a catcher, Del Castillo has loads of room to enhance.
However as a hitter, he’s harmful. He has above common energy as he hit 26 homers in 105 video games at Triple A this season and added one other 4 in 25 video games with Arizona. The ability is nothing new for Del Castillo. Throughout his three years on the College of Miami he had a profession slugging proportion of .499 and within the minors it’s .474.
Sneaky Good
Victor Caratini is the backup catcher for the Astros, however because of his means to additionally play first base, he appeared in 87 video games this previous season regardless of spending time on the IL with a hip damage. Over the previous two seasons, Caratini has a .265/.332/.397 slash line with 15 homers and 55 RBI in 149 video games. As a result of he can play first base and is a change hitter, he’ll possible get extra enjoying time than your typical backup catcher.
Tier 2
RANK
PLAYER
2024 TEAM
AGE
20
J.T. Realmuto
PHI
34
19
Sean Murphy
ATL
30
18
Bo Naylor
CLE
25
17
Keibert Ruiz
WAS
26
16
Luis Campusano
SD
26
15
Francisco Alvarez
NYM
23
14
Austin Wells
NYY
25
13
Joey Bart
PIT
28
12
Connor Wong
BOS
28
11
Ryan Jeffers
MIN
27
What Occurred?
That may be a query many are asking with regards to Luis Campusano and Francisco Alvarez this previous season. Each catchers had been anticipated to have sturdy seasons. As an alternative, we barely bought common seasons from them.
Campusano was handed the beginning job this season after producing a .319/.356/.491 slash line with seven homers in 49 video games in 2023. However 2024 was not form to Campusano and by September he was within the minors. For the 12 months he had a .227/.281/.361 slash line with eight residence runs in 91 video games. The Padres will not be going to surrender on him, however with Ethan Salas knocking on the door, Campusano’s future shouldn’t be a identified commodity.
Huge issues had been additionally anticipated from Alvarez as properly. Nevertheless, he delivered a .237/.307/.403 season with 11 homers in 308 at-bats. Alvarez was simply too inconsistent in 2024. He slashed .375/.456/.667 with three homers and 12 RBI in 16 June video games, however in July these numbers had been .200/.263/.314-1-6 and .171/.213/.237-1-4. However Alvarez, who will solely be 23 subsequent season, ended the 12 months on a excessive word by smashing 5 homers and driving in 17 runs in September with a .254/.357/.542 slash line.
These are numbers that may make this rating look foolish by this time subsequent 12 months.
Future Stars (at the very least when in comparison with different catchers)?
Austin Wells can simply be ranked as a Tier 1 catcher by the tip of subsequent season. Whereas he didn’t have an amazing slash line this previous season (.229/.322.395), he did slug 13 homers to go along with 55 RBI in 115 video games. In 134 main league video games, he has 17 homers and 68 RBI and his 162-game common is 21 homers and 82 RBI. Within the minors he had a profession .260/.370/.476 slash line, so his historical past means that his slash line will enhance within the majors.
When Joey Bart was traded by the Giants to the Pirates on April 2, it was one of the best factor that might have occurred for him. Bart struggled to ever discover his footing in San Francisco, however as soon as in Pittsburgh, his expertise lastly began to return by means of. In 80 video games this 12 months he slashed .265/.337/.462 with 13 homers and 45 RBI. Bart will possible have to separate duties with Davis, however he ought to get nearly all of begins behind residence plate as he has been the higher hitter within the majors.
Connor Wong is a kind of catchers who can truly assist with regards to the slash line, producing a .282/.337/.428 line this season in 124 video games with 13 homers and 52 RBI, a pleasant leap from 2023 (.235/.288/.385-9-36). He additionally lowered his strikeout fee from 33.3% in 2023 to 23.4% this 12 months whereas additionally barely growing his stroll fee and residential run fee.
Ryan Jeffers has proven the flexibility to provide a pleasant common and OBP (.276/.369 in 2023), however his profession slash line is .231/.310/.427. What Jeffers has been in a position to do properly is hit the ball over the fence and within the gaps. He slugged .432 this 12 months in 122 video games because of 21 homers and 22 doubles. His profession SLG is .427 with a HR% of 4.2%, above the MLB common of three.1%
Tier 1
RANK
PLAYER
2024 TEAM
AGE
10
Logan O’Hoppe
LAA
25
9
Tyler Stephenson
CIN
28
8
Willson Conteras
STL
32
7
Will Smith
LAD
30
6
Shea Langeliers
OAK
27
5
Adley Rutschman
BAL
27
4
Salvador Perez
KC
34
3
Cal Raleigh
SEA
28
2
Yainer Diaz
HOU
26
1
William Conteras
MIL
27
Stable and Regular
Logan O’Hoppe got here onto the scene for the Angles in 2023 when he appeared in 51 video games and hit 14 residence runs and slugged .500. As an encore in 2024, he hit 20 homers, drove in 56 and slugged .409 in 136 video games. He isn’t going to provide a excessive batting common and OBP, but when I get 20 or extra residence runs from my catcher, I’m a contented man.
When Tyler Stephenson performs a full season, he’s good for double-digit homers and an above common slash line on the catcher place. Stephenson is coming off his finest 12 months as he hit 19 homers and drove in 66 for the Reds whereas slashing .258/.338/.444. His profession slash line is .267/.343/.427 and his 162-game common is 17 homers and 72 RBI. That’s nice manufacturing from a catcher.
Age Is a Issue
Willson Conteras is an impressive catcher. His 162-game common is 26 homers and 80 RBI and in solely 84 video games this season he hit 15 homers whereas driving in 36 with a .262/.380/.468 slash line. The one actual purpose why he’s ranked eighth and never somewhat larger is because of the truth that he’s 32. However if you’re wanting extra brief time period with regards to the catching place, then seize Conteras early and be blissful.
Will Smith was an All-Star this season in addition to in 2023 and produced 20 homers and 75 RBI, principally the identical manufacturing he has posted since 2021. However there’s a development with Smith that I’m not liking – a lower in slugging proportion 12 months to 12 months to 12 months. In 2020 he slugged .579. Within the 4 seasons since, his SLG has been .495, .465, .438 and .433. His OBP has additionally slipped from a excessive of .401 in 2020 to a profession low .327 this 12 months.
Smith nonetheless hits homers and drives in runs, however these different numbers forestall me from rating any larger than seventh.
A Very Good Trio
I’m certain the truth that Shea Langeliers performs for the A’s is the rationale for this, nevertheless it appears nobody talks about him. All he does is play practically on daily basis, showing in 135 video games in 2023 and 137 video games this 12 months. And when he’s performs, he hits for lots of energy with 22 homers and 63 RBI in 2023 after which 29 homers and 80 this season. Like loads of the catchers we now have talked about, Langeliers shouldn’t be nice within the slash line division, however I’ll take his energy on daily basis of the week.
Adley Rutschman didn’t have a nasty season, however he hasn’t actually lived as much as expectations but. Don’t get me improper, I’ll gladly take a catcher with a .261/.321/.421 profession slash line and 52 homers in 415 profession video games (and a 162-game common of 20 homers and 78 RBI). However the gamers I’ve ranked forward of him both have extra energy, are higher hitters, or each right now.
I’m not going to punish Salvador Perez for being outdated. Regardless of the actual fact he shall be 34 subsequent season, he has proven no indicators of slowing down. Of the 158 video games he appeared in, 91 had been at catcher, with the opposite video games break up between first base and DH. Since his 48 homer, 121 RBI season in 2021, Perez has nonetheless managed to hit 23, 23 and 27 residence runs with 76, 80 and 104 RBI. Since his debut season in 2011, Perez has by no means slugged beneath .400. He’s the Energizer Bunny…he simply retains going and going and going.
The Banger, The Hitter, The All-Round Dude
There may be one factor Cal Raleigh does properly, and that’s hit residence runs and, by extension, drive in runs. After main all catchers in residence runs in 2023 and rating sixth in RBI with 75, he once more led all catchers in homers this previous season with 31 whereas his 96 RBI ranked second. The draw back to Raleigh is his poor batting common and OBP (.218 and .312). And people low totals are the norm with regards to Raleigh has his profession common is .218 and his OBP is .296. Should you don’t care about common and OBP out of your catcher, then Raleigh is the person for you.
Whereas Raleigh is all energy on the plate, Yainer Diaz is a real hitter. His slash line was .299/.324/.442 this previous season, rating first amongst catchers in batting common. He additionally hit 16 homers and drove in 84 runs (fourth amongst catchers). Diaz, who additionally qualifies as a primary baseman, has glorious uncooked energy. In 2023 hit 23 homers in 377 at-bats because of a 6.1 HR% and 29.6 FB%. His residence run fee fell to 2.6% in 2024 and his GB% jumped from 44.3% to 51.2% this previous season. If Diaz will get nearer to his 2023 charges, he can simply attain 30 homers and 100 RBI.
Should you mix Raleigh and Diaz collectively, you get William Contreras of Milwaukee. The Brewers catcher hit 23 homers, drove in 92 runs and slashed .281/.364/.468. His 92 RBI ranked third amongst catchers, and what he did this season shouldn’t be a one-time occasion. He slashed .289/.367/.457 final 12 months with 17 houses and 76 RBI and his profession slash line is .277/.358/.465. Discovering catchers who can produce his slash line whereas additionally hitting for energy may be very uncommon, and it’s why Contreras tops my rankings.
Thanks for studying and are available again subsequent week after I unveil my rankings for first basemen.
Earlier Rankings
Prime 50 Dynasty Keepers for 2025 – RelieversTop 100 Dynasty Keepers for 2025 – Beginning Pitchers
