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Andy discusses his top catcher prospects to target in 2024 fantasy baseball redraft leagues. Which of these players is worth drafting and which isn't?
Over the past two seasons, baseball fans have watched a new group of young catchers debut and take over the position. Adley Rutschman is considered the best the position has to offer, and young backstops like Cal Raleigh and Francisco Alvarez are showing elite power potential at a young age the position has not seen in some time. While these players and others like Bo Naylor, Tyler Soderstrom, and Yainer Diaz have “graduated” from prospect status, there are still plenty of names to watch in redraft leagues in 2024.
Unlike last season, fewer catching prospects are waiting in the wings. Most, if not all, of these players will open the season in Double or Triple-A.
However, their prospect pedigree is worth noting as they have shown signs of great potential and have already excelled in the minor leagues. Many of these names could become quite valuable down the stretch, especially in two-catcher fantasy baseball leagues.
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Top Catcher Prospects for 2024 Fantasy Baseball Redraft Leagues
1. Austin Wells, New York Yankees- ETA: 2024
Wells is the one name already penciled in on the Opening Day roster, which is why he is at the top of this list. He is not the best-catching prospect, but he could very well be the first prospect name taken off the draft board in your redraft league.
Currently the seventh-ranked prospect in the New York Yankees system, Austin Wells had a small taste of the big leagues in 2023 when he was called up from Triple-A in September. Across the Yankees system last season, Wells tallied 17 round-trippers with a .442 SLG and .775 OPS. When he arrived in the Bronx, he registered a similar .486 SLG with four home runs across 19 games.
Wells, a lefty bat, will benefit in his home park. The short right field porch at Yankee Stadium will give Wells a power boost to his game, making him enticing from a fantasy perspective.
The young backstop should also see plenty of opportunity to bring in runs and score them as the Yankees revamped their lineup this winter with the blockbuster addition of Juan Soto. A healthy Aaron Judge will also do wonders for everyone in this lineup.
One aspect where Wells succeeded during his brief stint in the Bronx, albeit with a small sample size, was his ability to hit fastballs. Wells saw fastballs 49.3% of the time and hit them with a mediocre .237 AVG.
However, a quick look under the hood shows he had a .350 xAVG against heaters with a .752 xSLG. In addition, he only whiffed at a 17.2% rate against fastballs, where he swung and missed at offspeed and breaking pitches over 40% of the time.
Wells is a low-risk investment in two-catcher leagues or in AL-only formats that could easily outperform his current ADP with his current status on the Yankees' depth chart.
According to MLB Pipeline, most of the names below are considered better prospects than Wells, and some are even considered the best at the position. However, they are not guaranteed playing time in 2024 as of the early winter. We have to wait and see how things play out across the remainder of the offseason, especially in spring training. Despite this, you should become familiar with these names as they could become league-winning players off the waiver wire in July.
Their potential call-up time is very uncertain, so do not put much stock into where they are “ranked” but instead focus on their talents and situation within their club.
Here are the top remaining prospect catchers for your redraft league who have the best chance to make a significant impact in 2024. These prospects below have at least reached Double-A last year, which gives them a chance to reach the majors this season. A lot can happen between now and April.
2. Jeferson Quero, Milwaukee Brewers- ETA: 2024
The No. 3 overall catching prospect is projected to arrive in the majors this season, according to MLB Pipeline. However, the Brewers have one of the best in the majors at backstop in William Contreras and a veteran backup in Eric Haase, which could limit an early call.
Quero, praised for his defensive play, was awarded the MiLB Rawlings Gold Glove in 2023. In the batter’s box, Quero showed a significant power uptick last season in Double-A, where he hit 16 home runs across 90 games. In contrast, in 2022, he hit 10 in 95 games, which is something to monitor when he hopefully opens the season in Triple-A.
3. Drew Romo, Colorado Rockies- ETA: 2024
The Rockies prospect spent 2023 primarily in Double-A and made a few appearances in Triple-A. Last season, the switch hitter batted a .259 AVG and swiped six bags. Speed at the catcher position is always an excellent asset in category-scoring formats.
The Rockies currently have Elias Diaz slotted as the starter, and veteran Jacob Stallings is behind him. However, Romo could be given a look during the season as the Rockies will not be competing for the playoffs and would like to see what they have in him as they prepare for the future.
Side note: fellow teammate Hunter Goodman made his major league debut last season as a first baseman but played backstop in the minors. Check your league settings and see if he is still catcher-eligible, as he only played right field and first base in the majors and may have lost his eligibility when he debuted last season.
4. Ethan Salas, San Diego Padres- ETA: 2025
The top-catching prospect in baseball spent most of 2022 in Low-A but progressed to High-A before making a Double-A debut toward the end of the summer at just 17 years old. He posted an impressive .248 AVG and .421 SLG in his first season in the minor leagues, which explains why his prospect pedigree is where it is.
While Salas will only be relevant in redraft toward the stretch run if he were given a taste of the majors, he has shown that he can move through the minors quite swiftly at a rate not done by many, which does not put a late-season call-up out of the question.
5. Samuel Basallo, Baltimore Orioles- ETA: 2025
The second-best backstop prospect in baseball dominated last season as he showcased his raw power with a .551 SLG and .953 OPS across Low-A, High-A, and even a taste of Double-A. The 19-year-old even showed some speed as he swiped 12 bags last season.
What makes Basallo intriguing is that he has seen time at first base, which will more often than not be his route to the majors as Adley Rutschman has complete control over the catcher spot in Baltimore. While Basallo is not expected to reach the majors until 2025, his power output is something to monitor, and if he continues to mash during the summer, he could receive a call late in the season as the Orioles have their eyes set on competing.
On January 20, Andrew Buller-Rus of Sportsnaut reported that several teams had called Baltimore regarding a potential trade for the budding prospect. However, Baltimore has not shown any interest in these trades, leading to the fact that Basallo could see time primarily at first in the majors.
6. Diego Cartaya, Los Angeles Dodgers- ETA: 2025
Cartaya was establishing himself as one of the best young backstops in the minor leagues in 2022 but had a 2023 season to forget. The 10th overall catching prospect hit a disappointing .189 AVG in Double-A but continued to showcase his power with 19 home runs, similar to the 22 he hit in 2022.
The power at the catcher position might be enough to warrant fantasy consideration if he were to see a route to the majors. However, Cartaya is quickly becoming overshadowed by fellow Dodger catching prospect Dalton Rushing, who put up very strong numbers in High-A last season.
Keep an eye on how Cartaya performs during the opening months of 2024, as it could be a make-or-break stretch for the well-respected prospect.
7. Kyle Teel, Boston Red Sox- ETA: 2025
The 21-year-old shined in his small taste of the minors last season. The fifth-best catching prospect played 26 games through three levels, eventually reaching Double-A late last season. He posted a combined stat line of .363 AVG, .482 OBP, .495 SLG, and .977 OPS.
Teel is an important name to keep an eye on. Unlike some of the names on this list, Teel has yet to hit any roadblocks as he has progressed through the minor leagues. While this may change when he spends more time in Double-A, the current Red Sox catchers have yet to impress, and Teel could play his way into this lineup by the late summer, credited to how fast he is progressing through the system.
8. Edgar Quero, Chicago White Sox- ETA: 2025
The ninth-ranked backstop prospect had a down year in 2023. In Double-A, he posted a .255 AVG compared to his .312 AVG in Single-A last year. He also saw his home run total drop considerably from 17 to six.
Quero might not have a strong chance to make an impact this season, but he is a name to monitor, especially if he can get back on track.
9. Daniel Susac, Oakland Athletics- ETA: 2025
Rounding out this list is a top prospect in the Oakland system. Susac played very well in 2023 across High-A and continued his success in Double-A, which makes him intriguing. The 22-year-old posted a .300 AVG, .365 OBP, .428 SLG, and a .793 OPS, with eight long balls and nine stolen bases in 2023.
Susac will begin the year in Double-A and hopefully be promoted to Triple-A reasonably quickly if he can continue his success. The Athletics have two younger backstops already penciled on their Opening Day roster in Shea Langeliers and Tyler Soderstrom, which will hinder any chance for an early call-up for Susac.
Other highly respected catching prospects, such as Harry Ford from the Seattle Mariners, have only reached High-A and have very little to no chance of reaching the majors in 2024. They may not become names to monitor for redraft leagues until 2025, but they are worth becoming familiar with nonetheless.
Keep an eye on these names, as one or more may become valuable assets off the waiver wire and spark your team to a fantasy championship.
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