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If you play both fantasy football and fantasy baseball, you know that the catcher position is like the tight end position. There aren't many elite options, but if you want to grab one of those top-tier stars, you will have to pay up.
Adley Rutschman is currently the first catcher to come off the board in drafts around pick 39. Then, about three rounds later, Will Smith, J.T. Realmuto, and William Contreras are all selected. Those are surprisingly the only four catchers going in the top 100 in drafts this season.
Despite many catchers having a low average draft position, there are plenty of catchers that you should avoid at their current cost. These three players on this list are surely set to fall short of their ADP. So, let's dive in and find out who they are.
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J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies
Average ADP: 72
Third highest for a catcher
It pains me to put Realmuto on this list because he is one of the best in the game. However, after a down year at the plate, it might be best to avoid him in the sixth or seventh round. Last year, Realmuto hit .252 with 123 total hits, 28 doubles, 20 home runs, 63 RBI, 16 stolen bases, and 35 walks.
Realmuto's numbers weren't the worst, but they weren't as strong as the past couple of seasons. His .252 average was the second lowest of his career, while his 123 hits were his fewest since 2015, and his 63 RBI were his fewest since 2016. The metrics also don't suggest that the veteran catcher will post better numbers this season.
Ranking the top 10 catchers for 2024 💪 pic.twitter.com/xmHSzsbFsi
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 6, 2024
His expected batting average (.254), average exit velocity (89.8 mph), sweet spot rate (36.2%), and chase rate (30.6%) all didn't rank particularly well in 2023. He also had a 25.6% strikeout rate and a 6.5% walk rate, both of which landed him in the bottom half of the league. That strikeout rate was the highest of his career, and the walk rate was his lowest since 2017.
Whatever way you put it, Realmuto did not have the best season at the plate. There is potential for him, though, atop one of the best offenses in baseball with the Phillies. However, other catchers like Yainer Diaz or Gabriel Moreno are going much later and provide more upside.
Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals
Average ADP: 133
Sixth highest for a catcher
Entering his 13th MLB season, Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez is still playing at a high level. His bat has always been a huge part of his game and that continued last year at age 33. Perez hit .255 with 23 HRs, 80 RBI, and 21 doubles across 140 games.
Perez has always been known for his power at the plate. He has hit over 20 HRs in seven straight full seasons while eclipsing at least 70 RBI in six of those campaigns. Nevertheless, if the end of his 2023 season is what we can expect from the veteran at the plate this year, it might be best to avoid him at his current cost.
Salvador Pérez hit 48 home runs and walked only 28 times in 2021 and that's the largest such difference in MLB history. pic.twitter.com/haabOGtBoS
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) January 13, 2024
In his first 69 games of the season, the 33-year-old catcher hit .270 with 15 HRs, 14 doubles, and 39 RBI. However, in the final 71 games, Perez had a .239 average, eight HRs, seven doubles, and 41 RBI. It is quite alarming to see his HRs, doubles, and average all significantly drop in the second half.
It's easy to take Perez's second half with a grain of salt, but entering his age-34 season, there is some concern for a potential end-of-year burnout or some major regression.
Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
Average ADP: 141
Seventh highest for catcher
If you want power in a fantasy draft, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh could be a nice target in the later rounds. He is coming off a 30-homer, 75-RBI campaign and only trailed Julio Rodriguez's 32 HRs for the team lead.
However, outside of the home run and possible solid RBI numbers, Raleigh isn't much of an asset in other categories. He hit just .232 at the plate last year with 158 strikeouts and zero stolen bases. The switch-hitting catcher is much more valuable in a points league than a roto league, though other catchers are better value picks at this point in the draft.
Cal Raleigh still demolishes baseballs pic.twitter.com/iz0nCcMhC1
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 8, 2024
Sean Murphy, Willson Contreras, Francisco Alvarez, Keibert Ruiz, Jonah Heim, and Moreno are all going after the Mariners catcher. All six of those options might be a better choice as well. Alvarez, Ruiz, and Moreno all display upside in the later rounds at their young age, while Murphy, Contreras, and Heim will bat in the middle of some of the top offenses in baseball.
Raleigh is a solid power hitter, but you know going in that his average and strikeout numbers will rank in the bottom half of the league. That's why -- in roto leagues -- he will fall short of his ADP.
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