X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Catcher Dynasty Rankings For Fantasy Baseball

J.T. Realmuto - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, MLB Injury News

Justin Raffone takes a look at which catchers are your best targets in dynasty leagues for the 2023 fantasy baseball season.

The catcher position has long been one of minimal value in fantasy baseball. There are usually just a couple of players worth a top pick each year. But for dynasty purposes, catchers are starting to collect some intriguing targets.  

A list of 21 of the best catchers in baseball follows though some of them may move from the position in the next couple of years. That’s one issue for catchers; the fact that some of the best-hitting catchers move off the position because their defense isn’t up to par. 

We previously looked at the best options at first base for dynasty and will continue to look at other positions going forward. Make sure to stick with RotoBaller for those dynasty rankings as we look to help you with the tough decisions to make. 

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Dynasty Catcher Fantasy Baseball Rankings 

C
Tier 
C
Rank 
Player
Name 
Pos.  Overall
Rank 
1  1  Adley Rutschman  C  31 
1  2  Will Smith  C  54 
1  3  Daulton Varsho  C/OF  93 
1  4  J.T. Realmuto  C  112 
2  5  Alejandro Kirk  C  115 
2  6  Willson Contreras  C  130 
2  7  MJ Melendez  C/OF  141 
2  8  Salvador Perez  C  152 
2  9  Sean Murphy  C  166 
3  10  William Contreras  C  177 
3  11  Tyler Soderstrom  C/1B  257 
3  12  Tyler Stephenson  C  264 
3  13  Logan O'Hoppe  C/DH  271 
4  14  Endy Rodriguez  C  274 
4  15  Diego Cartaya  C  288 
4  16  Gabriel Moreno  C  307 
4  17  Austin Wells  C/OF  310 
4  18  Danny Jansen  C  314 
5  19  Harry Ford  C  315 
5  20  Keibert Ruiz  C  342 
5  21  Henry Davis  C  390 

 

Preseason Rankings

Rutschman and Smith are in a league of their own when it comes to dynasty right now, as you can see by the overall rank. Varsho and Melendez may not stick around at catcher much longer. Stephenson is a sleeper pick for a lot of people this season. The Pittsburgh Pirates have Rodriguez and Davis on the list, and both are close to the major leagues. Rodriguez may be the one that moves positions.

daulton varsho fantasy baseball rankings draft sleepers MLB injury news

Rutschman (1) posted a favorable hitting season in his first full year in the big leagues and looks poised to be the top-catching option for years to come. His 128 OPS+ was a nice number for a rookie season and he’ll look to increase that number in 2023 and beyond. He struck out 86 times compared to 65 walks and 101 hits, so he wasn’t overwhelmed in his first go.  

Smith (2) has been around since 2019 in the majors but took over the full-time catching duties in 2021 and has been one of the best catchers in the league the last two seasons. He didn’t have quite as good of a 2022 season as he did in 2021, but he’s hit at least 24 home runs, driven in at least 76 runs, and played in at least 130 games the last two years.  

Kirk (5) was an All-Star and a Silver Slugger in 2022 and I’ve heard less about him this offseason than I had in the previous three years. There were questions about him sticking at catcher, but he made 74 starts there last season, so he should be able to keep that eligibility for at least a handful of years to come. Kirk simply puts bat to ball. He had a 10.7% strikeout rate in 2022 with a .299 BABIP and a .285 average, which was tops among catchers with at least 300 plate appearances. 

Soderstrom (11), unfortunately, is unlikely to catch for very long, if at all, in the big leagues. But he’s one of the better bats on the list after hitting 29 home runs through three minor league levels last season. He’s just 21 and might get a cup of coffee with the Oakland Athletics this year. The former first-round pick had a 1.19 GB/FB rate in AA last season, which would have put him in between Atlanta Braves Sean Murphy and Philadelphia Phillies’ J.T. Realmuto.  

 

Other Options to Watch 

Rodriguez (14) is the Pirate catcher closest to the big leagues after reaching AAA last season. He has unique defensive positioning – playing catcher, second base, and outfield. He has a 60-future hit tool, so he could be someone similar to Kirk. He has good speed for a catcher with a 55 tool, but it hasn’t translated to stolen bases, though it still might. He should hold a good average in the future and could push for 20 homers.  

Ford (19) was the 12th pick in the 2021 draft by the Seattle Mariners, the second catcher taken in the draft, only behind Davis. He might be a better bat than Davis and is as athletic as Rodriguez. MLB.com compares him defensively to Craig Biggio or Russell Martin and he has plus speed. He had a .942 OPS from June 1 through the end of the season last year and has a 50-hit tool and 55-power tool. He’s just 20 and played the whole year at A-ball in 2022, so he’s a few years away, but he could move up these rankings quickly in that time. 

A once devoid position is looking promising for the future. If a few of these guys can stick at catcher, it will be a deep position in a few years. If some move off the position as expected, there is still enough talent here to keep it top-heavy, at the least. It’s not a position to get top-tier talent at, but if you can grab players like Rutschman, Smith, or Realmuto, they just make your team all the deeper.  



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Sacramento Kings

Jake LaRavia Lands with Lakers
Laviska Shenault Jr.

on the Bubble
Orlando Magic

Tyus Jones Signs One-Year Deal With Magic
Raheem Blackshear

to Work Mostly As Special-Teamer
Golden State Warriors

Kevon Looney Heads to New Orleans
Rico Dowdle

Trevor Etienne to Split Carries?
Chuba Hubbard

Should See Majority of Touches in 2025
Milwaukee Bucks

Jericho Sims Staying in Milwaukee
Denver Nuggets

Tim Hardaway Jr. Joins Nuggets
Willson Contreras

Avoids Structural Damage on Hand After HBP
Detroit Pistons

Duncan Robinson Lands With Detroit
Charlotte Hornets

Tre Mann Remaining in Charlotte
Josh Naylor

Scratched From Tuesday's Lineup Against Giants
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
San Francisco Giants

Giants Exercise Bob Melvin's 2026 Option
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Josh Naylor

Back in Action on Tuesday
Yordan Alvarez

Suffers Setback
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Nolan Arenado

Dealing with Finger Sprain
ANA

Mikael Granlund Moves to Anaheim on Three-Year Deal
Jacob Wilson

Scratched With Hamstring Soreness
NJ

Jake Allen Signs Five-Year Extension With Devils
VAN

Brock Boeser Remains in Vancouver on Seven-Year Deal
Conor Garland

Signs New Six-Year Deal with Canucks
Thatcher Demko

Signs Three-Year Extension with Canucks
Brandon Woodruff

Ready for Season Debut
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary Agrees to Seven-Year Extension with Capitals
Garrett Mitchell

Out for the Rest of the Season
MLB

Brewers-Mets Postponed on Tuesday
MLB

Tigers-Nationals Postponed on Tuesday
Zach Neto

Returns to Tuesday's Lineup
Milwaukee Bucks

Gary Harris Inks Deal With Bucks
MLB

Padres-Phillies Postponed on Tuesday
Charlotte Hornets

Mason Plumlee Heading Back to Charlotte
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Hunter Goodman

Back Behind the Dish on Tuesday
Jakob Poeltl

Agrees to a Contract Extension With Raptors
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Jason Day

is a Fine Play With Limited Upside at John Deere Classic
Vasilije Micić

Vasilije Micic Dealt to Bucks on Tuesday
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Luke Clanton

Looks to Have Another Strong Week at TPC Deere Run
Pat Connaughton

Traded to Hornets
Atlanta Hawks

Luke Kennard Lands in Atlanta
Breece Hall

Aiming to Prove He is "Still One of the Best in the League"
T.J. Watt

Steelers Not Planning to Trade T.J. Watt
Sacramento Kings

Dennis Schroder Set to Join Sacramento
Bo Bichette

Out Again on Tuesday
Trent Grisham

Likely Heading to Injured List
Boston Celtics

Luke Kornet Agrees to Contract With San Antonio
Jonas Valančiūnas

Nuggets Trade for Center Jonas Valanciunas
Royce Lewis

Twins Activate Royce Lewis
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Signs Massive Extension With Oklahoma City
Corbin Carroll

Eyeing Return Before All-Star Break
New York Knicks

Knicks Pick Up Guerschon Yabusele
Yordan Alvarez

Could Return Early Next Week
NFL

Negotiations on 18-Game Season Not Expected Until Next Year
Indiana Pacers

Myles Turner Leaves Indiana, Signs With Milwaukee
Kerry Carpenter

Shelved with Hamstring Issue
Tyler Boyd

Steelers Have Talked With Tyler Boyd
Milwaukee Bucks

Damian Lillard Waived By Milwaukee
Darren Waller

Coming Out of Retirement to Play for Dolphins
Alexander Romanov

Islanders Retain Alexander Romanov on $50 Million Contract
Andrei Kuzmenko

Signs Up for One More Year with Kings
Morgan Geekie

Signs Long-Term Extension with Bruins
Ivan Provorov

Stays in Columbus on Seven-Year Deal
Alex Pietrangelo

Stepping Away From Golden Knights for Health Reasons
Matias Maccelli

Maple Leafs Bring in Matias Maccelli
Evan Bouchard

Inks $42 Million Contract with Oilers
Vladimir Tarasenko

Wild Acquire Vladimir Tarasenko From Detroit
Patrick Kane

Signs New One-Year Deal with Red Wings
Brad Marchand

Lands Six-Year Extension
Aaron Ekblad

Remains a Panther on Eight-Year Deal
Mitchell Marner

Heads to Vegas
Randy Arozarena

Homers Twice, Plates Four Monday
Philadelphia 76ers

Trendon Watford Lands in Philadelphia
Jalen Ramsey

Could Move Around in Pittsburgh
Jonnu Smith

to be Used in Hybrid Role
Terry McLaurin

Commanders, Terry McLaurin Not Close on Contract Extension
Michael Mayer

Raiders Not Interested in Trading Michael Mayer
Aldrich Potgieter

Wins Rocket Mortgage Classic
Thorbjorn Olesen

Finishes Tied for 41st at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Denny McCarthy

Finishes Tied For 12th at Travelers Championship
Chris Kirk

Finishes Tied For Second at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Michael Kim

Finishes Tied for 26th at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Max Homa

Misses Cut at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Lucas Glover

Finishes Tied For Ninth at Travelers Championship
PGA

Nico Echavarria Finishes Tied For Sixth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Pittsburgh Steelers

Rumors Still Swirling Around Potential T.J. Watt Trade
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Tyler Boyd

Interested in Playing for Steelers
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Now Looking to Acquire a Tight End
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
L'Jarius Sneed

Says he's Healthy
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Minkah Fitzpatrick

Heading Back to Miami
Jonnu Smith

Shipped to Pittsburgh
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Jalen Ramsey

Steelers Acquiring Jalen Ramsey
Jonas Brodin

Expected to Miss Start of Next Season
TB

Conor Sheary Placed on Waivers for Contract Termination
Dante Fabbro

Stays with Blue Jackets on Four-Year Deal
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
NFL

NFL Won't Hold Supplemental Draft This Year
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
Charles Oliveira

Can Become A Two-Time Lightweight Champion
Ilia Topuria

A Favorite At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fourth Title Defense At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Renato Moicano

Returns At UFC 317
Beneil Dariush

An Underdog At UFC 317
Payton Talbott

Looks To Bounce Back
Felipe Lima

Set To Open Up UFC 317 Main Card
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF