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Joey's catcher fantasy baseball draft sleepers, busts, values for points leagues in 2025. His undervalued, overvalued catcher picks for fantasy baseball drafts.
Welcome, RotoBallers, to our latest catchers article about fantasy baseball points leagues focusing on catchers who are undervalued and overvalued based on fantasy baseball ADPs. Be sure to also check out our constantly updated fantasy baseball points rankings.
The catcher position is always the toughest to manage throughout the fantasy baseball season because there are only a few elite options every year. That is no different in 2025, as only two catchers (William Contreras and Adley Rutschman) have an ADP inside the top 75 currently in drafts.
However, there are plenty of values/fades at the catcher position to take note of. So, let's dive in and look at the catcher landscape heading into fantasy drafts.
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J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies
ADP: 161.7
It's going to be hard to trust Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto this season following his poor campaign in 2024. Not only did he miss over one month due to a knee injury, but he posted some of the worst numbers of his career last year. Realmuto hit .266 at the plate with 14 home runs, 18 doubles, 47 RBI, and two stolen bases across 99 games.
It was truly a rough season for the veteran catcher, and there's a strong chance that the best of Realmuto is already behind us. His 9.4-degree launch angle was his lowest since 2015, and his squared-up rate (22.1 percent), chase rate (30.2 percent), and strikeout rate (24.7 percent) all ranked in the bottom 38 percent of the league. That makes him a pass at his 161.7 ADP.
Andrew Painter throwing to JT Realmuto today. @SportsRadioWIP pic.twitter.com/fieEHD1dtQ
— Devan Kaney (@Devan_Kaney) February 18, 2025
Realmuto doesn't have the same power he once had, and he showed a noticeable decline at the plate last season. It will likely be a struggle for him to hit over 17 home runs and drive in more than 60 runs in 2025.
On top of that, the Phillies have already stated that they plan to give the catcher more rest throughout the season to keep him fresh. Therefore, he's not even worth a pick at this point in drafts.
Verdict: Overvalued
Shea Langeliers, Athletics
ADP: 149.7
If you want to wait for a catcher in fantasy drafts this season, Athletics backstopper Shea Langeliers is one of the best targets in the double-digit rounds. Langeliers is going a bit too late in drafts, making him one of the best value picks at the position. Although he won't hit for a high average and will strike out a ton, his power numbers will come in clutch in points league formats.
Last season, Langeliers hit .224 at the plate with 29 home runs, 18 doubles, 80 RBI, and four stolen bases. Those 29 home runs ranked second among all catchers, and his 80 RBI ranked fifth at the position. Those power numbers should also continue for the A's catcher in 2025. His expected slugging (.456), barrel rate (12.8 percent), and average exit velocity (91.3 mph) all ranked in the top 16 percent of the league last year.
SHEA LANGELIERS' THIRD HOMER OF THE GAME FOR THE LEAD 👀 pic.twitter.com/0dbQ04MEsm
— A's on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) April 10, 2024
As a result, Langeliers should be able to contribute solid fantasy numbers for those playing in points leagues. He'll likely hit over 25 home runs again this season, and that type of power is hard to find at the catcher position. Don't forget that the young catcher will be playing half of his games at a minor league ballpark in 2025.
Verdict: Undervalued
Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
ADP: 90.7
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh has become one of the best power hitters at the position in recent years. He has hit at least 30 home runs in back-to-back seasons and just drove in 100 runs in 2024. That makes him almost a steal at his 90.7 ADP in points leagues. Raleigh hit .220 at the plate with a career-high 34 home runs, 16 doubles, and 100 RBI last season.
Those power numbers helped the Mariners catcher finish with the second-most fantasy points at the position last year, and there's no reason to believe that he won't put up similar numbers in 2025. His expected slugging (.476), barrel rate (15.4 percent), and hard-hit rate (48.1 percent) all ranked in the 86th percentile or better a season ago.
Given that Raleigh has also played in 298 of 324 possible games over the past two years, he has become one of the best options at the position heading into drafts. He'll likely play in over 145 games while hitting 30-plus home runs and driving in upward of 85 runs. Therefore, he should be selected as a top-4 catcher in points leagues.
Verdict: Undervalued
Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals
ADP: 79.3
Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez showed no signs of slowing down at the plate last season. Even in his age-34 campaign, Perez hit .271 with 27 home runs, 28 doubles, and 104 RBI across 158 games. Those 27 home runs ranked third at the position, and his 104 RBI led all catchers in 2024.
Salvador Perez lands at No. 79 on the #Top100RightNow after a strong slugging season 💪 pic.twitter.com/PjccIpKO3l
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 5, 2025
As a result, Perez is a better option in points leagues than his 79.3 ADP suggests. While he won't hit 30 home runs like Raleigh would, he can continue to put up above-average home run and RBI numbers this season. His expected slugging (.522), barrel rate (12.2 percent), and launch angle sweet spot rate (39.4 percent) last year all ranked in the top 20 percent of the league.
That makes Perez a great value pick at the position in the sixth or seventh round of drafts. He will put up solid numbers in the home runs and RBI categories and will also get eligibility at first base. Fantasy managers shouldn't worry about his age catching up to him because the veteran still has plenty of pop left in his bat.
Verdict: Undervalued
Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles
ADP: 54.1
There's no doubt that Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman is one of the best backstoppers in the game. Since making his MLB debut in 2022, Rutschman has certainly shown that. However, the 27-year-old catcher is not worth a fourth- or fifth-round pick in points leagues this season.
Rutschman did put up solid numbers across the board in his third major league season in 2024. He hit .250 at the plate with 19 home runs, 21 doubles, and 79 RBI across 148 games. But those stats just aren't good enough for fantasy managers to be taking him this early in drafts. With a 54.1 average ADP, the Orioles catcher is currently overvalued in points league formats.
He struggled a bit at the plate last season, as his 6.1 percent barrel rate, 36.6 percent hard-hit rate, and 88.2 mph average exit velocity all ranked in the bottom half of the league. If those numbers continue into 2025, Rutschman could have a tough time topping 20 home runs. Why waste a fourth- or fifth-round pick on the Orioles catcher when you can take Raleigh or Perez a couple of rounds later?
Verdict: Overvalued
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