Realmuto reigns atop 2023 fantasy catcher rankings

Catcher is not the glitziest position in fantasy baseball, but it's been a good while since it was this flush with talent. Some familiar names are at the top, but the position has been strengthened by multiple high-upside youngsters.

Of course, playing catcher comes with elevated injury risk, and the pickings are slim once you begin looking for your backup. But it is unlikely that you will come away from your fantasy draft disappointed with your starter.

Here is a tier-by-tier guide to the top catchers in MLB.com’s 2023 fantasy rankings.

Tier 1: J.T. Realmuto

Other catchers possess more power or may give you a higher batting average, but Realmuto is the only one who offers solid production across the board. After a statistical dip in 2021, the Phillies’ backstop recorded 22 homers and a career-best 128 wRC+ last season. He pushed his barrel rate into double digits (11.3%) for the first time during a full season and logged a career-high 47.2% hard-hit rate. This – along with batting in the middle of Philadelphia’s deep lineup – helped him finish among the top five at his position in runs, homers, RBIs and average.

But Realmuto really separates himself on the basepaths. After racking up a respectable 13 stolen bases in ‘21, he smashed that total last year with 21 steals, the most by a primary catcher in 15 years. His 20-20 season earned him a bit of history as well. Realmuto’s sprint speed has never fallen below the 80th percentile, and neither his legs nor his bat shows any signs of slowing as he enters his age-32 season.

Tier 2: Will Smith, Adley Rutschman, Salvador Perez, Willson Contreras, Alejandro Kirk

Smith won’t give you those valuable stolen bases, but he does everything else well. His .831 OPS over the past two seasons is the best at the position, and a barrel rate consistently above 10% signals that Smith will continue to provide plenty of extra-base power. He combines that muscle with fantastic plate discipline, as evidenced by his career 19.2% strikeout rate and 10.8% walk rate.

Rutschman’s splendid introduction in the big leagues – 48 extra-base hits, .807 OPS, 13.8% walk rate in 470 plate appearances – will make him perhaps the most sought-after catcher in drafts. He’s projected to be one of the best players this season, regardless of position.

Perez slugged 23 homers last year despite missing more than 30 games due to a thumb injury. The ailment didn't affect the veteran’s output as he slashed .297/.329/.505 with 12 homers over his final 57 games. A step back from his record-breaking 2021 was never in doubt, but Perez remains the position’s most consistent power threat as he enters his 12th MLB season.

Contreras hasn’t played more than 128 games over a full season since 2018, but he topped 20 homers in each of those years. He’s increased his hard-hit rate over each of the past four seasons, up to 48.6% in 2022, and his maximum exit velocity last year (116.2 mph) was also a career-high. Encouragingly, Contreras made those improvements while cutting his strikeout rate by about one-fourth from ‘21. Even if he misses another chunk of time this summer, St. Louis’ lineup may give Contreras' counting stats a boost.

If your fantasy team took on some batting average risk early in the draft, Kirk is a great pick to help balance out your roster. He was one of only six qualified batters last season whose walk rate (11.6%) was higher than his K rate (10.7%). Commonly hitting in the middle of the Blue Jays' fierce lineup, Kirk's fantasy value could take off if he replicates his 11% barrel rate from two years ago. It drooped to 6.7% last year.

Tier 3: MJ Melendez, William Contreras, Sean Murphy, Tyler Stephenson, Cal Raleigh

Melendez comes with multi-position eligibility as he has the athleticism to play a corner outfield spot. That athleticism could also lead to a small but significant number of steals. His bat packs a good amount of pop (18 homers as a rookie), and his 92nd-percentile walk rate increases his value in on-base percentage leagues.

The younger Contreras led all catchers with a 138 wRC+ (min. 300 plate appearances). He whiffs a ton, but considering his batted-ball metrics, 25 dingers seem attainable. Following an offseason trade, Contreras will be a fixture in the middle of Milwaukee’s lineup.

Murphy was the headliner in that December blockbuster. Moving from Oakland to Atlanta should benefit him greatly, both in terms of his new supporting cast and home ballpark. A Gold Glove defender, Murphy reduced his strikeout rate while posting a career-best 18 home runs last year.

There is only one stat that matters for Stephenson and his prospective fantasy managers: games played. Injuries limited him to only 50 games last year. When healthy, Stephenson has shown he can be an impact bat; he owns a .296/.369/.454 slash line and a 119 wRC+ through 605 career plate appearances.

Raleigh wasn’t an everyday player for Seattle until June but still led all catchers with 27 home runs last year. Moreover, his 15.4% barrel rate ranked 12th among all qualified players. You will have to deal with lots of strikeouts and a low batting average, barring a drastic change in his approach. But Raleigh’s power is legit.

Tier 4: Keibert Ruiz, Danny Jansen, Travis d’Arnaud, Gabriel Moreno

Few players make more contact than Ruiz. The problem is he doesn’t do much damage with that contact. Through his first full season in the Majors, Ruiz’s produced a paltry 3.7% barrel rate and 32.3% hard-hit rate. One interesting wrinkle in his profile: He stole six bases in seven attempts last year. Prior to that, Ruiz had attempted only one steal since his time in Rookie ball in 2015.

Playing-time concerns revolve around the final three players in this tier. Jansen produced 15 homers in just 72 games last year, but Kirk and Brandon Belt are blocking his way to at-bats at catcher and designated hitter. He has also battled myriad injuries over the past two seasons.

Injuries have also been a theme for d’Arnaud throughout his career. He is coming off a year in which he clubbed a career-high 18 homers, but he is the clear backup to Murphy in Atlanta.

Moreno impressed during his 25-game debut with the Blue Jays last year, batting 319 with a .356 on-base percentage and an 11% strikeout rate. He has special bat-to-ball skills, although he may not provide too much power. Acquired by the D-backs this winter, Moreno is an offensive upgrade over Carson Kelly, but the 23-year-old probably won't gain a starting job right away.