2024 Dynasty Fantasy Baseball Catcher Rankings, Tiers, Analysis

The catcher position is one that dynasty managers used to struggle with but with the emergence of some talented young major leaguers, plus talented prospects on the way, the position suddenly does not look too shabby. With the ascension of Baltimore's Adley Rutschman to the top of the rankings and the emergence of young catchers like Arizona's Gabriel Moreno and New York's Francisco Alvarez, the future of the catcher position looks bright.

In a dynasty, it can be a tough act to balance the ranking of veterans like Philadelphia's J.T. Realmuto and Kansas City's Salvador Perez while also figuring out how top prospects like Baltimore's Samuel Basallo and San Diego's Ethan Salas fit into the puzzle.

The good news is that we are here to help you sort through the challenges of dynasty here at RotoBaller. Let's take a closer look at each of these catchers and see which tier they fall into in 2024.

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Dynasty Catcher Fantasy Baseball Rankings

For Chris's full dynasty catcher and overall rankings, check out The Dynasty Dugout.

Tier 1 - Dynasty Catcher Rankings

Adley Rutschman earns the top spot among dynasty catchers and sits on the throne as the only catcher in the top tier. Playing time is a huge aspect of catcher performance when it comes to fantasy, and Rutschman amassed 154 games played and 687 plate appearances in 2023. Only two catchers had 600 plate appearances in 2023, with William Contreras being the other, checking in with 611.

Having one of the best eyes in the game, Rutschman rarely chases out of the zone, posting a 13.4 percent walk rate that led to a .374 OBP. That ranked as the highest OBP among catchers with at least 250 plate appearances.

While not hitting the ball overly hard (88.4 mph average exit velocity), Rutschman does hit the ball at ideal angles, getting the most of his batted balls. The switch hitter was solid from both sides of the plate but posted a .895 OPS as a right-handed hitter and a .778 from the left side.

Rutschman is one of the safest catchers in fantasy and should be a solid contributor for a long time, especially since he is only 25 years old.

I think I’m in love with Adley Rutschman’s swing pic.twitter.com/1OKeFFT865

— Baseball (@mlbelites_) January 3, 2024

Tier 2 - Dynasty Catcher Rankings

Will Smith had a "down year" in 2023, slashing just .261/.359/.438 but had just 19 home runs and 76 RBI. With the Dodgers going out and building an All-Star team this offseason, Smith could see his run and RBI potential take a huge step forward in 2024.

Smith saw his average exit velocity drop by nearly one mph in 2023, and his hard-hit rate also took a small step back. Still, Smith should be a consistent threat to hit for decent pop, post a high OBP, and a batting average of around .260.

William Contreras was traded to Milwaukee last offseason in a deal that sent Sean Murphy to Atlanta and proceeded to have a strong 2023 season. Contreras slashed .289/.367/.457 with 17 home runs across 611 plate appearances. The power metrics are among the best in the catcher player pool, but the lack of home runs came from a 55 percent ground ball rate, according to Baseball Savant, and a sweet spot percentage among the worst in baseball at 27 percent.

Contreras did post a strong average exit velocity of 91.3 mph, with a hard-hit rate of 49 percent, and strong plate discipline. If Contreras can lift the ball more consistently, he could become a 25-home-run threat, and his best days are still ahead of him as he will spend the entire 2024 season as a 26-year-old. Contreras is a great catcher to invest in, as his perceived value is not as high as the cost to acquire him.

Tier 3 - Dynasty Catcher Rankings

J.T. Realmuto is still one of the best power and speed threats among catchers, even though he will be 33 years old before the 2024 season begins. Even with a small step back in 2023, Realmuto still hit 20 home runs and stole 16 bases while slashing .252/.310/.452 in 540 plate appearances. It was the lowest batting average of Realmuto's career and the second-lowest OBP dating back to 2015.

While Realmuto's strikeout rate jumped over four percentage points in 2023, it came with an increase in zone contact and only half a percentage point drop in overall contact. The BABIP dip is a possible reason that Realmuto saw a step back in batting average.

Realmuto does seem to be aging gracefully behind the plate and still has elite catching metrics with one of the best pop times in the game while still showing to be a strong athlete. Catchers have not aged well historically, but Realmuto appears to still have a few good seasons before the wheels do come off.

Francisco Alvarez has some of the best power at the catcher position, mashing 25 home runs in just 423 plate appearances. The 22-year-old catcher posted just a .209 batting average with a .284 OBP, leaving much to be desired, but the power is undeniable. Alvarez had one of the better barrel rates in baseball at 12.8 percent, but he also had one of the worst contact rates at 68 percent. Spending the entire season as a 21-year-old does give hope that Alvarez can see his contact rates increase while also putting up elite power outputs.

FRANCISCO ALVAREZ'S HOME RUN DROUGHT IS OVER. pic.twitter.com/Ef1YjCcenB

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 5, 2023

Gabriel Moreno made significant strides in the right direction in 2023 as the contact-oriented catcher began to get to a little more power in the second half of the season. Moreno hit .284 on the year, but in the second half posted a .313/.383/.511 slash with five home runs in 149 plate appearances. If you are looking for a safe profile that will consistently hit and grow into more power, Moreno is your guy.

Sean Murphy had two drastically different halves of the 2023 season, which largely represent his time healthy and injured. Murphy slashed .306/.400/.599 in the first half with 17 home runs across 270 plate appearances. After dealing with a hamstring injury and even a concussion, Murphy's numbers fell to just .159/.310/.275 with four home runs in the second half. The Statcast data was elite across the board, and Murphy posted a 16.1 percent barrel rate. If someone in your dynasty is willing to sell Murphy based on his disappointing second half, buy in.

Yainer Diaz was the biggest breakout among catchers in 2023, hitting 23 home runs and posting a .282 batting average in just 377 plate appearances. Diaz is an enigma of a profile, having high-end exit velocities and quality of contact, but one of the worst chase rates in baseball. Diaz posted a walk rate below three percent while also chasing at a 44 percent clip. He plays down in an OBP format but has decent enough contact skills and power to be a solid bat in most formats.

Tier 4 - Dynasty Catcher Rankings

Willson Contreras was once considered among the elite group of dynasty catchers, but fell out of favor quickly in St. Louis after signing a five-year deal there before the 2023 season. With talk of Contreras spending less time behind the dish and more at designated hitter and outfield, it is possible we will see a rebound in 2024, especially considering Contreras played through injury in 2023.

Despite that, he still hit 20 home runs and slashed .264/.358/.467 in 495 plate appearances. Contreras is an excellent player to buy if you are looking for a catcher in a dynasty.

Cal Raleigh, better known as the "big dumper," led all catchers with 30 home runs in 2023, beating out Francisco Alvarez by five. Raleigh hits the ball hard and saw his overall and in-zone contact rates increase, which led to an improved batting average, albeit just .232. If you want power at the position, Raleigh is your guy. He has 57 home runs over the last two seasons combined.

Logan O'Hoppe looked primed for a breakout in 2023 before a torn labrum set him back and caused him to miss over four months. Making a quick recovery, O'Hoppe mashed nine home runs in September, which is also an enigma for someone just coming back from a torn labrum. Showing a strong feel for the strike zone while making good contact, O'Hoppe could be primed for a major breakout in 2024.

Luis Campusano enjoyed a bit of a breakout in 2023, slashing .319/.356/.491 with seven home runs in 174 MLB plate appearances. Being rushed to the majors in 2020 as a 21-year-old, it felt like Campusano's development was a bit stunted. After strong Triple-A seasons in 2021 and 2022, Campusano had a strong showing in San Diego. There is a good feel to hit with solid game power, making him a great dynasty investment.

Keibert Ruiz carries a heavy burden to perform after being traded to the Nationals in 2021 in the Dodgers' trade for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. After a decent 2022 season, Ruiz put it together in 2023, posting a .260/.308/.409 slash with 18 home runs. Ruiz makes some of the best contact in baseball, posting an 87 percent overall contact rate with a 94 percent in-zone contact percentage.

Tier 5 - Dynasty Catcher Rankings

Samuel Basallo burst onto the scene in Baltimore's organization in 2023, hitting 20 home runs across three minor league levels while slashing .313/.402/.551. The power is quite advanced, and the hit tool has developed very nicely. Basallo’s 90th percentile exit velocity was one of the best for his age, checking in over 106 mph. The contact skills also play as Basallo posted a 73 percent contact rate on the season. The investment in Basallo is worth it, even if he does move to first base long-term.

Henry Davis played mostly all right field in his debut with the Pirates, but the team plans to move him back to catcher in 2024 as he is training at Driveline. While his debut performance in the majors doesn't jump off the page, Davis made major strides with his exit velocities in 2023 and had 17 extra-base hits in 62 games with Pittsburgh. Moving back to a position of comfort at catcher in 2024 could help lead to Davis getting the most out of his bat and putting up solid power and OBP numbers.

Ethan Salas signed for $5.8 million in January 2023 and got reps in major league spring training before making it to Double-A shortly after turning 17.

Salas shows maturity well beyond his age, considering he should still be in high school. The contact skills and plate discipline were impressive for his first professional season. Checking in with a 77.5 percent overall contact rate and a zone contact rate north of 85 percent is highly impressive and even better when you factor in a chase rate of 20 percent.

The power is already quite advanced for his age, hitting nine home runs in 66 games, but the exit velocities stood out for a 17-year-old. Salas checked in with an 87 mph average exit velocity and a 90th percentile above 102 mph, which would both be elite if we compared him to people his age. The frame also has a ton to dream on, and you can expect the power to tick up even more.

Ethan Salas. 🇻🇪

First professional home run.

17 years and 5 days old.

pic.twitter.com/QHglLw5cjS

— Shawn Spradling (@Shawn_Spradling) June 7, 2023

Bo Naylor mashed his way from Triple-A to the majors in 2023, hitting 13 home runs in 270 plate appearances in Triple-A; Naylor added 11 more across 230 MLB plate appearances. He slashed just .237/.339/.470 in the majors but continued to show the strong plate discipline that has been consistent throughout his minor league career. Naylor should get consistent playing time in Cleveland in 2024, which could see his stock rise well beyond this ranking.

Mitch Garver signing with Seattle feels like a perfect landing spot for the slugger who hit 19 home runs in just 344 plate appearances last year while slashing .270/.370/.500 in Texas. Having one of the lowest chase rates in baseball, Garver gets on base at a high clip and had a 12.6 percent barrel rate in 2023. Being the everyday designated hitter in Seattle should allow Garver to remain healthy and hit in the middle of a solid lineup, being a sneaky good play at catcher for fantasy purposes.

Jonah Heim has steadily improved over the last three seasons and posted a career-best 18 home runs in 2023 to pair with a slash of .258/.317/.438. Heim hit the ball at ideal launch angles more often, leading to an eight percent barrel rate, and while it was below league average, it was still a major improvement for Heim. Playing every day in a strong Texas lineup should allow Heim to accumulate plenty of plate appearances and be a solid contributor across the board in 2024 and beyond.

Harry Ford is a strong athlete behind the plate who was selected 12th overall in the 2021 draft. Since being drafted, Ford has gotten on base at a high clip, seen his power tick up, and stolen bases effectively. While there is a possibility that Ford could move off the position, his athleticism and abilities at the plate will play at any position in the field.

While being a bit undersized, Ford gets more power than you might think from his 5-foot-10 frame. While hitting just 15 home runs, Ford sprays line drives to all fields with authority with a 90th percentile exit velocity close to the MLB average of 103 mph.

Kyle Teel fell into the Red Sox's lap at 14 overall in the 2023 draft, one of the highest floor catchers in the last few draft classes. Teel spent just three games at the complex before skipping Single-A entirely and was shipped off to High-A Greenville. 14 games later, Teel moved up to Double-A Portland to end the season. 

Teel brings strong bat-to-ball skills and a great eye at the plate, creating high OBPs. For his career at Virginia, Teel posted a .433 OBP, but during his 2023 season, he posted an impressive .407/.475/.655 slash line. He has some sneaky power thanks to a quick bat and hands and could hit 20 home runs per season. Teel has quick pop times and catches a high amount of runners attempting to steal, which helps his chances of sticking behind the plate.

A plus catcher behind the plate could lead him to be on the fast track to the majors where his defense behind the dish could already play. If the bat continues to develop, it would not surprise me to see Teel in All-Star games in the future, being the Red Sox catcher of the future.

Tier 6 - Dynasty Catcher Rankings

Alejandro Kirk took a step backward in 2023 after his 2022 season gave the impression that he was primed to be a top-10 dynasty catcher for the foreseeable future. Instead, Kirk managed just a .250/.334/.358 slash line in 422 plate appearances with eight home runs. The interesting thing is that Kirk's zone contact rate jumped three percentage points to an elite 92.5 percent, and his overall contact rate improved to 87 percent.

Given the high-end contact rates, Kirk can post solid batting averages, but the power is in question. His average exit velocity and barrel rates were both 19th percentile among all hitters in 2023. Expect a rebound season in 2023, but it is probably more in the batting average department than power.

Salvador Perez is one of those players who will rank much lower on a dynasty list than he would in redraft. Entering his age 34 season, Perez has begun to play first base and slotted in as a designated hitter more in 2023. Perez has hit 23 home runs a piece in each of the last two seasons, but in 2023, it took 110 more plate appearances to do so. His slugging percentage dropped to .422, and his OBP was below .300 for the second straight year. Perez is a fine dynasty piece for a contending team, but with an extensive injury history, I am not looking to invest in him.

Ryan Jeffers seems to be one of the more underrated catchers in baseball, and he finally put things together in 2023 despite just 335 plate appearances. Jeffers mashed 14 home runs over that span and slashed .276/.369/.490, earning everyday playing time in the second half of the season which is when most of the damage was done. Jeffers looks to be in line for everyday at-bats in 2024, and if he produces even close to what he did in the second half of 2023, he will be extremely valuable.

Endy Rodriguez ascended prospect rankings in 2022 after a strong season saw him reach Triple-A. Rodriguez hit 25 home runs with a batting average north of .300. 2023 was a step backward as he hit just six home runs in 315 Triple-A plate appearances and three in 204 MLB plate appearances. Despite the down year, it likely stems back to a UCL injury that Rodriguez had surgery on after the season ended. The down year plus injury creates a solid buying opportunity in dynasty leagues.

If you enjoyed these writeups and rankings, you can see Chris's Top 50 dynasty catcher rankings plus a full top 1,000 dynasty and prospect list at The Dynasty Dugout.

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