Catcher Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers: Later-Round Values (2025)

Today we continue our later-round draft values series with our MLB team's fantasy baseball catcher draft sleepers and later-round picks for 2025 fantasy baseball drafts. For fantasy managers in deeper leagues -- including two-catcher, AL-only, or NL-only formats -- we focus on hidden gems that could help solidify a second catcher or provide a boost at the catcher position in deep leagues. While only a handful of catchers provide elite production, there are some serviceable options with upside hat can be drafted in the later rounds.

Below are some late-round picks who could be a bargain come draft day -- players for you to consider drafting in your season-long leagues this season. Are their ADPs undervalued? Will they make significant fantasy contributions and become a priority late-round draft target? Read on to see our take, and read about even more fantasy baseball sleepers as well.

Our editors have hand-picked these specific MLB players for your draft prep enjoyment. Usually only available to Premium subscribers, the five outlooks below are meant to give you a taste of the in-depth analysis you receive with our industry-leading 2025 Draft Kit. Be sure to subscribe today to start reading all of our in-depth 2025 player outlooks and many other premium articles and tools, including Team Sync, the Live Draft Sync assistant, Custom Rankings Service, and so much more – available exclusively in our 2025 Draft Kit.

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Ivan Herrera, St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera was limited to just 259 plate appearances in a backup role in 2024 but took advantage of the playing time that he did get. He slashed .301/.372/.428 with five home runs, 37 RBI, 27 runs, and five stolen bases across 72 games. Willson Contreras is making the move to be a full-time first baseman in 2025, which will open up significant playing time for the young catcher.

Ivan Herrera - St. Louis Cardinals (1)* pic.twitter.com/LuN8y7J505

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) March 8, 2025

He will still have to share duties with Pedro Pages, who is much better defensively, but Herrera has real breakout potential. His .293 xBA and .366 xwOBA represent elite offensive production, not just for a catcher but for a hitter in general. His plate discipline is also above average, as he had a walk rate of 9.7%.

ATC is projecting him to slash .260/.345/.400 with nine home runs, 39 RBI, 44 runs, and five stolen bases in 366 plate appearances. His NFBC ADP is 238, which is 19th at the position, making him a solid target in two-catcher leagues. However, if he manages to hit so well that he sticks in the lineup close to every day, he has the upside to become a standout, even in one-catcher leagues.

-- Jeremy Heist - RotoBaller

Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk disappointed again in 2024, slashing .253/.319/.359 with five home runs, 54 RBI, and 23 runs in 103 games. However, things seem to be on an upward trajectory for him heading into 2025. Toronto traded away Danny Jansen at the deadline last season and didn't replace him with a viable option this offseason, leaving Tyler Heineman as their backup catcher.

Alejandro Kirk just launched a home run off the batter's eye in centre field.

He's having a huge spring. Loud contact, over and over again. #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/7K1LVs4Iop

— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) March 5, 2025

This should open up more consistent playing time for Kirk as he hopes to return to his 2022 form, where he slashed .285/.372/.415. He still has excellent plate discipline, with a 13.2% strikeout rate that ranked in the top five percent of the league. Even if he can't regain his power stroke, he is a lock for a solid source of batting average for a catcher.

ATC is projecting him to hit for a .258 average, the fifth-highest at the position, to go along with nine home runs, 48 RBI, and 38 runs in 413 plate appearances. With an ADP of 270 as the 21st catcher off the board, he offers a solid floor if you wait to draft your second catcher.

-- Jeremy Heist - RotoBaller

Joey Bart, Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Joey Bart found success with his new team in 2024, slashing .265/.337/.462 with 13 home runs, 45 RBI, and 38 runs in 80 games. He swings the bat hard, with a 74.8 mph bat speed that led to an impressive .198 ISO. This was the eighth-highest for any catcher, with at least 200 plate appearances. The newcomer will face some competition for at-bats in 2025, with Endy Rodriguez and Henry Davis both still in Pittsburgh, but he is entering spring as the favorite to win the starting job.

And now, it's Joey Bart's turn! pic.twitter.com/afRZVYlIlx

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 5, 2025

ATC is projecting him to hit for a .237 average with 12 home runs, 45 RBI, and 41 runs in 366 plate appearances. Bart isn't the most exciting player out there, but his plus power makes him a fine option as a second catcher. He's being drafted as the 20th catcher on average, with an NFBC ADP of 261.

-- Jeremy Heist - RotoBaller

Austin Wells, New York Yankees

New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells had an up-and-down rookie campaign in 2024, but with fellow backstop Jose Trevino now in Cincinnati, Wells will have New York's starting catcher job all to himself. Last season, Wells slashed a pedestrian .229/.322/.395, which led to the 25-year-old being on the bench more frequently than fantasy managers would like.

Despite his poor ratios, Wells belted 13 homers in 115 games played, and he posted healthy run (42) and RBI (55) totals, thanks to New York's potent lineup. The Yankees should have a good offense again, and Wells' lefty swing is tailor-made to hit homers in Yankee Stadium, so last year's numbers should be the baseline expectation this season.

Austin Wells LEADOFF BOMB pic.twitter.com/cXHNMfifxg

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) March 7, 2025

However, there's room for growth in his game as the bat is typically slow to develop for catchers. A look under the hood suggests Wells could be much better this season as his .429 xSLG and .339 xwOBA were both better than his actual marks.

Additionally, his 111.2 max exit velocity suggests he's got plenty of raw power to work with entering his age-26 season. He won't be the sexiest fantasy selection on draft day, but those who wait to draft a catcher may find Wells to be good value as a late-round selection. He's got sleeper potential as RotoBaller's 13th-ranked catcher with a recent NFBC ADP of 189.

-- Mike Schwarzenbach  - RotoBaller

Samuel Basallo, Baltimore Orioles

There's no denying that Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo is one of the top-hitting prospects in all of baseball, but will he be able to make an impact for fantasy leagues in 2025? In 127 games between Double-A and Triple-A, Basallo slashed .278/.341/.449 with 19 home runs and 10 steals, finishing the season with a trio of home runs in 21 Triple-A games.

Samuel Basallo clears the bases and continues to MASH this spring 😤 pic.twitter.com/ceZvogD3ZF

— MLB (@MLB) March 7, 2025

While Basallo has consistently flexed his plus raw power in the minors which includes a 48% hard-hit rate in Triple-A, Basallo's contact rate dipped to 65% at the level with a 17.7% swinging strike rate. Despite the concerns, Basallo is probably more of a .260-.270 hitter than a .280-.290 hitter long-term while flirting with or exceeding 25 home runs annually.

The long-term upside is a Top-5 player at catcher or Top 10 at first base, but when will he see regular playing time with Baltimore? Given the presence of Ryan Mountcastle at first base, Ryan O'Hearn at DH, and Adley Rutschman at catcher, I'm wondering if Basallo's 2025 season somewhat mirrors Coby Mayo's 2024 in terms of playing time at each level.

-- Eric Cross - RotoBaller

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