10 Fantasy Baseball Takeaways from 2025: Catcher

With the 2025 regular season officially over, it is time to break down everything that we just saw. Over the first seven days of October, my goal is to provide a list of 10 key takeaways that fantasy baseball managers should take from last season. Today, we start with catcher. We saw one of the best fantasy seasons of all-time from a catcher in 2025 with Cal Raleigh breaking 60 home runs. Keep reading for 10 takeaways that you need to make from the 2025 MLB season.

10 Catcher Takeaways from 2025 Fantasy Baseball

1) Consistent playing time is huge at a thin position

For a position like catcher, finding a player who is going to play consistently is the number one priority. There were only three catchers to reach 600 plate appearances last season. Only nine reached 500. Playing every day provides the opportunity to accumulate stats that others at the position simply cannot. This was the main reasoning behind Willson Contreras being cited as a my-guy heading into this season. Not only Contreras, but players like Agustin Ramirez and Ben Rice both got consistent playing time at DH and first base. All three finished the season in the top 11 in terms of fantasy ranking.

2) Adley Rutschman was not as safe as fantasy baseball managers thought

27 years old, good team context, former first overall pick, consistent success over multiple Major League seasons, and consistent playing time, it felt as if even if Adley Rutschman had a bad season, he would still be reliable for fantasy managers. That could not have been further from the truth. Injuries limited Rutschman to just 88 games, and he struggled throughout those games. His 93 wRC+ marked the lowest point in his career as was his .225 batting average. He finished as C36 on the season, leaving fantasy managers wondering who the real Rutschman really is. While Rutschman will likely fall short of the generational expectations set for him, he is still a useful player with excellent contact skills and should see his .245 BABIP improve next season.

3) Ivan Herrera has significant upside if he maintains catcher eligibility

This takeaway ties back to the first one. Playing time is king when it comes to catcher. Herrera will not maintain catcher eligibility in every league, but he started 13 games there last season, which is enough in some formats. He is likely to serve as St. Louis’ primary DH in 2026, which could turn him into an elite fantasy option at the position. Herrera was dominant in almost every offensive facet of the game in 2025. Above average contact skills, good plate discipline, 89th percentile expected batting average, and 85th percentile expected slugging. He finished 2025 as the C8 in fantasy and could be even better in 2026.

4) The young catchers that fantasy managers counted on did not produce

Expectations for both Logan O’Hoppe and Francisco Alvarez were high entering 2025. O’Hoppe was the ninth catcher taken in drafts, while Alvarez was a popular sleeper pick down at C18. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, neither lived up to the expectations. After a strong first month, Hoppe hit just .190 from May 10 forward and wound up finishing as the C29. Alvarez was limited to just 76 games due to injuries and a brief stint in Triple-A. He saw his average improve to .256, but hit just 11 home runs and finished as the C30.

5) Shea Langeliers was another A to benefit from Sacramento

2025 was a breakout season for Langeliers. The 27-year-old catcher hit a career-high 31 home runs with an impressive .277 batting average. The jump in batting average was the biggest surprise and directly correlated to a nearly eight percent drop in his strikeout rate. The improvements to his whiff rate were important, but he also benefited from playing his home games in Sacramento. Langeliers’ expected home runs on the season was 24, and in no other ballpark except for Sacramento would he have hit 28. The good news for Langeliers and fantasy managers is that he will continue playing his home games there in 2026. He finished as the C3 in 2025.

6) Dalton Rushing does not have a path to playing time

Dalton Rushing was the game’s top catching prospect heading into 2025. After batting .314 in Triple-A, Rushing quickly earned a promotion to the Major Leagues. Unfortunately for Rushing and fantasy baseball managers, Will Smith’s presence prevented Rushing from ever getting meaningful playing time. Even when Smith spent time on the IL, Rushing was never given the primary catcher role. In 53 games, Rushing hit .204 with four home runs, but it is difficult to judge his performance with inconsistent playing time. For catching prospects, a clear path to playing time is essential when evaluating their potential for current-season success.

7) Talent wins out in complicated situations

Entering the season, nobody knew how much playing time to project for Drake Baldwin. Coming off a season in which Baldwin hit .276 with 16 home runs, people knew that Baldwin would likely contribute at some point in 2025. However, he would have to beat out Sean Murphy for playing time. After being drafted as the C29, Baldwin finished as the C10. He played in 124 games, batting .274 with 19 home runs. His batted ball data was strong, and his hit tool was excellent. Simply put, at this point, he is a more talented player than Murphy. The takeaway for fantasy baseball managers is to trust the talent. Baldwin was always the more talented player and should have been drafted higher. Keep this in mind for 2026 drafts.

8) Only 12 catchers provided positive fantasy value

Catcher has always been a thin position for fantasy baseball. However, more and more leagues are moving to two-catcher formats. This creates a conundrum for fantasy baseball managers. Catchers rarely produce difference-making value, but you do not want to be stuck with a negative at a position. The takeaway here is mainly for deep leagues. If you play in a 14+ team format, fantasy baseball managers should enter the draft knowing that some teams will wind up with a negative-value catcher. Attack the position early and ensure that you get a player who will contribute to the success of your team.

9) JT Realmuto took another step backwards

Realmuto’s offensive decline has seemed to be coming for a couple of seasons now. After posting a 129 wRC+ in 2022, he has hovered closer to league average over the past few seasons. In 2025, Realmuto’s production dropped further to a 94 wRC+. Once a dominant force for fantasy baseball managers, Realmuto is no longer that player. The bright side is that Realmuto continued to be an iron man behind the plate, once again starting more than 130 games. Name value pushed him up draft boards to the C10 this past season. Despite consistent playing time, Realmuto finished as just the C16. He turns 35 in March and is a free agent this offseason. Fantasy managers should temper expectations for Realmuto in 2026.

10) Elite tools play up at a thin position like catcher

We have already discussed how thin the catcher position is. While some positions require contributions in all five categories, having one elite tool can turn a catcher into a huge fantasy asset. Power-hitting catchers shone in 2025. The obvious name at the top of the list was Cal Raleigh. The slugging catcher hit an incredible 60 home runs, which could be enough to earn him the MVP award. Even besides Raleigh, fantasy players saw highly productive seasons from Hunter Goodman and Agustin Ramirez. Both players entered the season with significant hit tool concerns, but hit for enough power to generate fantasy value. At a position lacking in value, having only one elite tool could be enough.