2023 Dynasty Catcher Rankings

Possibly the most frustrating position in fantasy baseball, there aren’t many “exciting” catchers. After the top handful, the position falls off rather quickly. In general, these players have less fantasy value as their bats just don’t compare to most at other positions. Of course, this goes for standard leagues; two-catcher leagues are a nightmare but these players’ values will go up a tick in that situation.

The catching prospects coming up the pipeline right now look better than ever. However, many will transition to other positions (Tyler Soderstrom and Hunter Goodman come to mind). As long as at least a handful of these prospects pan out, the position will see an influx of talent over the next 18 months or so. Until then, there are some less-than-exciting veterans to be used as stop-gaps.

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Player Notes

• • Adley Rutschman is the top dynasty catcher and it doesn’t seem like he’ll lose that title anytime soon. As a rookie in 2022, he proved that he’s an elite contributor at the position but with his red-hot start to 2023, he might just be an elite fantasy bat altogether. He’s slashing .344/.481/.574 with six extra-base hits (four homers) and an MLB-leading 16 walks. There’s very little swing-and-miss in Rutschman’s strong plate approach. The 25-year-old owns a career .840 OPS with strikeout and walks rates of 17.4% and 14.8%, respectively. He’s one of the few top-end catchers that I’d be willing to pay up for in dynasty formats.
    

• Daulton Varsho may be the best sell-high candidate near the top of this list. While I still believe in his bat in general, his value as an outfielder is much lower than it was as a catcher. He’s yet to appear behind the plate in Toronto and likely won’t, barring an extended absence by Alejandro Kirk or Danny Jansen. Varsho is one of the only catchers currently providing value in the speed department. He swiped 16 bases last season and is already stolen three in 2023. He also ripped 27 homers in 2022 and the power should tick back up as he settles in with his new team. So far this season, Varsho has chased less and made more zone contact, which should keep his average fairly safe.
• Sean Murphy was one of my favorite targets at the catcher position this offseason and the early returns have been positive, though a bit inconsistent. He’s slashing .279/.446/.651 with 10 extra-base hits, 13 RBI, and a 12:14 BB:K through 13 games. His move away from Oakland was great for his fantasy value, due to both his new park and lineup. Murphy didn’t play a full MLB season until his age-26 campaign but he’s belted 38 home runs with 138 RBI in 280 games since the start of 2021. The 28-year-old’s underlying numbers are terrific, including barrel and walk rates.
• Logan O’Hoppe is quickly moving up the board with his hot bat. He’s popped four home runs through 46 plate appearances while posting great batted-ball data. The 23-year-old rookie has secured his spot as the Angels’ long-term catcher and might already be a 25-homer player at the position. However, he’ll need to control his strikeouts and, more specifically, his poor swinging strike numbers. O’Hoppe posted a career 19.1% strikeout rate and a 10.5% walk rate in the minors so the concern level isn’t too high at the moment.

Quick Hits

• Francisco Alvarez has struggled during short stints at the MLB level, going 3-for-27 with one homer over the last two years. Still, at just 21 years old, he possesses an advanced bat that’s already displayed 25-homer pop in the minors. He’s an elite prospect that still has long-term value.
• Ethan Salas has yet to turn 17 but is already facing lofty expectations. He debuted in spring training and has drawn high praise around the league. He’s mostly a target for deeper leagues as he’s obviously several years away from making an MLB impact.
• Luis Campusano has seen his prospect status tumble over the last few years. He hasn’t really displayed his hit tool or power yet at the MLB level. Consistency will be key for the 24-year-old in what could be a make-or-break year for his long-term outlook.

2023 Dynasty Catcher Rankings