Top 50 Dynasty League Catchers for 2025
George Bissell ranks the top 50 backstops for dynasty leagues heading into 2025.
With spring training rapidly approaching, it’s time for fantasy managers to start preparing for the impending 2025 campaign and beyond. Fantasy managers can find my complete Top 500 Dynasty Rankings for 2025 over at Rotoworld. They’ll continue to be updated weekly to reflect the latest offseason player movement. In the coming weeks, I’ll take a deeper dive into each individual position group here at The Buzz to provide dynasty managers with a 10,000-foot view of the landscape.
Before we dive into the rankings, I want to share a little background on the experiences that has shaped my overall process. My professional writing career began with The Dynasty Guru over a decade ago with a stint at Baseball Prospectus thrown in before ultimately finding a long-term home at Rotoworld. The biggest thing I’ve learned so far is that despite our best efforts we are going to be wrong. A lot. I don’t have all the answers, trust me. It’s critical to seek out as many wide-ranging opinions and information sources as possible to inform roster decisions, especially in dynasty formats.
With those variables in mind, these specific dynasty rankings have been crafted to serve as a snapshot in time, and a rough approximation for player value from a trade value standpoint with an emphasis on building a sustainable contending roster that doesn’t skew too far in either end of the contention cycle spectrum. I’m a steadfast believer that Flags Fly Forever, but the path to producing a consistent winning roster involves making decisions that strike a balance between the present and future. Fantasy managers should anticipate the dynasty value of both established veterans and emerging prospects to change dramatically in the coming months. Here’s where we stand heading into spring training. – George Bissell
Top 50 Dynasty League Catchers for 2025
Let’s do this.
1) William Contreras, Braves
2) Adley Rutschman, Orioles
3) Yainer Diaz, Astros
The “Big Three” at the position moving forward, William Contreras and Yainer Diaz ascended to upper-echelon status by virtue of their performance over the last two season, not only hitting for power, but also making a significant impact in the batting average department. Contreras has batted .285 in 1,290 plate appearances over the last two years for Milwaukee, while also averaging 20 round-trippers and chipping in 15 stolen bases. You’re not going for speed at this position, but the fact that Contreras is getting close to double-digit steals is a big deal. Diaz has traded some of his explosive pop for a few points in batting average, which fantasy managers will certainly take since it’s helped him become a key component of Houston’s fearsome middle-of-the-order mix.
Orioles general manager Mike Elias told reports recently that Adley Rutschman was “naturally tired” toward the end of last year, which probably attributed to his second-half slide at the plate, but the positive news is that he’s not dealing with any lingering physical issues heading into next year. He’s a proven offensive catalyst with the ability to hit for average and power, which makes him one of the safest long-term bets at the position until further notice. His extraordinarily high floor keeps him in the elite tier until further notice.
4) Samuel Basallo, Orioles
Finding catchers who can be an asset in fantasy leagues has been challenging, but Samuel Basallo headlines a group of exciting young prospects that are on the verge of breaking into the majors. Universally regarded as the most talented catching prospect in the fantasy landscape for the last two years, Basallo boasts 25-homer potential with a respectable batting average once he reaches the majors. The 20-year-old phenom delivered on the stratospheric hype his breakthrough 2023 season generated by slashing .278/.341/.449 with 19 round-trippers and 10 steals in 532 plate appearances last year between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk. With franchise cornerstone Adley Rutschman firmly entrenched as Baltimore’s starting backstop, it’s entirely fair to wonder whether he’ll retain catcher eligibility beyond the immediate future. Regardless of where he ultimately winds up, Basallo projects as a potential four-category impact fantasy contributor at the highest level capable of reaching 30 homers annually at his peak. The only real question left is how quickly he’ll arrive in the Charm City.
5) Dalton Rushing, Dodgers
He won’t garner Basallo’s immense hype from a pure fantasy standpoint, but Dalton Rushing is the most likely prospect to make an immediate impact in the coming season, especially as part of Los Angeles’ absolute Death Star of a lineup. The 23-year-old emerged as a potential late-season call-up candidate last year after slashing .271/.385/.512 with 26 big flies and two steals in 503 plate appearances between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City. He added some extra defensive versatility to his profile by playing left field down the stretch at the Triple-A level, which should make him even more appealing to the Dodgers, and prevents him from being blocked by veteran starter Will Smith. He won’t match Basallo’s over-the-fence power potential, but he’ll likely be a tick better in the batting average department. His above-average plate skills should enable him to control the strike zone at the highest level and it’s not unrealistic to expect double-digit homers either. I’m a bit more bullish on Rushing as a dynasty option as opposed to some of the veterans we’ll touch on in a moment.
6) Salvador Perez, Royals
7) Will Smith, Dodgers
8) Cal Raleigh, Mariners
His advanced age amplifies the risk that he falls off completely at some point in the coming years, but Salvador Perez has been a certifiable iron man at the position for over a decade. He rarely misses time due to injury and seems to relish playing through various physical issues that would put other backstops on the shelf. He turns 35 years old in early May, but it wouldn’t be shocking if he carried on the legacy of someone like Nelson Cruz as an aging slugger still getting it done into his late 30’s.
Cal Raleigh isn’t going to help in the batting average department, but he’s locked into a top 10 spot in these rankings following consecutive 30-homer campaigns. Will Smith has been the model of consistency for a half-decade at this juncture, pairing 20-homer pop with strong counting stats and a serviceable batting average. The fact that he’s turning 30 in late March, along with the impending arrival of top prospect Dalton Rushing, and Shohei Ohtani occupying the designated hitter spot on a full-time basis, bump him back a few paces behind the “Big Three” and other elite prospects.
9) Francisco Alvarez, Mets
10) Logan O’Hoppe, Angels
11) Willson Contreras, Cardinals
This is the trio that is among the most difficult to forecast from a long-term standpoint since the range of potential outcomes seems limitless. Francisco Alvarez unquestionably possesses the talent to join the “Big Three” at the position soon, especially since he projects as a key component of New York’s star-studded lineup for years to come. He’s not the most selective hitter on the planet, but he’s only 23 years old entering next season and offers 30-homer upside, if everything comes together. I made the case for Logan O’Hoppe earlier this week as one of the backstops that I’m most confident in heading into next season. Meanwhile, Willson Contreras stands to benefit exponentially from a volume standpoint by taking over as St. Louis’s everyday first baseman. He’s another player that my colleague Dave Shovein and I debated earlier this week. It remains an open question whether he’ll spend enough time behind the plate to retain catcher eligibility beyond the upcoming 2025 campaign. He’s a borderline top 10 option at the position for dynasty purposes.
12) Shea Langeliers, Athletics
13) Moises Ballesteros, Cubs
14) Kyle Teel, White Sox
When dynasty managers see Moises Ballesteros and Kyle Teel in the big leagues remains an open question as we rocket towards to spring training. However, let’s take a moment to acknowledge Shea Langeliers making the leap to potential 30-homer threat last year when he socked 29 round-trippers in 534 plate appearances. There’s a realistic fantasy ceiling here since he’s going to strike out nearly 30 percent of the time, but he boasts some of the most impressive raw power at the position. He’s probably going to benefit slightly from the move to a Triple-A ballpark in Sacramento.
Moises Ballesteros is knocking on the door to the big leagues after a batting .289/.354/.471 with 19 dingers and one steal in 508 plate appearances last season between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa. With only Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly standing in his way, it feels like only a matter of time before his bat arrives in Wrigley Field. There’s some risk here relative to some of the other top catching prospects, but if everything comes together at the highest level, he’s one of the most potent long-term bats at the position behind Samuel Basallo and Dalton Rushing.
Kyle Teel was shipped to the White Sox in early December as the crown jewel of the Garrett Crochet blockbuster with the Red Sox and figures to reach Chicago at some point during the upcoming season after hitting .288/.386/.433 with 13 round-trippers and 12 thefts in 505 plate appearances last year between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. He’s nearly ready and projects as a likely three-to-four category impact fantasy contributor at the position. I’m giving him the slight edge over some of the other catching prospects in this range based on his rather high fantasy floor.
15) Drake Baldwin, Braves
Love the Drake. My favorite sleeper candidate at the position heading into the 2025 campaign, Baldwin has the inside track to significant playing time with the Braves after slashing .276/.370/.423 with 16 long balls and two steals across 551 plate appearances last year between Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett. The average exit velocities were there in the upper minors, but he still needs to increase his launch angle if he’s going to unlock some additional over-the-fence pop. It’s relatively easy to envision him blossoming into a high-floor three or four category fantasy contributor for years to come.
16) J.T. Realmuto, Phillies
Among the most reliable multi-category fantasy contributors at the position for the better part of the past decade, J.T. Realmuto’s advancing age and durability question marks causes him to slip outside the top 10.
17) Austin Wells, Yankees
18) Agustin Ramirez, Marlins
A real x-factor in these rankings, Agustin Ramirez basically didn’t hit a lick at Triple-A Jacksonville after being shipped to the Marlins at the trade deadline in the Jazz Chisholm Jr. swap. The 23-year-old slugging backstop might not hang onto catcher eligibility for more than a handful of years, but he’s going to hit for power and probably strike out a ton at the highest level. There’s more downside in his fantasy profile, especially after the trade to Miami, relative to the other elite catching prospects, which knocks him down a couple spots below the Moises Ballesteros, Kyle Teel and Drake Baldwin tier.
19) Thayron Liranzo, Tigers
Following a late-season trade to Detroit as part of the Jack Flaherty deal, Thayron Liranzo made some serious noise, slashing .315/.470/.562 with five homers in 115 plate appearances. It was a bit of a small sample size, but he backed it up in the Arizona Fall League where he hit .375 (18-for-48) with two round-trippers in 15 contests. At 21 years old, he’s still a hyperspace jump or two away from the majors, but it wouldn’t be shocking if he were 10 spots higher in these rankings next year.
20) Tyler Stephenson, Reds
21) Harry Ford, Mariners
It’s undeniable that Harry Ford’s dynasty stock has taken a tumble over the last year after posting underwhelming numbers at Double-A Arkansas, which is a notoriously tough environment for young hitters. His remarkable athleticism and ultra-rare stolen base prowess are going to make him a relevant fantasy option at some point, but last year was a step in the wrong direction. I’m not going to bury him at 21 years old, but we need to see some growth at the plate if he’s going to come close to reaching his potential.
22) Edgar Quero, White Sox
The arrival of fellow top prospect Kyle Teel certainly complicates matters for the White Sox, but Edgar Quero looks like he’s going to factor into their long-term plans as an offensive-minded backstop and designated hitter. The 21-year-old standout batted .280/.366/.463 with 16 taters in 402 plate appearances last year between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte. He’ll probably get some additional seasoning at the Triple-A level at the outset of next season, but he should arrive in Chicago by midseason. If we had to project him right now, I’d probably say we’re looking at double-digit homers with a respectable batting average in the .250 range. That’s something.
23) Gabriel Moreno, Diamondbacks
24) Josue Briceño, Tigers
Among the most notable Arizona Fall League standouts for fantasy purposes, Josue Briceño tore the cover off the ball on the fall circuit, becoming the first prospect to launch double-digit homers in the AFL since Mike Olt accomplished the feat back in 2011. The 20-year-old backstop was limited to just 40 games last season at Low-A Lakeland and figures to open next year back in the lower minors. He’s several parsecs away from contributing at the highest level, but the power is real and it’s spectacular.
25) Joey Bart, Pirates
My colleague Dave Shovein shed some light on Joey Bart’s unexpected Pittsburgh revival earlier this week and I’m willing to buy into at least some of last year’s late-season production being real. He’s not quite someone fantasy managers will want to count on in a dynasty format, but he’s put himself in the conversation again, which is a lot more than we could’ve said at this time one year ago.
26) Sean Murphy, Braves
27) Ethan Salas, Padres
It’s easy to forget that Ethan Salas is still only 18 years old. The fact that he’s catching every day at High-A when most of his peers are just starting their professional career or heading to play college baseball remains a remarkable feat. He has plenty of time to figure things out at the dish, but it’s unclear whether he’ll eventually grow into a realistic fantasy contributor. This ranking hedges against the possibility that it never quite happens, which also accounting for the possibility that he makes some strides at the dish and rises this list in the coming years.
28) Jeferson Quero, Brewers
29) Keibert Ruiz, Nationals
30) Ryan Jeffers, Twins
31) David Fry, Guardians
32) Bo Naylor, Guardians
33) Connor Wong, Red Sox
34) Alejandro Kirk, Blue Jays
We’ve reached the cromulent veteran contributors’ portion of the catcher section. It’s tough to get a handle on what exactly happened with Bo Naylor once he reached the majors after emerging as one of the most promising catching prospects in recent years. He’s still young enough at 25 years old entering next season that there’s still some hope he turns things around, but the last couple years haven’t been great. It just goes to show there are no sure things, and there is a ton of volatility, especially when it comes to catching prospects.
35) Hunter Goodman, Rockies
36) Adrian Del Castillo, Diamondbacks
A pair of my favorite sleeper candidates at the position next season, I’d love to confidently push them higher, but there are enough question marks with both Hunter Goodman and Adrian Del Castillo from a playing time standpoint that it’s difficult to justify bumping them ahead of established veterans with clearly defined roles. It’s too early. We’ll see.
37) Jimmy Crooks, Cardinals
38) Carter Jensen, Royals
39) Iván Herrera, Cardinals
If you’re searching for an interesting dice roll as a rebuilding dynasty franchise, Carter Jensen seems to fit the bill. The 21-year-old backstop smashed 18 homers in 125 games last year between High-A Quad Cities and Double-A Northwest Arkansas prior to hitting .425 (17-for-40) with four homers and one steal in 12 contests during Arizona Fall League action. There’s a case for putting him much higher in these rankings, but I’m willing to wait and see for now.
40) Jonah Heim, Rangers
41) Travis d’Arnaud, Angels
42) Luis Campusano, Padres
43) Kyle Higashioka, Rangers
44) Freddy Fermin, Royals
45) Miguel Amaya, Cubs
We’ve reached the point where these guys are second-catcher options in most dynasty leagues. Miguel Amaya showed some signs of life at the dish during the second half of last year but came back down to Earth over the final few weeks. With top prospect Moises Ballesteros on the precipice of reaching the majors, it’s basically now or never for him with the Cubs.
46) Patrick Bailey, Giants
47) Danny Jansen, Rays
48) Endy Rodríguez, Pirates
49) Blake Mitchell, Royals
50) Alfredo Duno, Reds
That’s a wrap.