The catcher position, long a punchline in Fantasy, has served as a steady pipeline of talent in recent years. Looking back, I’ve often struggled to narrow this particular rank list down to 10 and, in fact, had to cheat to do so this year. (You’ll see what I mean.)
But that doesn’t mean a transformation is coming. What makes catcher so sticky for Dynasty play is the number of casualties along the way.
I’m not just referring to injuries — though, yes, those too — but more the general unpredictability brought about by the position’s bruising nature. As a rule, catchers sit out more than other position players, but some sit out more than others. Identifying which ones will take on a true starting role and which ones will slip into more of a catching tandem is near impossible at the prospect level, particularly since it’s largely a consequence of how the major-league roster happens to shake out at that point in time.
And then there are those who fail to meet the position’s high defensive threshold and wind up moving to some other position. Still, others become so consumed by their defensive responsibilities that they never quite get off the ground offensively, at least not to the degree we were promised.
So the potential for a misfire here is much wider than just a failure to perform, which is why, for Fantasy, catcher prospects are often held in the same regard as their big-league counterparts — which is to say low.
Note: These rankings are intended mainly for Dynasty use, emphasizing long-term value over a quick payoff, but to say proximity holds no weight wouldn’t be entirely accurate either. Not all of these players will contribute in 2025 — most, in fact, will not — but among prospects, they’re the names Fantasy Baseballers most need to know.
1. Samuel Basallo, Orioles
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2024: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .278 BA (479 AB), 19 HR, 10 SB, .790 OPS, 46 BB, 112 K
This past season was a bit of a misstep for Basallo following a massive 2023 that saw him slash .313/.402/.551, but his exit velocity readings in his 21 games at Triple-A confirm that he’s still a masher of the highest order, inviting comparisons as lofty as Yordan Alvarez. At catcher? Probably not with Adley Rutschman entrenched there, but a move to first base might actually improve Basallo’s Dynasty appeal by delivering more consistent playing time.
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2024: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .271 BA (420 AB), 26 HR, .896 OPS, 64 BB, 103 K
The Dodgers have taken their time with Rushing, facing no real urgency at catcher, which is perhaps why they tried him in left field late last season. There’s no delaying him further, which is why a hybrid role (sort of like Dalton Varsho had early in his career) might make sense, with Rushing’s on-base skills and considerable pull-side power giving him a chance to be an immediate success.
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2024: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .288 BA (427 AB), 13 HR, 12 SB, .819 OPS, 68 BB, 116 K
Teel will rank lower on some lists because he lacks a standout tool, but he’s just so solid in every respect, doing yeoman’s work over his two years in the minors, that I could see him sneaking up on everyone sort of like JT Realmuto did way back when. He’s such a sure thing at such an unsure position that he may become a top-five fixture by default, perhaps as soon as 2026.
4. Ethan Salas, Padres
Age (on opening day): 18
Where he played in 2024: High-A
Minor-league stats: .206 BA (412 AB), 4 HR, .599 OPS, 47 BB, 98 K
Salas is the epitome of a tools-over-results prospect, failing to deliver numbers that would warrant much interest in Fantasy while continuing to climb the ladder at a pace unprecedented for a catcher. I tend toward the seeing-is-believing side of prospect evaluation, which is why my ranking may be more restrained than others, but merely surviving the levels he has at such a young age portends big things for Salas if you’re willing to use your imagination.
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2024: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .267 BA (476 AB), 25 HR, 22 SB, .845 OPS, 61 BB, 102 K
The centerpiece of the Jazz Chisholm deal and perhaps the biggest riser among catcher prospects in 2024, Ramirez has a clear path with the Marlins, who will be more inclined to forgive his defensive shortcomings to get an actual masher in the lineup. His power is his most evident tool, but his bat control shouldn’t go unnoticed. He’s also an opportunistic baserunner if not a particularly fast one.
6. Moises Ballesteros, Cubs
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2024: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .289 BA (454 AB), 19 HR, .826 OPS, 45 BB, 93 K
Ballesteros’ squatty build and knack for contact make the Alejandro Kirk comparisons unavoidable, but the 21-year-old packs more of a punch, such that the Cubs couldn’t help but advance him to Triple-A for the bulk of 2024. The result is that he’s underdeveloped defensively, which is a problem since his 5-foot-8 frame makes for a small target at first base, but the bat is good enough that most evaluators think the Cubs will find a place for it. Think Pablo Sandoval.
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2024: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .276 BA (468 AB), 16 HR, .793 OPS, 72 BB, 95 K
The prospect world still seems to be catching up to Baldwin, who has become more pertinent with Travis d’Arnaud having broken free from his tag team with Sean Murphy. The numbers look even better when you consider Baldwin slashed .298/.407/.484 after moving up to Triple-A, where he hit 12 of his 16 home runs and had nearly as many walks (52) as strikeouts (54). His average and max exit velocities are second to none on this list, and he earns pretty good defensive marks as well.
Age (on opening day): 25
Where he played in 2024: Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .312 BA (413 AB), 26 HR, 36 2B, 1.002 OPS, 55 BB, 80 K
Major-league stats: .313 BA (80 AB), 4 HR, 5 2B, .893 OPS, 7 BB, 28 K
Del Castillo hasn’t gotten a ton of prospect love as a defensively challenged 25-year-old who broke through at hitter-friendly Triple-A Reno, but he did an admirable job filling in for Gabriel Moreno late last season, giving the Diamondbacks every excuse to bring him back at the first opportunity. You could grumble about his high strikeout rate and low exit velocity readings during that trial run, but his Triple-A numbers suggest neither is a permanent affliction.
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2024: Triple-A
Minor-league stats (2023): .262 BA (336 AB), 16 HR, .779 OPS, 38 BB, 68 K
The biggest selling point for Quero is his defense, which is why he shows up higher on real-life lists than Fantasy ones, but at a position where playing time is often the greatest barrier to entry, you can feel confident he’ll get his. William Contreras’ bat is good enough to play elsewhere, at least part-time, should it come to that. What remains to be seen is if Quero’s year lost to shoulder surgery rolls back the power gains he made in 2023.
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2024: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .280 BA (350 AB), 16 HR, .829 OPS, 39 BB, 70 K
The other Quero (no relation to Jeferson) struggled with an aggressive promotion to Double-A while still with the Angels in 2023, but his second try at that level this year went a long way toward restoring enthusiasm in Fantasy. A patient hitter with pretty good pop, Quero stands at the precipice of a promotion, but you can’t feel great about the White Sox’s capacity to develop players at this point.
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2024: High-A
Minor-league stats: .244 BA (353 AB), 12 HR, .786 OPS, 75 BB, 102 K
The Tigers could have used Jack Flaherty in the postseason but had already traded him for this guy, who went on to hit .315 with five home runs and more walks (26) than strikeouts (20) in 26 games for their High-A affiliate. If those gains (which also showed up in the Arizona Fall League) carry over to 2025, then I’ll feel silly for leaving Liranzo out of the top 10, particularly since he also meets this position’s high defensive threshold.
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2024: Double-A
Minor-league stats: .249 BA (430 AB), 7 HR, 35 SB, .745 OPS, 74 BB, 115 K
I’ve long been bullish on Ford, whose on-base skills and athleticism (namely the stolen bases) are rare among catchers, but the power gains that were promised haven’t yet come to fruition — and, if anything, have gone the other way. I haven’t totally abandoned hope, particularly knowing that Double-A Arkansas is a difficult offensive environment, but then again, so is Seattle.
