The catcher position in fantasy baseball is like the green vegetables on a dinner plate — even on a good day, they aren’t the main attraction. Still, the 2025 pool of backstops is a respectable group. Most managers will draft in leagues that require just one starting catcher, and in those formats, there are plenty of useful options to go around. Although the position still includes a few all-or-nothing sluggers, fantasy managers will be happy to know that there are several men who could help or at least maintain a squad’s overall batting average.
William Contreras towers above the competition at this premium position, and in one-catcher leagues, he is the only player who warrants early-round consideration. But the likes of Adley Rutschman, Salvador Pérez, Yainer Díaz and Will Smith form a large second tier that can provide nearly every manager in a standard 12-team league with a helpful lineup member.
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The newfound depth at the position is a direct result of an increasing willingness from MLB managers to allow their catchers to log a heavy workload. A dozen catchers accumulated more than 440 at-bats last year, which had last occurred in 2007. And five men exceeded 540 at-bats, which would have been a league-leading total at the catcher position in many recent seasons. Since Major League Baseball instituted the universal DH in 2022, many teams have recently chosen to share the DH position rather than having one man in the role. These changes have enabled managers on teams with offensively skilled catchers to keep them in the lineup without adding to their workload behind the plate.
Sleepers at the catcher position
Although there are plenty of catchers to go around, many managers will choose to search for a sleeper in the final rounds of drafts. Here are a few options to consider:
Austin Wells, New York Yankees
Wells took over as the Yankees’ No. 1 catcher in the second half of 2024 and was further cemented in that role when Jose Trevino was traded to Cincinnati. Wells draws plenty of walks (11.4% in 2024) and last year logged a .244 xBA which was notably higher than his .229 average. The 25-year-old could hit .250 with 20 homers and plenty of RBI by virtue of playing in a productive lineup.
Sean Murphy, Atlanta Braves
Murphy is an excellent bounceback candidate who is coming off an injury-impacted season but hit .250 with 39 homers and 134 RBI over the previous two years. There is no doubt that Murphy’s skills regressed last year, but he was one of many Atlanta players who were major disappointments, and there is a good chance that the 30-year-old and a few of his teammates get back on track this season. The Braves also lost Travis d’Arnaud via free agency, which opens the door for Murphy, who played 148 games in 2022, to log a heavy workload.
Joey Bart, Pittsburgh Pirates
Bart got his career on track after joining the Pirates, posting an .802 OPS while playing sparingly in the first half and logging a .798 OPS with a larger role after the All-Star break. His next challenge will be to prove that he can maintain his effectiveness over a larger workload, and the former elite prospect still has plenty of upside. Like Wells and Murphy, Bart could hit 20 homers and avoid being a drain on the batting average category.
Gabriel Moreno, Arizona Diamondbacks
Gabriel Moreno was limited by injuries to just 97 games last season, but he continued to show growth with his plate skills by posting vastly improved marks in walk rate (11.7%) and strikeout rate (14.8%). And although he hit just five homers, he may have laid the path for power growth by boosting his fly ball rate to 32.0%. Moreno is one of the few late-round catchers who can log a helpful batting average, and he can make up for a modest home run total by swiping a few bases.
Iván Herrera, St. Louis Cardinals
With Willson Contreras moving to first base, Iván Herrera gets a chance to run with the No. 1 catcher role in St. Louis. The 24-year-old is a line drive machine who hit .301 last season while logging a .293 xBA. Herrera’s fantasy profile is similar to that of Moreno; a young, improving catcher who should hit fewer than 15 homers while producing a solid batting average and 7-10 steals.
Top-12 Catcher Draft Rankings for 2025
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1. William Contreras, Brewers
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2. Adley Rutschman, Orioles
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3. Cal Raleigh, Mariners
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4. Salvador Pérez, Royals
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5. Willson Contreras, Cardinals
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6. Will Smith, Dodgers
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7. Yainer Díaz, Astros
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8. J.T. Realmuto, Phillies
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9. Shea Langeliers, A’s
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10. Logan O’Hoppe, Angels
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11. Tyler Stephenson, Reds
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12. Austin Wells, Yankees
