Catchers

C rankings artworkBelow are our rankings of catchers entering the 2020 season. The list was last updated on January 10, 2020.

1. J.T. Realmuto (PHI) A career high in homers with 25. A career high in RBI’s with 83. Toss in nine stolen bases and the Phillies got exactly what they anticipated when they traded for Realmuto prior to the 2019 campaign. The best catcher in the game.

2. Yasmani Grandal (CWS) Grandal has averaged 25 homers a year over the past four seasons and is coming off a career high 77 RBI campaign. His 109 walks led all catchers with Robinson Chirinos settling into second with 51. The high-powered White Sox lineup will prove to his liking in 2020. 1B-20

3. Gary Sanchez (NYY) His strikeout rate has risen from 22.9%, to 25.1%, to 28% over the past three seasons. Yes, feel free to pencil in 30 homers, but remember it does come with the potential for a Mendoza line type BA.

4. Willson Contreras (CHC) Contreras bounced back nicely, with his 2019 production very similar to his 2017 breakout season. A 20-65-.270 line is a safe and solid floor to build upon.

5. Mitch Garver (MIN) The potential demonstrated in 2018 exploded in 2019. The 31 homers hit by Garver in 2019 were second only to Gary Sanchez. The jump from 7-to-31 homers is rather staggering, but Garver also demonstrated improved command of the strike zone, notably his walk rate. That .995 OPS is very enticing.

6. Will Smith (LAD) 20 homers in 224 at-bats at Triple-A. 15 homers in 170 at-bats with the Dodgers. There’s 35 reasons to be very excited for his 2020 potential. If anyone can supplant Gary Sanchez as the best home run hitting catcher in the game, it will be Will Smith.

7. Wilson Ramos (NYM) There’s something to be said about being boringly consistent, and Wilson Ramos is exactly that. The moderate power potential is offset by the great BA, demonstrated by the fact that he has led all full-time catchers with a .288 and .306 BA in the past two seasons.

8. Salvador Perez (KC) 2019 was a lost season for Perez as he never made it out-of-the-gate, being felled by an elbow injury that required TJS. The Royals are likely to go slow with Perez out-of-the-gate at catcher but he should still find playing time opportunities at both 1B and DH in the early going.

9. Omar Narvaez (MIL) The 22 homers in Seattle are a harbinger of even better days ahead in his new home in Milwaukee.

10. Sean Murphy (OAK) The end-of-season trial was a success, and he looks to own the full-time gig for the A’s heading into 2020. The strong hit tool displayed in the Minors should translate very well at the big league level.

11. Carson Kelly (ARZ) The potential was there, the opportunities in St. Louis….not so much. The DBacks are the beneficiaries. 20+ homers with a great OBP, at least for a catcher, are in the cards for the young backstop.

12. Jorge Alfaro (MIA) Slow but steady wins the race and Alfaro’s career is taking that approach. He still strikes out to much, making a solid BA a challenge, but the power has grown from 5 to 10 to 18 homers over the past three seasons. Passing the 20-homer mark seems to be a reasonable next step.

13. Yadier Molina (STL) Yes, Yaddy is getting a bit long in the tooth, but he’s still a relatively safe bet to produce a 10-50 type season with a .260 BA.

14. Danny Jansen (TOR) Jansen’s 2019 has to be considered a huge disappointment, especially that .207 BA. The Jays were happy with the D, so it buys the 24-year-old time to get the offense untracked. There will be better days ahead.

15. Travis d’Arnaud (ATL) He finally stayed healthy and produced a carbon copy of his solid 2017 campaign. Can he make it through two consecutive seasons with 300+ at-bats? 1B-21

16. Robinson Chirinos (TEX) Over the past three seasons, Chirinos has hit 17, 18, and 17 home runs. The two incumbents on the Rangers roster, Jeff Mathis and Jose Trevino, combined for four home runs last year. Yes, it was a good Free Agent signing by Texas.

17. Christian Vazquez (BOS) His career high prior to last season in homers was five. Last year he hit 23. I want to see a second year of production before
investing in him as a top-tier catcher.

18. Roberto Perez (CLE) 7, 3, 8, 2, and 24. Which one of these numbers doesn’t belong?

19. Kurt Suzuki (WAS) Since escaping the Twins in 2017, Suzuki has been a steady producer averaging 16 homers, 54 RBI, and a.272 BA over the past three seasons. Expect more of the same in 2020.

20. Tom Murphy (SEA) After struggling for years in Colorado to get playing time, he winds up in Seattle and hits 18 homers in 260 at-bats as a backup to Omar Narvaez. Now that Narvaez is calling Milwaukee home, Murphy should move into the full-time gig in Seattle.

21. Jason Castro (LAA) Up until the first week of January, when the Angels signed Jason Castro, the only catchers on the roster were Max Stassi and Anthony Bemboom. Angels fans are breathing a massive sigh of relief!

22. Buster Posey (SFG) There’s a lot of miles on Posey and it’s starting to show. At one point we could live with the lack of power knowing he’d produce a solid batting average. Can we even count on the solid BA moving forward?

23. Francisco Mejia (SD) It’s high time that Francisco Mejia gets his chance to prove he can be the everyday catcher in San Diego. As good as Austin Hedges is defensively, that .176 BA has to be starting to wear thin.

24. Austin Romine (DET) Romine hit eight homers in 228 at-bats in a part-time role with the Yankees last season. Surprisingly he also managed to produce a .281 BA. Will he replicate that .281 BA? Most likely, not.

25. Yan Gomes (WAS) Your typical #2 type catcher. 10 homers, 40 RBI, and a .220 BA.

26. Tucker Barnhart (CIN) Until Tyler Stephenson is ready to assume the full-time role behind the dish for the Reds, Barnhart will be doing his best to mimic Yan Gomes as a typical #2 type catcher.

27. Tony Wolters (COL) Wolters hit for a solid .262 average and drove in 42 runs last year, which leads us to his home run totals. How does any Colorado Rockie hit one homer in 359 at-bats?

28. Mike Zunino (TB) It’s all about the homers with Zunino. Last year he hit nine.

29. Chance Sisco (BAL) The footsteps that Chance Sisco is hearing belong to Adley Rutschman and with each passing day they’re getting louder.

30. Pedro Severino (BAL) Pedro Severino is hearing those same footsteps.

31. Stephen Vogt (ARZ)
32. Tyler Flowers (ATL)
33. Victor Caratini (CHC) 1B-23
34. Willians Astudillo (MIN)
35. James McCann (CWS)
36. Martin Maldonado (HOU)
37. Austin Hedges (SD)
38. Reese McGuire (TOR)
39. Andrew Knizner (STL)
40. Austin Allen (OAK)
41. Jacob Stallings (PIT)
42. Josh Phegley (FA)
43. Manny Pina (MIL)
44. Elias Diaz (COL)
45. Alex Avila (MIN)
46. Welington Castillo (FA)
47. Jose Trevino (TEX)
48. Francisco Cervelli (MIA)
49. Curt Casali (CIN)
50. Isiah Kiner-Falefa (TEX) 3B-25
51. Michael Perez (TB)
52. Andrew Knapp (PHI)
53. Sandy Leon (CLE)
54. Aramis Garcia (SFG)
55. Austin Barnes (LAD)
56. Tyler Stephenson (CIN)
57. Garrett Stubbs (HOU)
58. Jacob Nottingham (MIL)
59. John Hicks (FA) 1B-29
60. Keibert Ruiz (LAD)
61. Daulton Varsho (ARZ)
62. Grayson Greiner (DET)
63. Jake Rogers (DET)
64. Tomas Nido (NYM)
65. Cam Gallagher (KC)
66. Kyle Higashioka (NYY)
67. Luke Maile (PIT)
68. Kevin Plawecki (BOS)
69. Dom Nunez (COL)
70. Russell Martin (FA)
71. Matt Wieters (FA)
72. Kevan Smith (FA)
73. Jonathan Lucroy (FA)

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