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2023 Fantasy Baseball Rankings

Expert Consensus Ranking (42 of 50 Experts) -

Rank Player (Team, Position) Overall Notes
1 J.T. Realmuto (PHI - C) 47 1 3 1.2 0.5 34.0 -13.0
Some fantasy managers refuse to "pay" for catchers in a similar way to how some refuse to "pay" for saves, but J.T. Realmuto is the one catcher worth the price on draft day. The 31-year-old smacked 22 home runs and stole 21 bases while slashing .276/.342/.478 for the National League Champions. His oWAR of 5.4 was eighth in the NL overall and first for catchers by a wide range, and he is in the 86th percentile in sprint speed among ALL players. The best part is that none of these numbers are outliers with expected regression. He has never played fewer than 125 games in a full season, including the six years before the arrival of the NL DH, where he got some extra at-bats on days off. He should give fantasy teams consistent production from a position where that is almost impossible to find.
2 Daulton Varsho (TOR - C,CF,RF) 66 1 6 2.6 1.0 50.0 -16.0
Daulton Vasho has catcher eligibility, which is one of the primary draws to him being drafted in the 40-50 range. The other draws include his 27 homers and 16 stolen bases, something only J.T. Realmuto can top at the position. The Diamondbacks traded Varsho to the Blue Jays in the offseason; Rogers Centre should support another 25-HR, 15-SB season and he could see a bump in runs and RBI with the better lineup around him. This will probably be the 26-year-old's last season with catcher eligibility, but in non-keeper leagues, he is a good asset.
3 Will Smith (LAD - C,DH) 75 1 20 3.1 1.1 55.0 -20.0
Will Smith is the catcher you draft when you want productivity from the position but don't want to pay J.T. Realmuto's price. He bats in the middle of a stacked Dodgers lineup, driving in 87 runs and swatting 24 home runs. He is a solid producer who doesn't strike out a ton and makes good contact when he swings. Dave Roberts used him strategically as a DH, which gave the 27-year-old 578 plate appearances without him wearing down like catchers often do. Expect more of the same in 2023.
4 Salvador Perez (KC - C,DH) 81 1 6 3.9 1.0 71.0 -10.0
Everyone saw Salvador Perez's regression coming following his career year in 2021. The question was only how far the fall would be. In 2022, he appeared in only 114 games, a far cry from the 161 the year before. Injuries plagued him and led to UCL surgery in his left thumb in the first half of the season. Even with that, the 33-year-old hit 23 home runs with 76 RBI and 48 runs scored. The catcher position is notoriously shallow so drafting a guy capable of hitting 30+ homers still ranks as a solid move. He will also presumably get more time at DH with M.J. Melendez on the roster.
5 Adley Rutschman (BAL - C,DH) 89 1 8 4.9 1.3 64.0 -25.0
Adley Rutschman saw three minor league levels before making his MLB debut on May 21 and subsequently played 113 games for Baltimore. The 24-year-old demonstrated patience at the plate with a 13.8% walk rate, which is in line with his minor league numbers. His K% was much higher (18.7) than at lower levels, but this should normalize as he becomes more comfortable. The Orioles seem dedicated to their youth movement, and Rutschman is a Top 3 defensive catcher by multiple metrics, so he will be in their lineup on a regular basis. You might have to draft him in the fifth or sixth round to get him, but he has the potential to make it worth your while.
6 Willson Contreras (STL - C,DH) 114 4 10 6.3 1.4 98.0 -16.0
Willson Contreras signed a 5-year, $87.5 million deal with the Cardinals and will presumably bat in an advantageous position in their lineup. He shaved seven percentage points off his K-rate, which will probably revert to somewhere in the middle in 2023. The 30-year-old has always had good on-base skills and 20-HR power, and his RBI total should hover in the 60-70 range. While he is a significantly worse pitch framer than the Hall of Famer he is replacing, St. Louis will find a way to keep his bat in the lineup. The only concern is the continued leg and ankle injuries that he experienced last year, but he comes at a discount and remains a C1 in this draft.
7 Alejandro Kirk (TOR - C,DH) 120 4 19 7.4 2.3 103.0 -17.0
Alejandro Kirk played in 139 games, getting 541 plate appearances and showing improvement in almost every area. The 24-year-old slashed .285/.372/.415 and added 14 home runs. His Statcast page is filled with red in every area except barrel% and sprint speed. The Blue Jays heeded his offensive prowess by using him as DH on many days when he wasn't behind the plate. Toronto also helped sort out its overload of catchers by traded heralded prospect Gabriel Moreno to Arizona for Daulton Varsho. While Varsho has catcher eligibility, he will most likely play outfield or DH rather than take at-bats away from Kirk. Feel free to wait on catcher and snag Kirk in the eighth or ninth round. He'll make it worth your patience.
8 Sean Murphy (ATL - C,DH) 143 4 13 8.6 1.4 123.0 -20.0
 
9 MJ Melendez (KC - C,LF,RF,DH) 148 5 17 9.1 2.0 121.0 -27.0
M.J. Melendez debuted and appeared in 129 games in 2022, showing off his patience and power to the tune of 18 HR and a 12.4% BB rate. He batted leadoff 64 times, indicating the Royals are dedicated to getting him plate appearances in front of Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez. Melendez is not a good defensive catcher, but he should play enough to retain eligibility there. Unless you're in a quirky league where defense counts, Melendez fills a scarce position with decent skills.
10 William Contreras (MIL - C,DH) 155 5 12 9.4 1.3 143.0 -12.0
 
11 Tyler Stephenson (CIN - C) 163 5 13 10.1 1.4 159.0 -4.0
 
12 Cal Raleigh (SEA - C) 204 10 18 12.5 1.5 190.0 -14.0
 
13 Keibert Ruiz (WSH - C) 228 7 25 13.8 1.6 202.0 -26.0
 
14 Danny Jansen (TOR - C) 255 8 21 14.4 2.1 216.0 -39.0
 
15 Gabriel Moreno (ARI - C) 264 11 41 17.3 6.9 261.0 -3.0
 
16 Travis d'Arnaud (ATL - C) 293 14 29 17.7 3.5 214.0 -79.0
 
17 Jonah Heim (TEX - C) 311 13 27 18.0 2.9 317.0 +6.0
 
18 Yasmani Grandal (CWS - C,DH) 301 13 26 18.7 2.7 292.0 -9.0
 
19 Christian Vazquez (MIN - C,1B) 334 9 25 19.3 2.8 263.0 -71.0
 
20 Eric Haase (DET - C,LF) 370 15 39 21.5 4.2 333.0 -37.0
 
21 Logan O'Hoppe (LAA - C) 340 16 33 21.6 3.3 318.0 -22.0
 
22 Joey Bart (SF - C) 372 16 32 24.2 2.8 336.0 -36.0
 
23 Elias Diaz (COL - C) 400 10 37 23.8 3.9 448.0 +48.0
 
24 Shea Langeliers (OAK - C,DH) 353 12 37 22.3 5.0 375.0 +22.0
 
25 Mitch Garver (TEX - C,DH) 417 15 33 24.8 4.9 340.0 -77.0
 
26 Austin Nola (SD - C) 470 16 38 29.4 4.5 370.0 -100.0
 
27 Jose Trevino (NYY - C) 434 12 32 27.8 2.4 314.0 -120.0
 
28 Christian Bethancourt (TB - C,1B) 409 21 40 28.9 4.8 366.0 -43.0
 
29 Francisco Alvarez (NYM - C,DH) MiLB 397 11 58 30.1 9.0 293.0 -104.0
 
30 Nick Fortes (MIA - C) 416 18 39 29.2 4.4 508.0 +92.0
 
31 Mike Zunino (CLE - C) 445 12 45 32.4 6.6 424.0 -21.0
 
32 Bo Naylor (CLE - C) MiLB 489 15 51 33.4 5.8 427.0 -62.0
 
33 Omar Narvaez (NYM - C) 557 14 43 33.1 4.7 440.0 -117.0
 
34 Carson Kelly (ARI - C) 485 20 62 33.1 8.2 454.0 -31.0
 
35 Gary Sanchez (C,DH) FA 550 17 53 32.7 6.3 380.0 -170.0
 
36 Yan Gomes (CHC - C) 529 19 45 34.4 3.5 423.0 -106.0
 
37 Luis Campusano (SD - C) 493 13 45 34.6 4.7 494.0 +1.0
 
38 Francisco Mejia (TB - C) 532 21 45 36.6 3.8 455.0 -77.0
 
39 Endy Rodriguez (PIT - C) MiLB 576 18 48 39.5 4.6 442.0 -134.0
 
40 Reese McGuire (BOS - C) 579 22 46 39.3 3.3 515.0 -64.0
 
41 Ryan Jeffers (MIN - C) 567 23 47 38.3 3.8 579.0 +12.0
 
42 Martin Maldonado (HOU - C) 623 26 48 41.1 5.7 457.0 -166.0
 
43 Jacob Stallings (MIA - C) 635 24 49 40.6 5.6 543.0 -92.0
 
44 Max Stassi (LAA - C) 609 25 52 41.3 4.8 624.0 +15.0
 
45 Victor Caratini (MIL - C) 702 27 59 43.7 4.4 744.0 +42.0
 
46 Jorge Alfaro (BOS - C) MiLB 725 28 63 45.4 4.9 459.0 -266.0
 
47 Kyle Higashioka (NYY - C) 673 30 52 46.1 4.3 540.0 -133.0
 
48 James McCann (BAL - C) 720 29 58 47.6 3.4 609.0 -111.0
 
49 Andrew Knizner (STL - C) 743 31 65 49.9 5.9 809.0 +66.0
 
50 Tomas Nido (NYM - C) 852 32 69 51.9 7.1 667.0 -185.0
 
51 Blake Sabol (SF - C,LF) 449 17 97 38.6 20.9    
 
52 Tom Murphy (SEA - C) 737 46 56 50.5 3.2 756.0 +19.0
 
53 Tucker Barnhart (CHC - C) 806 35 63 53.0 8.8 583.0 -223.0
 
54 Connor Wong (BOS - C) 748 39 65 53.1 5.5 791.0 +43.0
 
55 Austin Barnes (LAD - C) 746 44 59 53.1 3.1 496.0 -250.0
 
56 Seby Zavala (CWS - C) 785 47 60 55.8 3.4 782.0 -3.0
 
57 Sam Huff (TEX - C) MiLB 794 43 72 59.4 8.4 763.0 -31.0
 
58 Austin Hedges (PIT - C) 802 32 71 59.3 6.5 823.0 +21.0
 
59 Curt Casali (CIN - C) 808 53 72 59.2 6.5 672.0 -136.0
 
60 Henry Davis (PIT - C) MiLB   37 61 51.3 10.3 882.0  
 
61 Austin Wells (NYY - C) MiLB   38 100 64.8 22.9 815.0  
 
62 Manny Pina (OAK - C) 787 50 72 60.7 8.0    
 
63 Brian Serven (COL - C) 798 49 67 59.5 5.1 857.0 +59.0
 
64 Yainer Diaz (HOU - C) 822 51 67 60.4 4.4 711.0 -111.0
 
65 Roberto Perez (SF - C) MiLB 764 50 65 57.8 6.0    
 
66 Cooper Hummel (SEA - C,LF) 846 53 115 71.1 20.0 837.0 -9.0
 
67 Jake Rogers (DET - C) 835 40 75 65.6 8.5    
 
68 Ivan Herrera (STL - C) MiLB 801 49 88 64.7 11.5 854.0 +53.0
 
69 Tyler Soderstrom (OAK - C,1B) NRI 838 53 116 74.5 21.0 806.0 -32.0
 
70 Korey Lee (HOU - C) MiLB 858 52 69 63.6 5.1 813.0 -45.0
 
71 Tres Barrera (STL - C) NRI   54 98 82.3 20.1    
 
72 Matt Thaiss (LAA - C,1B) 889 47 75 67.2 5.8    
 
73 Riley Adams (WSH - C) 843 52 71 64.4 4.0    
 
74 Diego Cartaya (LAD - C) MiLB   55 70 62.5 7.5 818.0  
 
75 P.J. Higgins (ARI - C,1B) MiLB 841 60 80 68.7 8.0 703.0 -138.0
 
76 Garrett Stubbs (PHI - C) 877 61 77 68.8 4.8 654.0 -223.0
 
77 Luis Torrens (CHC - C) 899 64 76 70.6 4.4    
 
78 Pedro Severino (SD - C) MiLB 929 65 78 74.2 4.8    
 
79 Luke Maile (CIN - C) 894 66 80 73.3 5.1    
 
80 Donny Sands (DET - C) MiLB 869 66 78 72.0 4.5    
 
81 Kevin Plawecki (C) FA 888 68 76 71.3 3.1    
 
82 Carlos Perez (CWS - C) MiLB   70 98 81.3 10.8    
 
83 Robinson Chirinos (C) FA 900 70 85 76.5 5.5 668.0 -232.0
 
84 Ben Rortvedt (NYY - C) 960 70 85 80.2 5.6    
 
85 Jose Herrera (ARI - C) 965 73 81 77.4 3.6    
 
86 Austin Wynns (SF - C) NRI   75 84 78.7 3.9    
 
87 Tyler Heineman (PIT - C) MiLB   76 86 79.7 4.5    
 
88 Rene Pinto (TB - C) MiLB   78 84 81.0 3.0    
 
89 Meibrys Viloria (CLE - C)   79 90 84.5 5.5    
 
90 Jason Delay (PIT - C) NRI   79 81 80.0 1.0    
 
91 Israel Pineda (WSH - C)   81 82 81.5 0.5    
 
92 Willie MacIver (COL - C) MiLB   83 83 83.0 0.0    
 
93 Freddy Fermin (KC - C) MiLB   84 89 86.5 2.5    
 
94 Cam Gallagher (CLE - C)   87 87 87.0 0.0    
 
95 Andrew Knapp (DET - C) MiLB   88 97 92.5 4.5    
 
96 Austin Romine (C) FA   89 90 89.5 0.5    
 
97 Payton Henry (MIL - C) MiLB   91 101 96.0 5.0    
 
98 Sandy Leon (TEX - C) MiLB   91 94 92.5 1.5    
 
99 Rafael Marchan (PHI - C)   92 92 92.0 0.0    
 
100 Dom Nunez (CHC - C) MiLB   93 95 94.0 1.0    
 
101 Michael Papierski (DET - C) MiLB   96 110 103.0 7.0    
 
102 Brett Sullivan (SD - C,LF)   99 119 109.0 10.0