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SP | RP | OF | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | C |
The bulk of the value of a catcher is tied to his ability to hit while playing the most difficult and demanding defensive position. While this position lacks the upside of the other position lists, the “already there” value of Travis d’Arnaud and Josmil Pinto, coupled with the superstar potential of Gary Sanchez and Jorge Alfaro, there could be a new wave of catchers to make up for Joe Mauer, Victor Martinez, and Carlos Santana losing eligibility. Also, the potential post-30 declines of Yadier Molina and Brian McCann would be lessened as these prospects reach the majors.
| Rank | Name | Team |
| 1 | Travis d’Arnaud | Mets |
| 2 | Gary Sanchez | Yankees |
| 3 | Jorge Alfaro | Rangers |
| 4 | Josmil Pinto | Twins |
| 5 | Austin Hedges | Padres |
| 6 | Max Stassi | Astros |
| 7 | Christian Bethancourt | Braves |
| 8 | Reese McGuire | Pirates |
| 9 | Stryker Trahan | Diamondbacks |
| 10 | Blake Swihart | Red Sox |
| 11 | Kevin Plawecki | Mets |
| 12 | JT Realmuto | Marlins |
1. Travis d’Arnaud, Mets (Finished 2013 in Majors)
D’Arnaud is a solid defensive catcher who has the tools to hit .280 with 20+ home runs annually: the rare middle of the order stalwart who catches full time. Injuries have limited him to only 315 games in the past four seasons, including only 130 in the past two seasons. D’Arnaud struggled mightily in Queens in 2013, hitting .202/.286/.263 and striking out in more than 20% of his plate appearances, raising questions as to whether he will make enough contact to allow him to hit for power. He projects to be a .275/.350/.450 hitter who is a clear starter for the Mets for the foreseeable future. If everything clicks, his comparable is Jorge Posada, but he could also be closer to Rod Barajas if he continues to struggle to make consistent contact.
2. Gary Sanchez, Yankees (Finished 2013 in AA, expected to return in 2014)
Since signing with the Yankees as a 16-year old out of the Dominican Republic in 2009, Sanchez has flashed the potential to hit .300 with 25+ home runs while preventing would-be base stealers from succeeding with his near-elite arm behind the plate. His problem has a lack of maturity and desire to work hard, culminating in being suspended for two weeks due to insubordination in 2011. There is a substantial chance that he may become a 1B/DH, substantially hurting his value. If everything clicks, Sanchez could hit .300/.350/.500 with 25 home runs on an annual basis. His fantasy comparable is Javy Lopez.
3. Jorge Alfaro, Rangers (Finished 2013 in High-A, expected to return in 2014)
With one of the highest ceilings in baseball, Alfaro did well in the South Atlantic League, despite being one of the youngest players in the league. A great athlete with near-elite power, above-average speed, and one of the strongest arms in the minor leagues, Alfaro hit 16 home runs and stole 16 bases in 2013, finishing 11th and 22nd in the South Atlantic League. He also struck out 111 times in 420 plate appearances, leading to many believing that his ‘swing at everything’ approach will need to be ameliorated to allow for his natural power to come into play. If everything clicks, Alfaro could be a catcher in the mold of former-Ranger Ivan Rodriguez, who was noted for his howitzer-like throwing arm and offensive production. Alfaro could hit .300/.350/.550 with 30 home runs and 10-15 stolen bases, making him a perennial first round pick in fantasy drafts.
4. Josmil Pinto, Twins (Finished 2013 in Majors)
A September call-up, Pinto continued his torrid 2013 campaign at the big league level, hitting .342/.398/.566, helping to make Joe Mauer’s move to first base on a full time basis an easier decision. The epitome of the slow-developing catching prospect, Pinto has logged 359 games as a catcher in the minor leagues. In 2013, Pinto hit .309/.400/.482 between AA and AAA, hitting a career-high 15 home runs while continuing to improve his strikeout to walk ratio. A bat-first catcher, Pinto projects as a .270/.350/.415 hitter, which would make him a top-10 catcher. A fantasy comparable would be A.J. Pierzynski.
5. Austin Hedges, Padres (Finished 2013 in AA, expected to return in 2014)
The best defensive catcher in the minor leagues, Hedges’ glove is ready for the major leagues, but his bat needs additional time to avoid being overwhelmed. His offensive potential matches his 2013 line, .270/.343/.425 with a handful of home runs. He could hit 10-15 home runs per year during his peak, but he will remain a fringe fantasy catcher whose real world value is substantially higher. Fantasy comparables are Yorvit Torrealba and Kurt Suzuki.
6. Max Stassi, Astros (Finished 2013 in Majors)
A solid defensive catcher with above-average power, Stassi was finally healthy in 2013, hitting .277/.333/.529 with 17 home runs in 76 games. Expected to platoon with Jason Castro in 2013, Stassi’s fantasy value is severely hurt by the decreased playing time, though an enterprising owner could carry both Stassi and Castro, as both would hit .275 with 20 home runs if neither had a solid backup. His fantasy comparable would be Miguel Montero with a little more power.
7. Christian Bethancourt, Braves (Finished 2013 in Majors)
A defense-first catcher who took a major step forward during his second season in AA, Bethancourt looks to open 2014 splitting time behind the plate with Evan Gattis. Braves manager and former-catcher Fredi Gonzalez’s lack of comfort with Gattis’ weak defense should give Bethancourt the lion’s share of playing time. Bethancourt projects to be little more than a waiver-wire pickup, who will put up a .260/.315/.400 line. His fantasy comparable would be Brad Ausmus with fewer walks.
8. Reese McGuire, Pirates (Finished 2013 in low-A, expected to return in 2014)
The 14th overall pick in the 2013 draft, McGuire won’t contribute until 2016 at the earliest, but possesses higher offensive upside than any other catching prospect, save Sanchez and Alfaro. Already an elite defender, McGuire’s smooth swing from the left side makes him the rare two-way threat behind the plate. Though he failed to hit any home runs in his 2013 debut, his 11 doubles in 215 plate appearances indicate that his in-game power is still developing. McGuire projects as a .300 hitter with 15 home run power, similar to Salvador Perez.
9. Stryker Trahan (Finished 2013 in rookie ball, expected to be in full-season A in 2014)
An athlete with size and strength beyond most soon-to-be 20 year olds, Trahan has shown off his power during his time in professional baseball. In 473 plate appearances, Trahan has hit .266/.370/.467 with 15 home runs. While he has the potential to hit 25 home runs per year in the majors, his struggles behind the plate may turn him into an outfielder, severely hurting his value. As is common with catching prospects, the development and improvement necessary to reach the major leagues makes Trahan a risky proposition. His output would make him a top-5 catcher, but a third outfielder at best. His fantasy comparable is Carlos Santana, though he may not walk as much.
10. Blake Swihart (Finished 2013 in High-A, expected to move up to AA in 2014)
A defense-first catcher, the switch-hitting Swihart projects to put up league-average offensive numbers while avoiding any sort of bat-side platoon. Swihart projects as a .280 hitter with 15 home run power who will also steal a few bases for added fantasy value. Though he has only hit nine home runs in 806 career plate appearances, some of his 46 doubles and 11 triples should clear the wall as he continues to fill out. Boston’s signing of A.J. Pierzynski to a one-year contract indicates that the Red Sox think Swihart should be ready to take over by 2015. Swihart’s fantasy comparable is Salvador Perez with more walks.
Bonus two: Kevin Plawecki, Mets; JT Realmuto, Marlins
