The rankings for catchers are broken into two parts: the top 10 prospects in order, and the next 10 prospects in alphabetical order. As always, these rankings are done from a scouting perspective but with fantasy baseball in mind, generally focusing on standard 5x5 league categories – though other statistics (e.g., K/9, BB/9 and K/BB) are considered – and long-term, dynasty-league value.
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The Top 10:
1. Willson Contreras, Chicago Cubs (MLB)
2016 Stats (AAA): 54 G, .350/.439/.591, 40 R, 16 2B, 3 3B, 9 HR, 43 RBI, 4 SB, 28 BB, 32 K
Contreras is on his way to the North Side after it was announced on Thursday that the Cubs would call up the 24-year-old catcher Friday ahead of their series opener against the Pirates. Contreras picked up in Triple-A this season right where he left off last season in Double-A and basically forced the Cubs’ hand by hitting a robust .350/.439/.591 with 28 extra-base hits (9 HR) over 54 games in the Pacific Coast League. The promotion comes amidst a 20-game hitting streak, during which he’s posted a 1.215 OPS with six home runs and eight doubles. Miguel Montero and David Ross will both remain on the active roster, which might make it difficult for Contreras to find regular playing time, but there’s enough impact potential there to believe he can play his way into an everyday role.
Impact categories: AVG, R, RBI
2. Jorge Alfaro, Philadelphia Phillies (Double-A Reading Fightin Phils)
2016 Stats: 40 G, .308/.320/.483, 27 R, 10 2B, 3B, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 3 BB, 39 K
Much of Alfaro’s 2015 campaign was wiped out by an ankle injury, but he proved to be fully healthy this spring with an impressive showing in the Phillies’ big league camp. The 23-year-old has made up for quite a bit of that lost time this season at Double-A Reading by hitting .308 with 17 extra-base hits in 40 games, although his 39/3 strikeout-to-walk ratio highlights the gains he still needs to make with his approach and pitch selection.
Impact categories: HR, RBI
3. Gary Sanchez, New York Yankees (Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders)
2016 Stats: 39 G, .283/.333/.516, 19 R, 14 2B, 3B, 7 HR, 29 RBI, 3 SB, 9 BB, 25 K
The Yankees called up Sanchez in mid-May and gave him his first Major League start, only to option him back to Triple-A the following day. He’s made a strong case for a regular role this season by putting up powerful numbers across the board in the International League, and he’s even shown some improvement defensively. That being said, Sanchez, who’s just 23, still leaves something to be desired on both sides of the ball, and there likely will need to be an injury ahead of him on the depth chart for him to get regular at-bats.
Impact categories: HR, RBI
4. Jacob Nottingham, Milwaukee Brewers (Double-A Biloxi Shuckers)
2016 Stats: 56 G, .262/.325/.393, 25 R, 6 2B, 7 HR, 21 RBI, 4 SB, 16 BB, 56 K
Nottingham put himself on the map in 2015 with a breakthrough full-season debut that saw him post an .877 OPS with 17 home runs, 33 doubles and 82 RBI in 76 games between the Low- and High-A levels. The A’s acquired him from the Astros in July as part of the Scott Kazmir deal, only to trade him to the Brewers in the offseason Khris Davis deal. The 21-year-old got off to a slow start at the Double-A level this season, hitting just .159 in April, but he’s swung a consistent bat since then, posting a .300-plus average and showing more power in each of the last two months. Look for Nottingham to have a big second half with Biloxi.
Impact categories: HR, RBI
5. Chance Sisco, Baltimore Orioles (Double-A Bowie Baysox)
2016 Stats: 54 G, .312/.404/.381, 24 R, 13 2B, 22 RBI, SB, 29 BB, 26 K
Sisco was anything but overmatched last season at Double-A Bowie, where, at age 20, he posted a .729 OPS with two home runs – including an opposite-field shot against Lucas Giolito – and 19 hits in 20 games while helping lead the Baysox to an Eastern league title. While he hasn’t hit for much power this year in his return to Bowie, Sisco still is doing what he does best by hitting for average (.312) and getting on base at a high clip (.402) – both of which are fueled by his outstanding plate discipline and pitch recognition (29 BB/26 K). And if there were ever any doubt about whether he could remain behind the plate long term, the 21-year-old has proved his skeptics wrong this season by throwing out 33.8% of attempted base stealers in his 44 games behind the plate.
Impact categories: AVG, R, OBP
6. Francisco Mejia, Cleveland Indians (Low-A Lake County Captains)
2016 Stats: 54 G, .338/.373/.523, 37 R, 16 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 47 RBI, 13 BB, 37 K
Mejia has been on a tear this season in his return to Lake County, as he’s currently pacing all qualified Midwest League hitters in OPS (.897) and RBI (47) while also ranking second in average (.338) and slugging (.532). The 20-year-old switch-hitter has been particularly hot of late, too, with a .429 average, five home runs and 17 RBI during his current 18-game hitting streak. Don’t be surprised if he gets bumped up to High-A Lynchburg before the second half.
Impact categories: AVG, RBI, OBP
7. Tom Murphy, Colorado Rockies (Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes)
2016 Stats: 30 G, .230/.256/.531, 17 R, 7 2B, 3 3B, 7 HR, 22 RBI, 4 BB, 39 K
Murphy made the most of his callup last September by hitting three home runs in 11 games with the Rockies. In general, hitting for power has been the 25-year-old catcher’s calling card throughout his career, as he’s posted a .200-plus ISO at every full-season level in his career. Murphy has furthered that trend this year in his return to the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, where he’s already gone deep seven times in 30 games since returning from the disabled list (strained left oblique) on May 6. His perennially high strikeout rate – 33.3% this season after he fanned 28.6% of the time in 2015 – hurts his chances of contributing in non-power categories, but there’s little doubt regarding his ability to pile up home runs if given the playing time.
Impact categories: HR, RBI
8. Tyler Stephenson, Cincinnati Reds (Low-A Dayton Dragons)
2016 Stats: 25 G, .196/.267/.272, 12 R, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 10 RBI, 9 BB, 31 K
The Reds made Stephenson the first catcher to be drafted in 2015, taking the Georgia prep player with the No. 8 overall pick, and he rewarded them by hitting .268/.352/.361 with 15 doubles in 54 games for Rookie-level Billings in his pro debut. Unfortunately, a concussion prevented Stephenson from making his full-season season debut on schedule, and he then struggled to get going at the plate upon being activated in early May. Things haven’t gotten any better for the 19-year-old since then, either, as a sprained left wrist landed him back on the shelf on June 1, after just 25 games.
Impact categories: HR, RBI
9. Andrew Knapp, Philadelphia Phillies (Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs)
2016 Stats: 51 G, .267/.340/.439, 33 R, 9 2B, 3B, 7 HR, 27 RBI, SB, 20 BB, 46 K
After a breakout second half last year at Double-A Reading, Knapp has continued to make strides this season in his first Triple-A exposure, posting a .172 ISO with 9.6% walk rate over 51 games. The 24-year-old backstop is a pure hitter, one with the ability to hit for average and some power from both sides of the plate, though he may eventually be forced into a backup role should Jorge Alfaro reach his potential.
Impact categories: AVG, R, OBP
10. Max Pentecost, Toronto Blue Jays (Low-A Lansing Lugnuts)
2016 Stats: 30 G, .252/.315/.296, 12 R, 2 2B, HR, 11 RBI, SB, 11 BB, 21 K
Before this season, Pentecost had appeared in only 25 games since the Blue Jays took him 11th overall in the 2014 draft. He underwent surgery to repair a partially torn right labrum in October following his pro debut, and then had arthroscopic surgery the following February to clean up the same shoulder, costing him the entire 2015 season. But, at long last, Pentecost is fully healthy and back on the field at Low-A Lansing, where he’s served as the team’s designated hitter exclusively as he attempts to make up for the lost time and get at-bats under his belt. The 23-year-old is expected to resume catching sometime this season, although it wouldn’t surprise anyone if his injury history permanently forced him to a different position early in his pro career.
While Pentecost’s natural hitting ability and speed make him an intriguing long-term fantasy option behind the plate, he’ll now have to prove that his shoulder is healthy enough to remain at the position.
Impact categories: AVG, R, SB
The Next 10 (Alphabetical Order):
Chris Betts, Tampa Bay Rays (Extended spring training)
Kyle Farmer, C/3B, Los Angeles Dodgers (Double-A Tulsa Drillers)
Aramis Garcia, San Francisco Giants (High-A San Jose Giants)
Carson Kelly, St. Louis Cardinals (Double-A Springfield Cardinals)
Reese McGuire, Pittsburgh Pirates (Double-A Altoona Curve)
Dom Nunez, Colorado Rockies (High-A Modesto Nuts)
Luis Torrens, New York Yankees (High-A Charleston RiverDogs – Disabled list)
Justin O’Conner, Tampa Bay Rays (Double-A Montgomery Biscuits – Disabled list)
Chase Vallot, Kansas City Royals (Low-A Lexington Legends)
Taylor Ward, Los Angeles Angels (High-A Inland Empire 66ers)
