2024 Fantasy Baseball Rankings (NL)

J.T. Realmuto's run as the clear No. 1 catcher in fantasy may be over. Realmuto's batting average and OBP have fallen to below-average, and he may fall in the Phillies batting order as a result. Make no mistake, though, that he still offers double-digit upside in homers and steals, which makes him a valuable backstop, even if he now has competition at the top.

Will Smith has become an Ol' Reliable of the catching position in fantasy baseball. He only played in 126 games, which suppressed his home run total (19) to below 20 for the first time since 2020. Smith hits in the middle of the powerful Dodgers lineup, and his counting stats should continue being boosted because of it. His Statcast hitting profile shows that he excels at patience, though his batting average will hover in the .260 range. Smith should be the third catcher off the board somewhere in the early middle rounds.

William Contreras arrived in 2023 and produced at a Top 10 catcher rate for the entire season. He provides a nice balance of power and average from the backstop position, hitting 17 home runs and slashing .289/.367/.457. Nothing stands out as something fantasy managers will have to "account for" when drafting him, ideally past the eighth round.

Sean Murphy's first year in Atlant went swimmingly. He popped 21 home runs while driving in 68 and scoring 65 runs. Murphy's strengths are his stellar OBP (.365) and walk rate (11.2%). His superb fielding skills will keep him in the lineup, even with Travis d'Arnaud on the roster, and he should get around 470 plate appearances. Fantasy managers can expect 20 homers and 60/60 in runs and RBIs while not being a liability to the team's batting average. His current ADP is 137, a decent value for a catcher with his skillset and outstanding surrounding cast.

Willson Contreras began his Cardinals career by improving his batting average and not slipping anywhere else. The elder Contreras brother hit 20 home runs, drove in 67, and slashed .264/.358/.467 across 125 games. He increased his BB% to 10.3 and is in the 93rd percentile in xwOBA at .373. While he will go through stretches where he chases more than fantasy managers would like, he should continue his Top 10 catcher production in his ninth season. Willson and William had eerily similar stats in 2023, but you can get Willson about 55 picks later. He is a great mid-round target to fill your catcher position.

Francisco Alvarez saw 423 plate appearances in 2023 and responded with 25 home runs, showing off the power that fantasy managers had been promised. He also struck out at a 26% clip, walked at a meager 8%, and slashed an ugly .209/.284/.437. Alvarez is only 22, and the power is very real. He had never had a BB% lower than 11.3% in his career, so chances are high there should be a strong bounceback in OBP. He has a lot to offer at the catcher position and is going at pick 154.

Gabriel Moreno played in 111 games for the Diamondbacks in 2023 and offered steady ratios with very little else. He is projected to slash in the .285/.340/.420 range, meaning he won't do any damage to lineups, but there isn't much power upside. Moreno is, essentially, the exact opposite of Cal Raleigh, and it's up to fantasy managers which type of backstop they want in their lineups.