Regardless of what anyone says, the two-catcher format is fun and challenging. Admittedly, it’s also a cause of what some around the fantasy baseball world consider unnecessary stress. In any case, it has become a fairly common roster setting around the industry.
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In fantasy drafts, it can be difficult to secure even one catcher to solidify the position. Landing two that can be counted on for decent production is often beyond burdensome. Not to worry, though, as the group of backstops below are ones to target in the later rounds to fill that No. 2 catcher spot. Each can be relied on to return at least something of value in 2024 and found outside the current top 200 overall players in consensus ADP.
2024 Two-Catcher League Targets
Bo Naylor (C – CLE)
Youth will be a theme on this list and it begins with the younger Naylor brother in Cleveland. After a brief call-up that saw him get a couple of at-bats on May 21, Bo Naylor did not catch on for good with the Guardians last year until June 18. From that point forward, the rookie showed he was in the bigs to stay.
Naylor took a little while to get going, hitting just .180 with four homers and a 28.2% strikeout rate over his first 131 plate appearances for the Guardians last season. However, something clicked for Naylor during a three-hit game that included a pair of doubles on August 19. That began a hot streak that carried through the end of the regular season.
Across his final 99 plate appearances, Naylor put up an outstanding .321/434/.679 slash line with seven homers and eight doubles. He struck out just 16 times, matching that total in walks. Naylor may not ever hit for a high average but his power potential (career .223 ISO) and ability to draw walks (12.6%) are legit.
BO NAYLOR BLAST OFF! ? #ForTheLand | @CleGuardians pic.twitter.com/AnFGM6Tak6
– Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) September 29, 2023
Mitch Garver (C -SEA)
At 33, Mitch Garver is not “young” at this point. Like Naylor above, the next two guys on this list are. What Garver can still claim is the ability to absolute rake. He enjoyed an excellent bounce-back season for the world champion Rangers last year, clubbing 19 homers while putting together a .270/.370/.500 slash line across 344 plate appearances.
Injuries impacted Garver yet again last year, as he missed most of April and all of May. Once he got back in early June, the veteran was a valuable piece of the Rangers’ lineup depth the rest of the way. He started just 27 games behind the plate but that’s enough to remain eligible at the position for fantasy purposes.
The Mariners did not hand Garver $24 million back in December for his catching ability but rather for his powerful bat. He should be the main designated hitter (DH) in Seattle this year and line up right in the heart of the batting order. Staying healthy will be key, but Garver could certainly finish among the leaders in home runs and runs batted in (RBIs) among catcher-eligible players.
Luis Campusano (C – SD)
Luis Campusano got his first long look at MLB pitching in 2023 and proved he was up to the challenge. Unfortunately, after breaking camp with the club for the start of the season, Campusano injured his left thumb in mid-April. The injury ultimately required surgery that kept him out until after the All-Star break.
Campusano returned on July 19 and began to stake his claim on the starting catcher role for the Padres. Over 152 plate appearances from that point until September 24, when an ankle sprain would end his season, Campusano hit .331 alongside an .875 OPS with six homers and just a 9.9 K%. He also recorded a 23.6 LD%, 85.7 Contact% and a 37.0 Hard-Hit% in that stretch.
After regularly hitting for a high average in the minors, Campusano carried that ability forward to the majors last year. He also displayed some pop, which is only going to add to his fantasy value. At 25, Campusano is locked in as the Padres’ starting catcher this year and should bat right behind a group of All-Stars.
A 2-HR day for Luis Campusano!@Casamigos | #MLBNShowcase | @Padres pic.twitter.com/34IU9G5Vo1
– MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 7, 2023
Austin Wells (C – NYY)
Austin Wells is certainly on the American League Rookie of the Year shortlist at this point. He debuted for the Yankees last September and immediately stepped into the starting job right from the first day of the month. Wells hit just .229 with a .257 OBP over the 75 plate appearances he got during the season’s final month, but he slugged .486 with four long balls and six doubles. His fly-ball stroke from the left side of the plate is tailor-made for Yankee Stadium and there’s evidence to suggest his average will climb.
Per Statcast, Wells’ .275 xBA and .566 xSLG from last year could point to big things from Wells this year. A 13.8 Barrel% and 41.4 Hard-Hit% back up those expected stats. Despite just a 10.5% line-drive rate while with the Yankees last year, Wells consistently sat above 20% in the minors. Notably, he also swiped 39 bags in 40 attempts over three minor-league seasons. Time will tell if he maintains that skill but the possibility is at least there.
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Nate Miller is a featured writer at FantasyPros and a 9-year veteran of the fantasy sports industry. For more from Nate, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @Miller_RotoDad.
