Top-10 Fantasy Baseball Catchers for 2025: William Contreras, Yainer Diaz, Adley Rutschman, Cal Raleigh, Logan O'Hoppe and More

I started a new fantasy baseball series on Thursday where I unveil my top fantasy players at each position.

We opened things by looking at my top-10 starting pitchers and now will turn our attention to the top catchers.

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1. William Contreras

Contreras was easily the top fantasy catcher in points leagues last season, and I don’t think he’ll give up that top spot in 2025. 

He had a .281 average and .365 on-base percentage across 155 games and 679 plate appearances. The games played stand out at a position that players often have off days at. Contreras had 23 homers and 92 RBIs last season, and should be primed for another big season in the heart of the Brewers’ lineup.

Even if he takes a little step back, which I don’t anticipate in his age-27 season, Contreras will have a great chance to finish as the top fantasy catcher again.

2. Yainer Diaz

After Contreras, I debated the players at Nos. 2-4 for my second spot. I landed on Diaz, with some possible first base eligibility factoring in.

In 148 games and 619 plate appearances last season, Diaz had a .299 average and .325 OBP. The high average sticks out, and helps him because he doesn’t draw too many walks. Diaz had 16 homers and 84 RBIs last season and should hit in the heart of a stacked Astros’ lineup this season.

He was the third-best fantasy catcher in points leagues last season, and I think he moves up a spot and challenges Contreras for the top spot.

3. Adley Rutschman

Rutschman had a bit of a down season in 2024, and he was still fantasy catcher No. 4 in points leagues. I think he bounces back a bit and lands as fantasy catcher No. 3 this coming season.

He played in 148 games and had 638 plate appearances last season. Rutschman had a .250 average and .318 OBP, along with 19 home runs and 79 RBIs.

So even in a down season, Rutschman was one of the top catchers. I expect him to play somewhere between his standout 2023 season and down 2024 campaign, and if he even does that, he’s got the potential to be a draft steal.

4. Cal Raleigh

I originally had Raleigh in my No. 2 slot, but ended up putting him fourth because of the teams surrounding each player. 

In 153 games and 628 plate appearances in 2024, Raleigh had a .220 average but .312 OBP. He clubbed 34 homers and drove in 100 runs. He’s a career .218 hitter, so that’s what fantasy owners should expect, but if he ever were to even hit remotely close to .250, Raleigh could challenge for a top-10 fantasy spot overall.

He’ll hit in the heart of the Mariners’ lineup. If he can see the likes of Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena have bounceback seasons, Raleigh could definitely push Contreras for the top fantasy catcher spot even with a similar low batting average like last year.

5. Salvador Perez

Perez seems like he’s been around for decades, but is still only 34 years old and still producing at a high level. He was fantasy catcher No. 2 last season in points leagues, and should have first base eligibility.

In 158 games and 652 plate appearances last season, Perez had a .271 average and .330 OBP. He clubbed 27 home runs and drove in 104 runs. He should hit cleanup for Kansas City this season, and be in the lineup pretty much every day.

Perez is a career .267 hitter, but had been around .255 the previous two seasons. I think a little regression is coming for Perez, but I still think he finishes in the upper echelon of fantasy catchers. He’ll be a pretty good value pick for the 2025 season.

6. Will Smith

Smith was fantasy catcher No. 6 in points leagues last season, and that’s where I have him ranked going into 2025. If he bounces back to his career average, he could easily finish higher than sixth.

In 128 games and 544 plate appearances last season, Smith had a .248 average and .327 OBP. He hit 20 homers and drove in 75 runs. He has a career .258 average, and if he hits near that mark this coming season while in this loaded Dodgers’ lineup, he could absolutely contend for the top fantasy spot at the position.

7. Shea Langeliers

Langeliers is a sneaky good fantasy draft option this season. He’ll most likely hit cleanup for the Athletics, and while playing around 140 games a season, he’s a guy you can plug in most days.

In 137 games and 534 plate appearances this past season, Langeliers had a .224 average and .288 OBP. He hit 29 homers and drove in 80 runs. Langeliers has a .215 career average, but I feel he’ll stick near his mark last year because he’ll be hitting in a favorable portion of the lineup and be protected by the hitters around him.

If you miss out on the top-end fantasy catchers, Langeliers is a great option later in a draft.

8. Willson Contreras

Contreras’ 2024 season was derailed by injuries, and it’s made him a great bounceback and steal candidate for 2025.

He played in just 84 games and got 358 plate appearances. Contreras had a .262 average and .380 OBP. He has a career .258 average and .353 OBP.

The best thing with Contreras is that he’s moving to first base, so he should be eligible at multiple spots. The position change means he should be in the lineup just about every day, and it should help him turn in a good fantasy season, if he can stay on the field.

9. Logan O'Hoppe

O’Hoppe has shown glimpses of greatness over his first three seasons in the MLB. Many are looking to him as a breakout candidate for 2025.

In 136 games and 522 plate appearances in 2024, O’Hoppe had a .244 average and .303 OBP. He hit 20 home runs and drove in 56 runs. 

The only big thing working against him is that he’s not expected to hit in the top half of the batting order. If this season is indeed his breakout one, then O’Hoppe should jump up in the lineup. I’d love getting O’Hoppe as a second fantasy catcher, and is someone you could start just about every day.

10. Francisco Alvarez

I had a really difficult time coming up with my 10th fantasy catcher, but eventually took Alvarez.

He played 100 games and got 342 plate appearances in 2024. He hit .237 and got on base at a .307 clip. Alvarez hit 11 homers and drove in 47 runs. If you add another 25-30 games on at those numbers, Alvarez has the chance to be a top-10 fantasy catcher for sure.

It’s all about staying healthy and on the field. He’s another catcher hitting near the bottom of the lineup, but is less likely to move up it because of the talented hitters in the Mets’ lineup already.

Honorable Mentions

There’s a number of other fantasy catchers who I considered.

Near the top of the list were J.T. Realmuto, Tyler Stephenson, Sean Murphy, Austin Wells, Ryan Jeffers, Keibert Ruiz and Connor Wong.

Some other intriguing names to me are: Gabriel Moreno, Alejandro Kirk, Patrick Bailey, Ivan Herrera and Bo Naylor.