2025 Catcher Rankings (#1-#10)
Runs Produced's Top 10 Catcher Rankings
In the first article of the season, we analyzed the catcher rankings across four major fantasy platforms (CBS, ESPN, Yahoo, Fantrax) and developed a consensus average ranking (shown with “C” below).
In the second article, we dug into the deeper expert rankings to mine for some potential gold.
Today, we are unveiling the first Runs Produced rankings of the season.
This list looks pretty close to the average rankings with a few exceptions. I’m predicting this is the year that the great Salvador Perez slows down a bit and that Francisco Alvarez can still take a leap forward in his career. I also think that even in a reduced work capacity, J.T. Realmuto could make some noise for the Phillies.
Without further ado, here is the first RP catcher rankings of the season:
William Contreras (RP-1, C-1)
.281/.365/.466
23 HR & 92 RBI 9 steals
Contreras is the consensus number one overall catcher in the experts’ rankings, and he kicks off the Runs Produced rankings at number one as well. He continues to improve each season and there’s no reason to think he can’t continue that trend in 2025. He enters this season at 27 years old and in the smack dab middle of his prime. With back-to-back strong seasons, he’s a safe consistent pick at the top of his position and should keep up the numbers hitting behind Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich in the Brewers lineup.
Last season Contreras was named to his second All-Star team and also finished fifth in NL MVP voting after hitting 23 home runs, 92 RBI, and swiping nine steals. He slashed .281/.365/.466, a nearly identical stat line to his 2023 line of .289/.367/.457.
Setting aside the power numbers and high batting average for a minute, Contreras’ nine steals and on-base percentage also set him apart from the rest of the pack. He walked 78 times last season and has a career OBP of .358, a quality number for the catcher position.
Adley Rutschman (RP-2, C-2)
.250/.318/.391
19 HR & 79 RBI
Adley avoided the sophomore slump in 2023 and looked poised to sit atop the catcher rankings for years to come. He kept up the promising pace during the first half of 2024, hitting .276 and 16 home runs.
Then the second half of 2024 happened. Rutschman went ice cold after the All-Star break hitting only three home runs and 20 RBI. By season’s end, his batting average had dropped nearly 30 points (.277 to .250) and his OBP fell nearly 60 points (.374 to .318) from his 2023 season totals. He did salvage the season by hitting 19 home runs and 79 RBI, only one less each than his numbers from the prior season.
Rutschman is too good of a player for that lengthy cold streak to become a regular thing. The Orioles have said he doesn’t have to do anything differently this year and that last season was an aberration. A year older and with more experience under his belt, Rutschman could again challenge for that top spot if he can find consistency again.
Yainer Diaz (RP-3, C-4)
.299/.325/.441
16 HR & 84 RBI
Diaz is entering his third season as the Astros’ primary catcher with a career batting average of .291, which would put him in the top 20 of all time amongst catchers, just ahead of Atlanta Braves great Javy Lopez.
And while it’s unlikely Diaz keeps his average that high long-term, there’s no denying he is off to a productive start to his career. While Diaz’s home run numbers decreased a bit in 2024 (16 down from 23 in 2023), he impressively raised his batting average from .282 to .299 and his OBP from .308 to .325 while playing in over 40 more games than in 2023 (148 in 2024, 104 in 2023). He had the reverse season of Rutschman, catching fire in the second half and hitting .319/.346/.483.
Cal Raleigh (RP-4, C-5.5)
.220/.312/.436
34 HR & 100 RBI
The guy with one of the best nicknames in all of baseball comes in at number four on our list. Raleigh has shown prodigious power over the past three seasons, launching 93 home runs in that time period. He had a career-high last season in home runs (34) and was the only catcher other than Salvador Perez who hit the 100 RBI mark, finishing with exactly 100.
With Raleigh you’re paying for his power, but you’ll take a hit with his batting average, so you’ll have to plan accordingly and make that up elsewhere. He’s a career .218 hitter and the highest he has reached in a year was .232.
Salvador Perez (RP-5, C-3.5)
.271/.330/.456
27 HR & 104 RBI
I don’t feel great doubting the ageless great Salvador Perez, but he’s got to start slowing down one of these years, and I’ve moved him down a few notches from the consensus rankings.
Perez has the most distinguished career of anyone on this list, compiling nine All-Star game honors, five Gold Gloves, and five Silver Sluggers. He’s also in the top 10 catchers of all-time with a career fielding percentage of .995 (7th) and home runs with 273 (9th). However, he’ll turn 35 this season, and those years behind the plate add exponentially. He’s now at an age when other greats saw drop offs in their numbers, and I can’t help but think this could be the season it starts.
At age 35, Pudge Rodriguez’s numbers started to decline a bit (.281 with 11 home runs, down from .300 and 13 home runs the year prior). He then only hit 23 additional home runs over the next four seasons. Brian McCann played his final season at age 35 and hit .249 with 12 home runs and 45 RBI before retiring.
J.T. Realmuto (RP-6, C-8.25)
.266/.322/.429
14 HR & 47 RBI 16 steals
Realmuto was arguably the best offensive catcher in baseball from 2018-2022. He hit .272 and averaged 19 home runs, 69 RBI, and 10 steals over those five seasons.
What really set Realmuto apart was his ability to steal bases from a position that typically produces very few. It was the icing on the cake that made him a multi-category fantasy standout during that stretch. In his career, he has a total of four double-digit steal seasons and set a high in 2022 with 21.
In 2023, his batting average dipped 25 points, but he still managed 20 home runs and 16 steals. Then last season he was injured and missed time after undergoing meniscus surgery. This obviously limited his speed, and he managed just two steals in 99 games. Over the last two months of the season though he looked more like his typical self. In August, he hit .274 with four home runs and 17 RBI then raised his average to .286 for the month of September.
The Phillies have discussed reducing Realmuto’s workload in 2025 and this is reflected in his ranking going into the season. He’s noticeably lower than the past few seasons when he was a lock for the top five. He was ranked at #7, #8, #9, and #9 across the four pre-season rankings examined a few posts ago, but I am slotting him in at #6.
If healthy he can still put up the counting numbers and his potential for even 5-10 steals raises his floor higher than many others on this list.
Will Smith (RP-7, C-6)
.248/.327/.433
20 HR & 75 RBI
Smith has been a consistent presence since taking over as the starting catcher for the Dodgers in 2021. He’s carved out a solid role on the most talented team in baseball and also has long-term stability as he is signed through the 2033 season.
Here are Smith’s numbers over the past four seasons as he has delivered solid production. He’s not quite at the top of his position, but he’s not far off.
2021: .258/.365/.495
25 HR & 76 RBI
2022: .260/.343/.465
24 HR & 87 RBI
2023: .261/.359/.438
19 HR & 76 RBI
2024: .248/.327/.433
20 HR & 75 RBI
Last season Smith suffered a bone bruise to his ankle and his numbers did seem to suffer in the second half of the season. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed it’s something still bothering the backstop today and it sounds like the Dodgers plan to rest Smith more this year. It’s a factor worth monitoring going into the season.
At age 29, Smith should have at least a few more seasons putting up strong offensive numbers. He also has the benefit of playing in the best offense in baseball.
Willson Contreras (RP-8, C-6.5)
.262/.380/.468
15 HR & 36 RBI
The other Contreras brother comes in at number nine on our list (he’s five years older than William). He’s a talented player in his own right, with five seasons of 20+ home runs and three All-Star appearances in his career.
Willson being included on this list is actually misleading as the elder Contreras brother is moving to first base this season. He has played a number of other positions in his career, in addition to catcher, he’s also played 1B, 3B, and all three OF spots.
Contreras was banged up with arm and hand injuries in 2024 and only played in 84 games last season. He hit for 15 home runs and 36 RBI and compiled a slash line of .262/.380/.468.
He has worked on bulking up in the offseason, reportedly gaining over ten pounds of muscle to go with the position change. The move to first base should help him stay healthier and play in more games. The counting stats should increase accordingly as well.
Francisco Alvarez (RP-9, C-11.25)
.237/.307/.403
11 HR & 47 RBI
Alvarez was among the top prospects in all of baseball in 2022 and 2023 behind his advanced power and hitting ability. That power was on display when Alvarez hit 24 home runs and 70 RBI in 99 games at Single-A and High-A ball in 2021. He followed that up with 22 home runs and 58 RBI in Double-A and Triple-A in 2022. He debuted at age 20 later that season with a cup of coffee for the Mets.
In his first full major league season in 2023, Alvarez hit 25 home runs and 63 RBI but managed only a .209 batting average. There was hope going into last season that he’d take a step up and he did raise his average to .237. However, the power numbers dropped to 11 home runs and 47 RBI in what was a disappointing season for the young backstop.
Going into 2025, he’s still just 23 years old and he already has 228 career games under his belt. As high-ranked of a prospect as Alvarez was, it’s hard to call him a sleeper, but I believe there’s another level to his game that he hasn’t unlocked yet at the big-league level. The addition of Juan Soto will make the entire Mets lineup better, and perhaps that will be the boost Alvarez needs to tap into that full potential.
I like his chances at further elevating his game this season, and if that happens, he would catapult himself into the top tier of fantasy catchers and toward the top of this list.
Shea Langeliers (RP-10, C-9.25)
.224/.288/.450
29 HR & 80 RBI
Drafting Langeliers will help your power numbers, and this season he will be playing his home games at Sutter Health Park as the A’s make their temporary move to Sacramento. The transition from Oakland Coliseum is expected to help hitters so Langeliers should be able to approach or pass his numbers from 2024. Last season, he finished second among catchers in home runs with 29 and fifth in RBI with 80.
The downfall with Shea is he strikes out a lot (140+ strikeouts the past two seasons) - something to keep in mind if that is a stat category in your league - and he hits for a low average. He slashed .224/.288/.450 in 2024 and .205/.268/.413 in 2023 - almost a reverse William Contreras.
That concludes the top ten list, but I’d love to hear what you think. Who’s too high? Who’s too low? Is anyone missing?
Tell us what you think and stay tuned for additional pre-season rankings!
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