Fantasy baseball rankings: Top 31 catchers for 2023 MLB season

The 2023 MLB season will start on Thursday, March 30. Now is the perfect time to fire up a fantasy baseball draft, and we are bringing you a series of articles overviewing the top 301 players as well as doing a positional breakdown. This article will focus on catchers, who are often overlooked when it comes to rankings.

It’s no secret that the catcher position is top-heavy. J.T. Realmuto is in line for another big role for the Philadelphia Phillies. With Bryce Harper confirmed out to start the season and then Rhys Hoskins picking up an injury in spring training, Realmuto will need to be his consistent and reliable self.

Adley Rutschman, Will Smith and Salvador Perez round out proven catchers that are on the same teams as they were last year. While it could be tempting to overdraft one of these players, there is a lot of value to be had later in the draft. Willson Contreras, Sean Murphy and Tyler Stephenson are all guys you can take later in drafts that should have good years.

Make sure that you have a strategy when it comes to the position. With some platforms changing their standard roster, bench spots will be limited. On ESPN, for example, you only have three bench spots. You’re likely going to want a backup catcher but may have to play him as a UTIL or take someone that has a secondary position like Christian Bethancourt, who can double as a first baseman.

2023 fantasy baseball rankings: Top 31 catchers