Top 25 Catchers for 2020
by Paul Sporer
September 5, 2019
It was a weird year at catcher. We came in acknowledging the incredible lack of depth with 4-5 reliable options and then just an unmitigated mess. It’s turned out to be rather deep, just with a group we could’ve never predicted. Those top 4 (and 5 if you include Ramos) have delivered and will remain atop the ranks heading into the 2020, but it again becomes a wide open pool ripe for debates after that.
Other 2020 Rankings:
Let me know what you think in the comments.
2020 Top 25 Catchers
| Rk | Player | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | J.T. Realmuto | Has already matched last yr’s HR (21) & RBI (74) w/24 gms left |
| 2 | Gary Sanchez | Can live w/sub-.240 as long as he’s popping 30 HR per season |
| 3 | Yasmani Grandal | Not worried about a new tm if mutual option isn’t accepted |
| 4 | Willson Contreras | Was pacing toward a 30 HR/90 RBI/75 R before stupid injury |
| 5 | Wilson Ramos | Hitting .297 over the last 4 seasons while averaging 15 HR per yr |
| 6 | Will Smith | Feels super aggressive and yet some will say way too low |
| 7 | Omar Narvaez | Poor man’s Ramos w/.279 AVG & 14 HR per yr since 2018 |
| 8 | Mitch Garver | Profile changes back up pwr surge (FB, Pull, Hard hit surges) |
| 9 | Travis d’Arnaud | Health is always the key as skills remain relatively solid |
| 10 | Kurt Suzuki | 6th in AVG, 8th in HR among C since ’17 (min. 750 PA) |
| 11 | Carson Kelly | Former prospect delivered on hype; obliterates LHP |
| 12 | Christian Vazquez | Minor profile gains, but his yr has been aided by the ball |
| 13 | Yadier Molina | Halved HR/FB% ate HRs; skills are still solid at age-36 |
| 14 | Jorge Alfaro | Pwr & spd maintain strong AVG despite awful K & BB rates |
| 15 | Buster Posey | Destitute man’s Narvaez w/.271 AVG & 6 HR since 2018 |
| 16 | Salvador Perez | Should be fully back from TJ by OD; .252 AVG/24 HR since 2017 |
| 17 | Tom Murphy | HRs fueled by FB, Pull, Hard hit improvements; ugly K & BB rates |
| 18 | Francisco Mejia | Oblique inj. has disrupted .309/.361/.527, 6 HR in 2H |
| 19 | Danny Jansen | Couldn’t convert hype into results, but skills remain intriguing |
| 20 | Roberto Perez | Raise your hand if you had any idea he had 22 HR this year |
| 21 | Tucker Barnhart | Still think he can tap into a bit more, particularly w/the power |
| 22 | Robinson Chirinos | Perfectly solid C2 option if he has a job |
| 23 | James McCann | .359 BABIP obv won’t hold, but power gains could |
| 24 | Pedro Severino | .809 OPS/7 HR v LHP; will at least share w/Chance Sisco |
| 25 | Curt Casali | Underlying skills could fuel a late-career C2-viable surge |
I think Mitch Garver is too low. He’s only part-time right now, but Jason Castro is a FA next season and I think the Twins will move Garver into a more full-time role. As you mentioned, Garver’s adjustments back up his success with the bat, he’s now serviceable behind the plate (i.e. defense shouldn’t keep him out of the lineup), and he’s in the 84th percentile for xwOBA. If he goes as the 8th catcher, I’ll have him just about everywhere.