As we enter the second half of the season and gear up for the playoffs, some teams tank and some compete. Here are some names at the corner infield and catcher position that can help you in the short and long term. Age plays a large factor if a team is on the tanking side, but as a competitor, the hottest bat is what matters.
Be sure to head over to the Pitcher List dynasty page to check out other helpful articles such as the dynasty performance report for outfielders!
Dynasty Risers:
Joey Bart, C, PIT:
A team entering the season with Henry Davis and Endy Rodriguez would hope to have one of them at catcher. However, Rodriguez is injured and Davis has struggled. Bart is the former 2nd overall pick in 2018 and struggled to break in with the Giants. The Giants only stuck with Bart in 2022, when they played him a season-high 97 games behind the plate. Bart slashed .215/.296/.364 with 11 home runs that season with 112K:26BB. Now the Pirates backstop after a trade in 2024, Bart has nearly matched that home run total in 51 games. Slashing .273/.351/.506, Bart has 10 home runs with 46K:16BB. A 38.5% strikeout rate in 2022 has decreased to a 26.4% rate now in 2024. Bart has made strides and improved his offensive game in every aspect. Almost 28 years old, Bart looks to be reaching close to his draft potential.
A rough estimate of a full season for Bart would put him near the 30-home run total. Power was the calling card, but the .273 average and even .249 xBA are encouraging. Bart is carving out a role for himself that might win him the starting job in 2025. A bit on the older side, Bart is a good add for the catcher spot in hopes this production sticks. A pull-heavy hitter, PNC Park is a good home stadium as it’s 325 to left field. Former top picks and prospects will always catch my eye, and Bart has it at a thin fantasy position.
Austin Wells, C, NYY:
A top prospect in the Yankees system, Wells had a brief debut in 2023. With four home runs in 19 games, Wells showed his potential. Wells has been a tale of two players in 2024. In the first half of the year, he slashed .216/.309/.377 with six of his eight home runs. While the home run power was showing, the rest of his offensive profile was underwhelming. In the second half of the year, Wells has caught fire. Post all-star break, his slash is .338/.437/.515 with two home runs and an 11BB:15K ratio. The home run rate is about the same percent-wise, but Wells has only played 19 second-half games. Most likely in between those two profiles, Wells looks like a .270 hitter with 18-20+ home runs per season.
Benefiting from hitting in a lineup with Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, Wells should see some good pitches. While his second-half BABIP is inflated, Wells has looked like the top prospect bat most expected. His xBA is .263, which is respectable with the potential for 20 home runs. Wells just turned 25 years old and could be a fringe top-10 fantasy option behind the plate. Ride this hot streak while it exists, but Wells is a viable option as a dynasty catcher moving forward.
Honorable Mention
Noelvi Marte, 3B, CIN: Marte was suspended to start the season for PED’s and has only recently returned. The overall numbers aren’t pretty but the eye test says otherwise. When Marte connects with the ball, I see a young Manny Machado. The swing is effortless and powerful. This is more of a buy-low candidate, as opposed to a player performing well. If I were a rebuilding team, Marte would be one of the top targets for dynasty leagues. The 44K:4BB ratio is extremely alarming, as is the .183 average. Again, this is a buy-low option from the potential 25-25 player Marte could be. The speed and power should continue, despite the struggles of contact. I’m choosing to buy into the former top-100 prospect profile and ignore coming back mid-season from suspension. Marte is soon to be 23 years old and has plenty of time to get back on track.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. 3B, NYY: This is a bit of cheat code given the situation, but I’m counting it. Jazz has always been a potential high home run and steal candidate. Now playing third base for the Yankees, Jazz is a top 5 player at that position. Since joining the Yankees, Jazz has hit .296 with 7 home runs and 4 stolen bases in 13 games. Jazz has a good shot at being a yearly 30-30 player. Third base is an aging dynasty position and Jazz provides value in all 5 categories, excelling in 2-3. Only 26 years old, Jazz should sit atop the third base dynasty ranks for the next 4 years.
Dynasty Fallers:
J.T. Realmuto, C, PHI:
One of the pillars for fantasy baseball catchers, Realmuto is seeing his run come to an end. At 33.5 years old, Realmuto has been seeing a lot of days off and only played 66 games in 2024. With just 8 home runs and 1 stolen base, Realmuto is unlikely to reach his near 20-20 total. J.T. has seen his average drop the last two seasons to sub .260, which hasn’t happened since 2015. If Realmuto isn’t stealing around 15 bases, the rest of the offensive profile leaves him outside the top 10 of catchers. In dynasty formats, J.T. may have already lost his value given his age and clear decline. From 2016 to 2023, Realmuto had a tremendous run as one of the most consistent catchers in the game.
The power hasn’t dipped per his 162 average but the lack of games played might be a trend for the aging catcher. Hitting in a good offense, Realmuto has the benefit of a good run total. With only one more year on his contract, J.T. might not be an everyday catcher after 2024. Even with the thin position, Realmuto is trending in the wrong direction. Sad to say, but J.T. is an avoid for dynasty formats.
Luis Arraez, 1B, SDP:
One year removed from his 203 hit season, Arraez is close to reaching that total again. 145 hits in 2024, Arraez would only need to go on a hot streak to hit that number. So why is he in my faller column? The lack of the other 4 categories at even an average level. Arraez could be a balance-out player to power-only players, but that’s a tough approach at 1B. Even with 2B eligibility, Arraez doesn’t have a ton of fantasy value. Nearing a .400 OBP in 2023, he only tallied 10 home runs, 3 stolen bases, 71 runs, and 69 RBI. Elite in one category, Arraez adds mid-level production outside of OBP.
This has been much of the same in 2024. Arraez has dipped in every category, but most noticeably average and power. The .354 average was most likely unsustainable, but he’s well shy of the 2023 RBI and home run totals. Arraez will most likely increase his runs as he hits atop a better offense but that isn’t much to get excited about. As a late option at second base, Arraez is fine to balance out the weaknesses of other players. Given that he’s not much more than that, he’s an easy avoid for me moving forward.
Honorable Mention
Alejandro Kirk, C, TOR: Looking to get back to his breakout 2022 season, Kirk has struggled to provide power or contact. With no real value in runs/RBI, or stolen bases, Kirk needs the elite-level bat. The positive is he’s only 25 years old, but the downside is the lack of production. No longer platooning with Danny Janson, Kirk should see close to full-time reps. Kirk is an aggressive hitter, with low whiff and chase rates. This makes his average carry his OBP number. Until the average moves above .270, Kirk won’t be much of a factor in the OBP category. Despite being 245 pounds, he has just 3 home runs in 2024. Kirk is a catcher to avoid until either the power or average shows a significant increase.
Ryan Mountcastle, 1B, BAL: A monster 2021 season, Mountcastle is chasing that 30+ home run season. A decline to 22, 18, and now 13, Mountcastle is falling victim to the new left field wall. Like Kirk, Mountcastle is an aggressive hitter with 100K:25BB in 2024. The average is tied to the OBP in his case and the power is what carries Mountcastle. Unfortunately, the power number has dropped again. 13 in his 108 2024 games at a premium power position is a slight disappointment given the raw power. Still a good hitter, Mountcastle is hitting .270 but the lack of walks hurts his value. If the power isn’t there, the walk rate needs to increase and he becomes a 20+ home run player with a .350 OBP. It seems the power coming back to a 25+ home run hitter is more likely. Until this increase happens, Mountcastle is a lower tier 1B for me. When Coby Mayo starts to heat up, and Samuel Basallo gets a shot, Mountcastle may not be an every day player.