The old guard welcomes some promising newcomers for 2022.
6 min read
History tells us that catchers don’t age gracefully, but 2021 saw career seasons for two on the wrong side of 30 (Salvador Perez and Yasmani Grandal) and an unlikely rebound for another closing in on 35 (Buster Posey).
Between them and up-and-comers like Daulton Varsho and Keibert Ruiz, the position has become a fascinating mix of old and new. Overall, it’s looking stronger than in recent years, and the expected arrival of several prospects in 2022 makes for perhaps an even brighter future.
But there’s a reason why catcher is generally a low priority in Fantasy Baseball. The failure rate for newcomers is high given the physical and mental demands of the position, and even when one clears those hurdles, there’s still the likelihood of him splitting at-bats. Plus, the injuries — my gosh, the injuries.
All of which is to say that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Chances are the first catcher won’t go off the board until Round 4 or 5, with only a handful of others being taken within the first 10 rounds.
Note that these rankings are intended for 5×5 scoring (such as Rotisserie leagues), but I point out distinctions for points leagues where applicable.
