Joe Mauer has the huge contract, the .327 career batting average, the .888 career OPS and the reputation as the slam-dunk, no-doubt-about-it, even-Joe-Morgan-would-agree top catcher in fantasy baseball.
Buster Posey is coming off a huge rookie season, but we've been burned by promising catchers in Year 2 of late -- see Wieters, Matt and Soto, Geovany.
Posey is so good at age 23 I wouldn't have any concerns about a sophomore slump. In 631 minor-league at-bats, he batted .333 with a .969 OPS, 125 runs, 25 homers, 118 RBI and 78 extra-base hits.
He won a World Series in his first season with the Giants, and I would seriously consider him for my first choice at catcher in 2011. Mauer gets the slightest of edges because of his consistency, but Posey's power at least puts him in the discussion.
Without further delay, our latest look at the top catchers in fantasy baseball in 2011. These rankings will be updated as spring training provides more answers to certain position battles.
Note: Players are listed only at the position at which they are expected to spend the most time in 2011, not every position at which they are eligible. For the top players in keeper leagues for 2011, click here.
- Joe Mauer, Twins: You know he'll hit well over .300 with 75-plus RBI, but his 2009 home-run barrage (28) seems to be a one-time flash of fantasy greatness.
- Buster Posey, Giants: Not a bad first 406 at-bats in the big leagues (.305, 18 homers, 67 RBI, .862 OPS and 43 extra-base hits).
- Victor Martinez, Tigers: He'll also play some at first base and DH, but you'll pencil him in as .300-hitting catcher who will hit 20-plus homers and drive in a lot of runs.
- Brian McCann, Braves: He's averaged 21 homers and 89 RBI in his first five full major-league seasons.
- Carlos Santana, Indians: This ranking is assuming the Tribe's top prospect fully recovers from the scary knee injury that ruined his rookie campaign.
- Geovany Soto, Cubs: Just when it seemed he wouldn't get back to his 2008 level, Soto batted .280 with 17 homers, 53 RBI and an .890 OPS despite being limited to 322 at-bats last season.
- Kurt Suzuki, Athletics: He has a combined 28 homers and 159 RBI the last two years, but he had a disappointing average (.242) and OPS (.669) in 2010.
- Miguel Montero, Diamondbacks: He was very good in 2009 and mediocre in a 2010 that was marred by injury.
- Matt Wieters, Orioles: He regressed in Year 2 (his average dropped 39 points to .249 and his OPS slipped to .696), but he has the minor-league track record to make you believe he'll be a solid big-leaguer.
- John Buck, Marlins: The Marlins gave him a three-year, $18 million contract after a season in which he batted .281 with 20 home runs and 66 RBI.
- Russell Martin, Yankees: He has been a bust the last two years (a combined .249 average with norms of six homers and 40 RBI), but as the Yankees' starting backstop, he could provide late-round value.
- John Jaso, Rays: He drove in 44 runs in 339 at-bats as a rookie.
- J.P. Arencibia, Blue Jays: Buck's departure should give everyday at-bats to this touted rookie. Arencibia had 32 homers and 85 RBI in 412 Triple-A at-bats last season.
- A.J. Pierzynski, White Sox: Mr. Popularity had his average drop 30 points to .270 in 2010 and has driven in 64 runs or fewer in six consecutive seasons.
- Carlos Ruiz, Phillies: He batted .302 last season and has a combined 17 homers and 96 RBI in 693 at-bats the last two years.
- Mike Napoli, Rangers: He will strike out too much and won't hit for average (.238 in 2010), but he reached the 20-homer mark for the third straight year and had career bests of 26 homers and 68 RBI last season. He was traded from the Angels to the Blue Jays to the Rangers, and the latter move hurts his value because he is expected to be a backup catcher and first baseman.
- Yadier Molina, Cardinals: He drove in 62 runs, but his average plummeted from .304 in 2008 and .293 in 2009 to .262 last season.
- Chris Iannetta, Rockies: He had a combined 34 homers and 117 RBI in 2008 and '09, but was awful in 188 at-bats last season (.197, .701 OPS).
- Josh Thole, Mets: He showed flashes as a rookie and had a .289 average in the minors, but don't expect any power (10 homers in 1,487 minor-league at-bats).
- Rod Barajas, Dodgers: He has power (17 homers in 313 at-bats last season), but is a .239 career hitter.
Eligibility notes
The Pirates' signings of Matt Diaz and Lyle Overbay leave Ryan Doumit in fantasy limbo. Unless he's traded, he's a backup to catcher Chris Snyder and maybe an extra outfielder. ... The Yankees' Jorge Posada is slated to be a designated hitter in 2010. He will be eligible at catcher, but is 39 and coming off a season in which he batted .248. The position, however, is so lacking in depth that Posada should be considered in the No. 12 range at catcher, better than Jaso.
Others to watch
- Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers: We knocked him out of the top 20 because of a broken pinky that likely will delay his start to the regular season. Lucroy batted .298 with 35 homers and 198 RBI in 1,250 at-bats in the minors.
- Ramon Hernandez, Reds: He hit .297 and had seven homers and 48 RBI in 313 at-bats in 2010.
- Yorvit Torrealba, Rangers: He batted .271 with seven homers and 37 RBI in 325 at-bats. The addition of Napoli likely means he is in line for a similar workload in Texas.
NEXT: First basemen
MORE RANKINGS: Your guide to all of our 2011 fantasy baseball rankings