It was a fantastic postseason and a World Series for the ages, but now the offseason for 2018 has begun. We will go through and rank the top 30 players at each position according to total points, five categories, and six categories. We begin with catchers and total points. Total points is the biggest trend in the fantasy world as it encompasses the daily fantasy revolution and even a growing number of full season leagues.

The idea behind total points is to encompass more of what a player contributes offensively. It includes all extra base hits and penalizes for negative events. Each platform uses its own formula, so we will use ours. Obviously, you will need to adjust as your personal needs allow. Our formula is listed below.

Total Bases + Runs + RBI + BB + SB + HBP – SO – CS – GIDP = Total Points.

Austin Barnes—Los Angeles Dodgers 

G TP Rank TP/G Rank
2017 102 177 1.74
AVG 102 177 14 1.74 15

DRS: +4

Contract: Pre-Arbitration

Barnes ended up catching every game in the World Series and started all but one game in the post-season. Grandal had better defensive numbers and arguably was better offensively. However, they felt more comfortable with his work behind the plate. A cursory watch of the playoffs showed how many more strikes he was able to get called for his pitchers. Of course, it is up in the air as to what is going to happen long-term with the Dodgers’ catching position. Offensively, he is middle of the pack, but that could play up if he ends up getting the starting job.

Tucker Barnhart—Cincinnati Reds 

G TP Rank TP/G RanK
2017 121 188 1.55
2016 115 183 1.59
2015 81 91 1.12
AVG 106 154 20 1.45 22

DRS: +11

Contract: Signed Through 2022

Barnhart signed an extension before the end of the season. Obviously, the Reds like his defense and durability after waiting for Devin Mesoraco to get healthy. The contract indicates that the Mesoraco era is coming to a merciful end. Barnhart is not good offensively, but he is also not terrible. The 2016 and 2017 seasons obviously are more in line of what the Reds and you can expect from him from here on out.

Welington Castillo—Baltimore Orioles/Free Agent 

G TP Rank TP/G Rank
2017 96 179 1.86
2016 113 198 1.75
2015 110 181 1.65
2014 110 146 1.33
2013 113 161 1.42
AVG 108 173 17 1.60 20

DRS: -9

Contract Status: Player Option

Castillo could become a free agent if he does not exercise his player option. However, in the changing landscape of the position that might not be a wise move. The Orioles have Caleb Joseph ready to take over and might secretly hope Castillo moves on. He did hit 20 home runs this season, so he is an appealing fantasy option, but defense increasingly matters and it might keep him off the field too often.

Jason Castro—Minnesota Twins 

G TP Rank TP/G Rank
2017 110 165 1.50
2016 113 112 0.98
2015 104 107 1.03
2014 126 151 1.20
2013 120 249 2.08
AVG 115 157 19 1.37 25

DRS: +10

Contract Status: Signed through 2019 

Castro is the mirror image of Castillo. He is a brilliant defender and pitch framer, so he will find his way behind the plate no matter what he does defensively. We include the tables above because of players like Castro. The average is certainly always relevant, but sometimes it is more relevant to track them season by season. 2013 will likely never happen again, so you are best paying attention to everything else. He is a good catcher two option in leagues that employ that, but otherwise is a guy to avoid on draft day.

Francisco Cervelli—Pittsburgh Pirates 

G TP Rank TP/G Rank
2017 81 124 1.53
2016 101 160 1.58
2015 130 228 1.75
2014 49 65 1.33
AVG 90 144 21 1.60 20

DRS: -6

Contract Status: Signed through 2019

Cervelli’s defensive numbers from 2016 are out of line with the rest of his career. He had been a positive impact defender up to that point. So, was 2017 a blip on the radar or a harbinger of things to come? Offensively, he is fairly consistent if not spectacular. He actually comes out better in total points because of his ability to make contact and the fact that total points does not exclusively rely on home runs for value.

Robinson Chirinos—Texas Rangers 

G TP Rank TP/G Rank
2017 88 178 2.02
2016 57 83 1.46
2015 78 136 1.74
2014 93 151 1.62
AVG 79 137 24 1.73 16

DRS: +2

Contract Status: Signed through 2018

Ah, the ultimate fantasy dilemma. The two runs for game mark is the line of demarcation for catchers. So, is Chirinos that guy or is he one of those guys that gets exposed once he becomes an everyday player? He flourished last season once he became the everyday guy, but now teams get an offseason to scout him as the everyday guy. He is probably worth a late round flier just in case. As a daily option he could be ideal if you want to spend on other positions that day.

Willson Contreras—Chicago Cubs 

G TP Rank TP/G Rank
2017 117 250 2.14
2016 76 147 1.93
AVG 97 199 10 2.05 6

DRS: -1

Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration

Contreras actually took a step forward to the surprise of many. He had some good batted ball luck his rookie season, but solidified himself as a top-flight offensive catcher by making contact a little more often and walking a little more often. Obviously, the power and run production are the biggest draws here and as long as he remains healthy there is no reason to think this won’t continue.

Travis d’Arnaud—New York Mets 

G TP Rank TP/G Rank
2017 112 204 1.82
2016 75 88 1.17
2015 67 159 2.37
2014 108 205 1.90
2013 31 23 0.74
AVG 79 136 25 1.72 17

DRS: -1

Contract Status: Arbitration

d’Arnaud is the leading actor in “Star Interrupted”. Everyone naturally assumed he would become a star when he came up in 2013, but injuries have derailed him every step of the way. He came on late last season and looked like the star player everyone thought he would be. Of course, those games were rendered meaningless because the Mets were out of contention. We can only assume he would be a top half catcher if healthy. Of course, we’ve heard that before.

Tyler Flowers—Atlanta Braves 

G TP Rank TP/G Rank
2017 81 193 1.95
2016 106 132 1.59
2015 131 92 0.82
2014 131 113 0.89
2013 94 53 0.53
AVG 109 117 27 1.16 28

DRS: +11

Contract Status: Signed Through 2018

The Braves are an organization in flux on a number of different fronts, but they stumbled into something here. Both Flowers and Kirk Suzuki performed well when sharing the duties. This seems to be a part of the wave of the future as teams get a handle on the platoon advantage. It doesn’t bode well for season long fantasy players, but it could end up being a boon for daily fantasy players.

Evan Gattis—Houston Astros 

G TP Rank TP/G Rank
2017 84 194 2.47
2016 128 266 1.84
2015 153 316 2.40
2014 108 199 1.99
2013 105 213 2.28
AVG 116 238 8 2.05 6

DRS: +2

Contract Status: Arbitration

Winning championships usually means that teams begin to copy what you do. The Astros won largely because of their depth. Both Gattis and Brian McCann enjoyed better seasons on a per game basis. A.J. Hinch was able to manage their opportunities and put them in positions where they were more likely to succeed. It also meant both of them were fresh coming into October. Again, this is not good news for season long players, but daily fantasy players should stand up and take notice.

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