Prospecting for 2021 presents a unique challenge: Most of this year's development happened behind closed doors.
The official minor-league season was canceled because of the pandemic, and with it went traditional stat-keeping. Granted, each organization sent a collection of minor-leaguers to work out at the alternate training site, but without the usual media access, most of what transpired there is hearsay.
Still, prospects need to be ranked, and so we'll go with what we have. Fortunately, at catcher, enough prospects found their way to the big leagues during the shortened season to distinguish themselves from the will-they-or-won't-they crowd of fringe big-league starters. It's why guys like Tyler Stephenson and Ryan Jeffers get the leg up here over guys like Miguel Amaya and Cal Raleigh.
It would have been a close call regardless, but the ones who already made it are naturally in a better position to take that next step.
Note: This list is intended for a variety of Fantasy formats and thus weighs short-term role against long-term value. Not all of these players will contribute in 2021 — most, in fact, will not — but among prospects, they're the names Fantasy Baseballers most need to know.
1. Adley Rutschman, Orioles
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2019: Rookie, short-season Class A, low Class A
2019 minors: .254 BA (130 AB), 4 HR, 8 2B, .774 OPS, 20 BB, 27 K
The top overall pick in the 2019 draft is already being compared to some of the all-time greats at the position, boasting a transcendent bat and the defensive skills to match. It's simply a question of how soon the rebuilding Orioles call him up, but if 2021 plays out in a more conventional way, I like his chances.
2. Joey Bart, Giants
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2019: high Class A, Double-A
2019 minors: .278 BA (313 AB), 16 HR, .824 OPS, 21 BB, 71 K
2020 majors: .233 BA (103 AB), 2 3B, 5 2B, .609 OPS, 3 BB, 41 K
Buster Posey's decision to opt out of 2020 put Bart on the fast track, and considering he was only drafted in 2018 and had lost significant time to injury since then, it's not surprising he wasn't quite up to the challenge. But I'd still wager there's a Gary Sanchez-like outcome in there, presuming he gets some more time in the minors.
3. Luis Campusano, Padres
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2019: high Class A
2019 minors: .325 BA (422 AB), 15 HR, 31 2B, .906 OPS, 52 BB, 57 K
2020 majors: 1 for 3, HR, 0 BB, 2 K
He technically won't be catcher-eligible to begin 2021 since he made his one big-league appearance at DH, but Campusano projects to start there for the Padres sooner than later. The 22-year-old is rare among catchers in that he won a batting title in 2019 and has been known to swing a massive 40-ounce piece of lumber.
4. Francisco Alvarez, Mets
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2019: Rookie ball
2019 minors: .312 (157 AB), 7 HR, 10 2B, .916 OPS, 21 BB, 37 K
Despite no minor-league results to make the case for him this year, the hype has only continued to grow for Alvarez, whose promotion to the Appalachian League in 2019 made him the youngest everyday player there. Catchers aren't known to move fast, but if his glove can keep up with his bat, which barrels up balls with impressive regularity, he may buck the trend.
5. Sam Huff, Rangers
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2019: low Class A, high Class A
2019 minors: .278 BA (475 AB), 28 HR, 22 2B, .845 OPS, 33 BB, 154 K
2020 majors: .355 BA (31 AB), 3 HR, 3 2B, 1.136 OPS, 2 BB, 11 K
Huff demonstrated in about two weeks' time exactly what he brings to the table and, thus, may be poised to take over as the Rangers' regular catcher in 2021. Striking out one-third of the time, which was true for him in the minors as well, generally isn't a recipe for success, but like teammate Joey Gallo, he produces the sort of elite exit velocities that can overcome it.
6. Alejandro Kirk, Blue Jays
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2019: low Class A, high Class A
2019 minors: .290 (310 AB), 7 HR, 31 2B, .868 OPS, 56 BB, 39 K
2020 majors: .375 (24 AB), 1 HR, 2 2B, .983 OPS, 1 BB, 4 K
Though an oddball prospect both for his bat-on-ball skills and squatty, unathletic build, there's little question at this point that Kirk's bat will play in the majors, and while his defense falls a little short, the playoff-bound Blue Jays had him splitting starts with Danny Jansen down the stretch. We may be looking at a Pablo Sandoval redux here.
7. Austin Wells, Yankees
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2019: not under contract
The 2020 draft pick was selected for his bat, which is optimal for Fantasy purposes but might also mean he doesn't end up playing catcher. But it's not a Peter O'Brien situation where the bat is too one-dimensional to profile anywhere else — he has a good eye, easy swing and advanced approach — so he won't have to stick at catcher to matter.
8. Keibert Ruiz, Dodgers
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2019: Double-A, Triple-A
2019 minors: .261 (314 AB), 6 HR, .679 OPS, 30 BB, 22 K
2020 minors: 2 for 8, HR, 0 BB, 3 K
The only thing we can say for sure about Ruiz is he puts the bat on the ball, but his development — on both the offensive and defensive end — has seemingly been stunted since he burst onto the scene as an 18-year-old in high A. And while he's still young enough to make good on his upside, it might take a trade to do it, given the emergence of Will Smith.
9. Tyler Stephenson, Reds
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2019: Double-A
2019 minors: .285 (312 AB), 6 HR, 19 2B, .782 OPS, 37 BB, 60 K
2020 majors: .294 (17 AB), 2 HR, 1.047 OPS, 2 BB, 9 K
Formerly an 11th overall pick, Stephenson has been slow to develop but saw better results while shortening his swing and improving his plate discipline in 2019. He flashed some power in a big-league trial this year and has the size (6-feet-4) to continue down that path, presumably claiming the starting job at some point in 2021.
10. Ryan Jeffers, Twins
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2019: high Class A, Double-A
2019 minors: .264 (368 AB), 14 HR, 16 2B, .762 OPS, 37 BB, 83 K
2020 majors: .273 (55 AB), 3 HR, .791 OPS, 5 BB, 19 K
With Mitch Garver on and off the IL and struggling to recapture his 2019 form, Jeffers got an extended look and proved to be a capable fallback, if not an outright platoon partner. His framing skills give him a leg up defensively on Garver, and while his strikeout rate would suggest he overachieved at the dish, it wasn't something that carried over from the minors.
