THE DYNASTY GURU’S PLAYERS TO AVOID: CATCHER
Which players are we avoiding this year, and why? Are they over-valued, playing in a difficult environment, or on the precipice of a steep decline? Whatever the reason, the Dynasty Guru writers have identified a few players whom we are avoiding.
Cal Raleigh (Age: 29 Rank: 1)
You gotta be kidding me! This is who you are picking to avoid? What is wrong with you? A lot, actually, but that’s not the point of this exercise. I’m here to help you win, and I will tell you why.
By spelling it out for you. S.A.W.F….. wait a minute, that feels like it’s for something else. Let me try again…
CAREER YEAR! Yes, I got it. You mean to tell me that you’re avoiding him because of a career year? C’mon! Yes, I very much am, and let’s find out “WATTS THE DEAL”.
When a player has a career year like Cal did, it’s almost impossible to duplicate that. There are a few areas I think he can repeat, but most will not be the case. Let’s look at the last 3 seasons
| Season | Runs | Doubles | Home Runs | Runs Batted In | BB | SO | AVG | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 78 | 23 | 30 | 75 | 54 | 158 | 232 | .456 |
| 2024 | 73 | 16 | 34 | 100 | 70 | 176 | .220 | .436 |
| 2025 | 110 | 24 | 60 | 125 | 97 | 188 | .247 | .589 |
You see anything crazy there? Of course, you do. He darn near doubled his home run total, and runs skyrocketed. Did he suddenly become a better hitter? The answer to that question, data-wise, is no.
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 | 2025 Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| xBA | .229 | .231 | 16th |
| Whiff% | 31.0 | 31.5 | 10th |
| K% | 28.0 | 26.7 | 14th |
| Squared-up% | 20.2 | 19.9 | 7th |
Nothing much changed, he just positively hammered the ball any time his bat touched it. Is that sustainable? No, it’s not. He did have a career high barrel rate at 99%, which was slightly above his 2024 rate at 96%.
I bet he felt like peak Barry Bonds. Nobody wanting to pitch to him, and when they did, “WHAM,” it’s outta here. I would love to see that happen again. It’s just not.
What is repeatable is his doubles and strikeouts from 2025. Pitchers should start to attack him more this season in areas where they were more afraid of last season. Raleigh has a very high tendency to strikeout, and that hasn’t changed. Reminds me of Adam “Get It” Dunn, but at catcher.
I expect all other statistical data to come back closer to his norms. Something to keep in mind, the Mariners lineup has gotten better. Expect a .225 avg, 40 HR, and 90 RBI season. While those numbers are still great, this writer won’t be buying into the madness for his career year. I’d much rather have Shea Langeliers and that Mickey Mouse home ballpark that he plays in. Sell High!
Ben Rice (Age: 26 Rank: 5)
Rice Rice baby, boom-boom-chicka-boom boom. If you could have dreamed of a player with the loudest tools, no speed and who was completely off your radar until midway through last year well, here he is. So why would I avoid him?
Price. His value has risen, and rightfully so. He will be catcher eligible, and his value at the position is great, especially if you play extended category leagues. You’re buying into him as a first baseman for 2027, remember that in the price tag you pay.
Playing time. I was really hoping the Yankees would have just avoided bringing back legendary Paul Goldschmidt, but nope, resigned him. They didn’t sign him to just sit the bench. I fully expect the Yankees to platoon him. Why would they do that? Rice batted .208 versus left-handed pitching.
Value. I will be avoiding him because his value is too high. He’s most likely going to be in a platoon again and likely will revert to being eligible at first base only in 2027. Despite this, I really do like Ben Rice the player. Just not where it currently stands. Someone tell the Yankees organization to avoid platooning him, and I would change my tune! To which one? Stay tuned to the Dynasty Guru to find out!
(Chris “Wicky Wicky” Watts)
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