Last week, we broke down the top 12 catchers in fantasy baseball following the news of Victor Martinez's knee injury.

In the first of a 10-part series leading into the start of spring training, we're going to give you our top 20. In the next couple weeks, we'll follow with the top players at first base, second base, shortstop, third base, designated hitter, the outfield, starting pitcher, closer and the overall top 100.

Note: All players are ranked at the positions at which they are expected to spend the most time in 2012, not all positions at which they are eligible. ... Stats are from 2011.

Rank, player, team R-HR-RBI-SB-Avg.
1. Carlos Santana, Indians 84-27-79-5-.239
2. Brian McCann, Braves 51-24-71-3-.270
3. Mike Napoli, Rangers 72-30-75-4-.320
4. Buster Posey, Giants 17-4-21-3-.284
5. Alex Avila, Tigers 63-19-82-3-.295
6. Joe Mauer, Twins 38-3-30-0-.287
7. Miguel Montero, Diamondbacks 65-18-86-1-.282
8. Matt Wieters, Orioles 72-22-68-1-.262
9. Jesus Montero, Mariners 9-4-12-0-.328
10. Yadier Molina, Cardinals 55-14-65-4-.305
11. Russell Martin, Yankees 57-18-65-8-.237
12. Wilson Ramos, Nationals 48-15-52-0-.267
13. J.P. Arencibia, Blue Jays 47-23-78-1-.219
14. Geovany Soto, Cubs 46-17-54-0-.228
15. Kurt Suzuki, Athletics 54-14-44-2-.237
16. Salvador Perez, Royals 20-3-21-0-.331
17. Chris Iannetta, Angels 51-14-55-6-.238
18. Nick Hundley, Padres 34-9-29-1-.288
19. Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers 45-12-59-2-.265
20. A.J. Pierzynski, White Sox 38-8-48-0-.287

Last three out: John Buck, Marlins; Carlos Ruiz, Phillies; Devin Mosoraco, Reds.

Eligibility notes: Santana and Napoli can play first base, but obviously are much more valuable in fantasy behind the plate.

Key stats: Napoli achieved his lofty numbers in only 369 at-bats last season. His career year, not coincidentally, occurred in a season in which he cut down on his strikeouts. In his six-year career, Napoli has fanned once every 3.5 at-bats. Last season, he struck out once per 4.3 at-bats. Hey, it's progress.

NEXT: First basemen

Victor Martinez was going to be a full-time designated hitter in 2012.

The Tigers have a very good, much younger catcher in 24-year-old Alex Avila, making Martinez a perfect fit for DH.

The news this week that the 33-year-old could miss the season after tearing the ACL in his left knee during offseason conditioning was still a big blow to the fantasy catching ranks, however.

Many leagues allow you to use a player at the position at which he played the season before, even if said player has changed positions and might never go back. Thus, if you had the option of playing Martinez at catcher or utility in fantasy, you certainly would have selected catcher.

Sadly, we probably won't have that choice this year. The Tigers said this week Martinez likely needs surgery, making his chances of playing in 2012 remote at best.

Martinez no longer seems to be much of a power hitter -- he had 12 home runs last season, down from his average of 21.5 in 2009 and '10 -- but he still rakes. In 2011, he batted a career-high .330, drove in 103 runs and had an OPS of .850 (up from .844 the year before).

In his career, he's a .303 hitter who has had at least 20 home runs five times and driven in 100 runs or more four times.

Martinez's injury thins an already-skinny catching position in fantasy.

He would have been our top-ranked catcher. Now, we're left with his long-term replacement in Cleveland, Carlos Santana, leading a list that features five very good options, a former stud who is a risky pick before the middle rounds (Joe Mauer), two solid-but-unspectacular choices (Miguel Montero and Matt Wieters), a touted rookie (Jesus Montero) and ... a Molina?

Our early top 12 at catcher as spring training nears:

1. Carlos Santana, Indians: Batted .239, but had 27 homers, 79 RBI and 84 runs in 2011.

2. Brian McCann, Braves: He's not the stud he once was, but McCann has still averaged 23 homers and 74 RBI the last two seasons.

3. Mike Napoli, Rangers: We doubt he can come close to duplicating his sensational 2011 (.320, 30 homers, 75 RBI and 72 runs in 369 at-bats).

4. Buster Posey, Giants: He was productive as a rookie in 2010, but is coming off a frightening ankle injury sustained in a home-plate collision early last season.

5. Alex Avila, Tigers: He batted .295 with 19 homers and 82 RBI in his first full big-league season.

6. Joe Mauer, Twins: He says he's recovered from an illness- and injury-plagued 2011, but we're left with the realization he can hit for average and not much else.

7. Miguel Montero, Diamondbacks: He was solid in three categories in 2011 (.282, 18 homers, 86 RBI).


8. Matt Wieters, Orioles: OK, so maybe he isn't as good as we thought he would be, but Wieters did hit 22 homers and drive in 68 last season.

9. Jesus Montero, Mariners: He batted .328 in 61 at-bats as a rookie for the Yankees. He was traded to the Mariners in the Michael Pineda deal.

10. Yadier Molina, Cardinals: Granted, he hit .305 with 14 homers and 65 RBI last season, but this is where the rankings seem to take a dive toward A.J. Pierzynski levels.

11. Russell Martin, Yankees: He started strong for the Yankees last season, but tailed off and finished with a .237 average, 18 homers and 65 RBI.

12. Wilson Ramos, Nationals: He hit .267 with 15 homers and 52 RBI in 389 at-bats in his first full major-league season. In a 12-team league, he could be a starter, which makes me miss Martinez already.

Joe Mauer, as expected, is the consensus No. 1 catcher as we enter the 2011 season.

Victor Martinez and Brian McCann usually follow in some order — but we prefer to stray from the norm.

I would take Giants rookie Buster Posey after Mauer is off the board, and consider the phenom among the top 20 players overall after a rookie season in which he produced 18 homers, 67 RBI, 43 extra-base hits and an .862 OPS in 406 at-bats.

Mauer will hit for a better average, but do you really believe he’ll hit more home runs (Mauer had nine last season) or drive in more runs than Posey?

It says here he won’t, and we don’t think Posey will endure a sophomore slump.

That brings us to our first set of rankings for 2011 — the backstops. Players are ranked where we expect them to spend the most time this season, not at every position at which they are eligible. For example, Jorge Posada is listed as a designated hitter, not a catcher.

Posada is obviously much more valuable at the latter position, and should be considered in the No. 12 range (one spot ahead of Jaso) at catcher.

On to the rankings:

Rank, player: R-HR-RBI-SB-Avg.
1. Joe Mauer, Min: 88-9-75-1-.327
2. Buster Posey, SF: 58-18-67-0-.305
3. Victor Martinez, Det: 64-20-79-1-.302
4. Brian McCann, Atl: 63-21-77 -5-.269
5. Carlos Santana, Cle: 23-6-22-3-.260
6. Geovany Soto, ChC: 47-17-53-0-.280
7. Kurt Suzuki, Oak: 55-13-71-3-.242
8. Miguel Montero, Ari: 36-9-43-0-.266
9. Matt Wieters, Bal: 37-11-55-0-.249
10. John Buck, Fla: 53-20-66-0-.281
11. Russell Martin, NYY: 45-5-26-6-.248
12. John Jaso, TB: 57-5-44-4-.263
13. J.P. Arencibia, Tor: 3-2-4-0-.143
14. A.J. Pierzynski, CWS: 43-9-56-3-.270
15. Carlos Ruiz, Phi: 43-8-53-0-.302
16. Mike Napoli, Tex: 60-26-68-4-.238
17. Yadier Molina, StL: 34-6-62-8-.262
18. Chris Iannetta, Col: 20-9-27-1-.197
19. Josh Thole, NYM: 17-3-17-1-.277
20. Rod Barajas, LAD: 39-17-47-0-.240

Preseason top 100 players (5): Mauer (19), Posey (20), Martinez (36), McCann (44), Santana (78).

Short hops
Was Mauer’s 2009 home-run total of 28 a fluke? Since 2005, he has hit, in order, nine, 13, seven, nine, 28 and nine home runs. ... The Tribe’s Santana appears to be fully recovered from his scary knee injury and could be a seventh- or eighth-round steal in a 12-team league. ... Montero was very good in 2009 (.294, 16 homers, 59 RBI, .833 OPS in 433 at-bats), but was limited to 297 at-bats by injury last season. ... Wieters seems to have regressed, but his minor-league track record suggests he should put it all together soon. ... Jaso, who should be the Rays’ everyday catcher, could be a sleeper. The same goes for Arencibia, who will be a starter now that Buck is in Florida. The latter batted .301 with 32 homers and 85 RBI in 412 at-bats in Triple-A last season. ... Napoli is an intriguing choice after hitting at least 20 homers in three straight seasons, but unless Michael Young is traded, he is a backup catcher, first baseman and DH.

NOTE: Statistics are from the 2010 season. ... Players are listed only at the positions at which they are expected to spend the most time in 2011.

THIS WEEK: We’ll preview the first basemen on Tuesday and the second basemen on Wednesday.

NEXT WEEK: Shortstops, third basemen and designated hitters.

As fantasy owners, we tend to overreact.

One big game. One bad one. One walk-off celebration that results in a broken leg.

When Buster Posey -- the Giants' catcher of the future and one of baseball's top prospects -- was 3-for-4 with three RBI in his 2010 debut on May 29 against Arizona, we all took notice.

And many of us scrambled to get to our league's waiver wire.

Posey, who is eligible at catcher in most leagues, even though he's playing first base for the Giants this season, already is owned in 49.2 percent of the leagues on ESPN.com and 47 percent on Yahoo. Because catcher is such a goofy position this season -- the home-run leaders at the position are Rod Barajas, John Buck, Chris Snyder, Mike Napoli and Miguel Olivo -- the guess here is Posey is starting in most of the leagues in which he's been acquired.

If you're one of the instant believers, don't get too excited by the fast start of the No. 5 overall pick in the 2008 draft.

Posey entered this season with all of 17 major-league at-bats, and it wasn't long ago we expected instant offense from Orioles catcher Matt Wieters. In Year 2, Wieters is batting .246 with four homers (half of the total for Buck, Snyder, Napoli and Olivo), 12 runs and 16 RBI.

Posey has hit everywhere he's been. He was tearing up Triple-A this season -- a .349 average, six homers, 32 RBI and a .994 OPS in 47 games.

In 2008 and '09 in the minors, he batted .327 and had 94 runs, 19 homers, 86 RBI, six steals, 36 doubles and a .959 OPS in 459 at-bats. Then there was spring training with San Francisco this season, when Posey batted .315 with a homer and nine RBI in 54 at-bats.

Will he be a stud? Probably. But the same goes for Wieters, who turned 24 on May 21.

The latter is about 10 months older than Posey and played less than two seasons in the minor leagues. In a combined 578 minor-league at-bats in 2008 and '09, Wieters batted .343 with 32 homers, 121 RBI and a ridiculous 1.014 OPS.

On the day Posey made his triumphant 2010 debut, Giants veteran Aubrey Huff jokingly referred to him as "Jesus Christ" because of the hype.

Posey then had three hits and RBI No. 4 in his second game of the season. Counting Tuesday night, he was 1-for-7 in his next two contests.

Posey eventually should be a fantasy player to covet. If you can play him at catcher, he has some value now.

At this point, however, we'd settle for the 2010 Posey being compared to Rod Barajas at the plate.