Fantasy Baseball 2026 Catcher Rankings (1-15)

In fantasy baseball, the catcher position has long been a bit of a mystery. What do we do with our catcher spot? Do we take a shot early in our drafts on somebody “proven,” or do we wait until the middle rounds for that breakout season that may or may not happen? What if we need two catchers? Should we just punt the position entirely? Many fantasy leagues were even choosing to completely eliminate the position since it had become a wasteland for fantasy production, and there just weren’t enough productive players to go around. That was before last year.

2025 was a bit of a coming-out party for this all-important position, as there were a full 12 catchers who chipped in with 19 home runs or more, up from 8 in 2024 and 5 in 2023. At the top of that list is one very obvious name, but there are also some interesting new names on this year’s list that are worth keeping an eye on. Let’s not waste any more time; let’s jump right into this year’s top 15 catchers for fantasy baseball.

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1) Cal Raleigh, Mariners

There really isn’t much to think about other than when you should pull the trigger to get him. He had a career year, and some regression is likely, but he’s still the guy who has led this position in home runs for three straight years and is a lock for 600+ plate appearances as long as he’s healthy. He will still catch the majority of the time since he’s an elite defender, but the M’s like to keep his bat in the lineup at DH when he does get “days off”. He’s going to be taken by round 2 in most drafts, and it’s hard to argue with the pick. He still strikes out a ton, so last year’s batting average is probably going to be the high end of what we can expect. Draft him expecting 40 homers and 100 RBI, and if he manages to steal double-digit bases again, consider it a gift.

2) William Contreras, Brewers

He was the top catcher drafted last year and was a bit of a disappointment, especially when compared to Raleigh. He’s still the only catcher who has had 600+ plate appearances for three straight years, and at the age of 28, he has a bounce-back season in him. For the price, I like him better than Raleigh, as I feel like there’s some room for profit if you can get him in the 5th round. Has a much higher batting average floor than most at the position, as well as being a solid contributor in all counting stats. He’ll even chip in a handful of steals.

3) Shea Langeliers, Athletics

May 5, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) hits a home run against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images

His 2025 breakout season wasn’t out of nowhere, as the power had always been there. The move to a minor league ballpark wasn’t a factor as he hit 19 of his 31 bombs on the road, leading to an OPS 100 points higher away from Sacramento. His batting average gains were backed by a higher contact rate and fewer strikeouts. He might not hit .277 ever again, but I think he’s a safe bet to stay north of .245ish.

4) Hunter Goodman, Rockies

His breakout season was reminiscent of the days when we all flocked to grab anybody getting steady at-bats in Colorado. While his batting average was almost 50 points higher at home, he actually hit 18 of his 31 homers on the road. The K and BB rates suggest that .278 probably isn’t happening again, but he will be a fixture in the middle of the Rockies lineup coming into 2026. One word of caution is that we haven’t seen any of these young Rockies repeat their breakout seasons in recent memory. I won’t reach to get him early, so I don’t expect to roster him very much this year. He’s a solid bet to give you .230-25-70.

5) Will Smith, Dodgers

He’s getting older, but he is still one of the best-hitting catchers in the game, and he still bats in the middle of that ridiculous lineup. Last year’s numbers took a bit of a hit as he missed about a month with a broken bone in his hand. He has a great batting average floor with 25 homers, 90 runs/rbi upside. He turns 31 right before the season starts, and he will start to cede starts behind the plate to Dalton Rushing, but Smith is still a safe pick for this year.

6) Ben Rice, Yankees

He qualifies as a catcher, but he will be the Yankees primary 1st baseman this coming season. Last year’s breakout showed he still has some room for growth, as he rarely faced left-handed pitching. If he is able to hold his own against southpaws, he has 30+ home run upside batting left-handed with half of his games in Yankee Stadium. Enjoy the catcher eligibility while you can.

7) Drake Baldwin, Braves

I’m usually skeptical of young catchers repeating big seasons, but Baldwin looks like the real deal. He showed a great eye and contact rate while in the minors and was able to carry that over in his first major league season. The batting average should remain safe, while the power can take a step forward with more fly balls. If you can get him in the 8th round or late,r there is plenty of room for profit.

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8) Yainer Diaz, Astros

May 11, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (21) hits a three-run home run during the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

He appeared to take a bit of a step back last year, but in some areas, he actually showed growth. The power is developing, and he could flirt with 30 bombs as soon as this coming season. He puts the ball in play enough that last year’s batting average is likely his floor, with a rebound to the .270+ range very possible. A very good pick to build around if you can get him in the mid rounds (8-10).

9) Adley Rutschman, Orioles

Last year was a bust for a few reasons. He couldn’t stay healthy, and when he was playing, he just wasn’t very good. On the outside, his numbers look like a player who has declined for a 3rd straight year, but at just 28 years old, he isn’t declining. His walk rate and contact rate are both still very good, and there’s a bounce-back season coming. The Orioles have made a commitment to youngster Sam Basallo, while Adley is still playing on one-year deals, so it’s possible he gets moved at some point. Either way, he will get his at-bats between catcher and DH and has the potential for profit if everybody else sleeps on him.

10) Agustin Ramirez, Marlins

He’s going to be a preseason darling on most sleeper lists after bursting onto the scene last year with 21 homers and 16 steals. The talent is for real, and at just 24 years old, there is potential for even more. While I would certainly grab him if he fell to me, I feel like he will be over-drafted in most leagues because of those steals. The total was a career high for him, but he has reached double figures twice in the minors. There is some concern with batting average as it bottomed out in the second half of last year, but his power and speed make for an interesting target.

11) Salvador Perez, Royals

The old man on this list is still getting it done in his mid 30’s. After a slow start, his power bat woke up in July, and he finished the season as the only catcher other than Raleigh to drive in 100 runs. His legs have never been a part of his game, so don’t expect a single stolen base or very many runs scored. He gets plenty of at-bats as the Royals will play him at 1st occasionally, as well as being their primary DH. If he falls, he’s a solid choice to fill the position for one more year.

12) Ivan Herrera, Cardinals

He won’t qualify in most leagues at catcher, as he was behind the plate for just 14 games for the Cards while filling the DH role for 89 games. This was due to a series of nagging leg injuries that kept him out of the lineup for a large chunk of the season. When he did play, he was an absolute stud who had a “weighted runs created plus” of 137, the same as Vlad Guerrero. He has 30 home run potential, with a .300 batting average upside. Just be aware that you will have to wait for him to qualify at catcher.

13) Gabriel Moreno, Diamondbacks

I was expecting his breakout to come last year, but he missed about half of the season with a broken finger. Down the stretch, he was a key part of Arizona’s offense, and with a full season, we could be looking at a top 6 or 7 player at the position. He turns 26 right before the season starts and looks primed to break out. He gets at-bats at DH as well as catcher, so he has 600 plate appearances potential.

14) Francisco Alvarez, Mets

Sep 23, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) gestures to the dugout after hitting a two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the eighth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

He’s another young catcher that I was expecting to break out last year. His season was also marred by injuries, and he’s in danger of actually earning the dreaded “injury prone” tag, but I’m willing to take another swing with him this year. The power is for real, and the Mets look like they will need him to move into a more prominent role in their lineup with the departure of Pete Alonso. If he can stay in the lineup, he’s going to hit 25+ homers.

15) Samuel Basallo, Orioles

He’s going to be higher on most lists based on his incredible potential. He’s just 21 years old, and Baltimore just inked him to a long-term deal, cementing him as the O’s catcher of the future. The power is for real, but so is his strikeout rate, and I am expecting some growing pains this season. He will likely sit versus lefties, and if he struggles against righties, he will likely be sent to the minors. Based on his upside, he’s worth a roster spot in all formats, but I probably won’t be drafting him at his cost.

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