Top 20 Fantasy Baseball Catchers Rankings 2026

5. Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers

His middle initial should be R for Reliable as Smith has been a solid producer at the position for a number of years. His power has waned a bit lately as he has only hit 20 home runs once in the last three years, but he made up for that by padding your batting average with a career high .296 in 2025. He has even more value if your league counts OBP as he had a 14% walk rate and his OBP was over .400. With the improvement in talent at the catcher position, Smith has fallen down the rankings a little, but you pretty much know what you are going to get from him and that it is pretty good.

Tier 4: Upside & Risk Plays

6. Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals

You thought the end was near for his fantasy value in 2022-2023 but Perez had his second straight huge season in 2025 and his second career 30 home run total. The bottom dropped out on the batting average and he will turn 36 in May so there is some concern that he could dip again, but all of the metrics continue to stay strong. I believe he has more value in a two-catcher league as the position is deeper than in the past. Father Time is undefeated though, so a downturn is always possible, but all signs say that Perez is in for another great season especially after the Royals moved the fences in.

7. Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles

He fell apart in the second half of 2024 and then last year was ruined by two oblique injuries. Not only that, but the Orioles have one of the best prospects in baseball coming who is also a catcher. The DH is an option for both of them, so that isn’t the biggest detraction. I don’t believe that Rutschman forgot how to hit. I don’t know how to explain the last year and half, outside of getting hit by a pitch in 2024 and oblique injuries last year, but I don’t believe he is cooked. He should come at a discount and could pay off handsomely.

8. Yainer Diaz, Houston Astros

He has a ton of raw power, but I just hate that he hits so low in the batting order as it really takes away some of his RBI potential. He is a near lock for 20 home runs, and he generally is a big plus in the batting average category. The biggest drawback is that he just has never met a pitch he didn’t want to swing at as he has only 56 walks in his 1572 plate appearances. He isn’t elite, but Diaz is still a very strong starting catcher for your fantasy team.

9. Agustin Ramirez, Miami Marlins

His batting average took a dive in the second half of the season, but Ramirez had a very strong rookie season with 21 home runs and 16 stolen bases. He is young and exciting and is hitting in the middle of an equally young and exciting batting order. I believe the power is legit and his history says that his batting average should improve from the .231 he hit last year. The stolen bases could be cut nearly by half but all in all Ramirez has a very high ceiling and he is someone to target after the elites are off the board.

10. Drake Baldwin, Atlanta Braves

He benefitted greatly from an early Sean Murphy injury and forced his way into the lineup pretty much for the rest of the season. Baldwin had an impressive rookie season with 19 home runs and 80 RBI. He isn’t going to help you in any speed category, but he also will help pad your batting average some, and that isn’t something that a lot of catchers can boast. He will turn 25 just before the season starts, and Baldwin has a stranglehold on this job now. I can’t say that he hit his ceiling in his first year, so we could see (slightly) more from him in 2026.

11.  Ivan Herrera, St. Louis Cardinals

Health is the main barrier for Herrera to become a star. After getting off to a torrid start, he missed a month with a knee injury and then another IL stint in the summer cost him more time. Even with only playing 107 games he still hit 19 home runs and drove in 66 while stealing eight bases. His strikeout to walk ratio is fantastic, and he is going to bat in the top half of the lineup. If you can stomach injury anxiety, Herrera could give you top five numbers at the position.

12. Francisco Alvarez, New York Mets

Speaking of health problems ... Alvarez could be a top-3 fantasy catcher if he could stay healthy. A fractured left hand cost him the first month and then a thumb injury cost him time. He even spent some time in the minors, but in half a season he still hit 11 home runs and his batting average crossed .250. It is probably a waste of a roster spot, but you might want to have another catcher on your roster if you choose Alvarez in a one catcher league. It is the ultimate high-risk, high-reward selection.

13. Samuel Basallo, Baltimore Orioles

A top-15 prospect in all of baseball, Basallo made good hard contact in his cup of coffee with the team, but he also struck out 25% of the time. He is likely to DH a lot, and share catching duties, but does he have an every day role to start the season? You have to figure that eventually he will force his way to that with his bat, but I don’t know that you should expect him to maintain catcher eligibility for a long time if you are in a dynasty format.

14. Kyle Teel, Chicago White Sox 

He may have to battle Edgar Quero some for playing time against lefties, but there is still the DH option. Teel showed some intriguing pop with eight home runs in 253 at-bats and the launch angle and hard-hit rate tell you that there’s room for improvement in that area. He showed some pretty solid plate discipline with an impressive strikeout to walk ratio and should hit in an advantageous spot in the White Sox batting order.

15. Carter Jensen, Kansas City Royals 

This is a little bit of a wild card pick as he only played 20 games in the Majors, but Jensen showed out very well in 2025 in limited action, showed great plate discipline, and his time in the minor leagues says that he should hit a lot of baseballs out of ballparks this summer. He is only 22 years old, and he will even steal 10-12 bases. Salvador Perez is still there, but he can fill in at first some and DH as well, so hopefully Jensen can get to 450 at-bats.

16. Gabriel Moreno, Arizona Diamondbacks

Despite 67 fewer plate appearances in the second half due to a hand injury, Moreno still had the same number of RBI in the second half of the season and only one fewer home run than the first half. He is never going to be a prolific power hitter, but Moreno should at least get to double digits and has the batting average to keep you pretty happy. He will also throw in a small handful of stolen bases to go with it. He is far from one of the elite options, but Moreno isn’t someone that will cost you in categories in a fantasy league.

17. Dillon Dingler, Detroit Tigers 

He didn’t get the fanfare of some of the other rookie catchers, but Dingler quietly put together a pretty solid first full season in the majors. The minor league numbers coupled with his contact and hard hit rates tell you that there are probably more home runs in his bat. I don’t love where he hits in the order or his walk rate, but you also aren’t paying a premium price for Dingler so you live with a few warts.

18. Austin Wells, New York Yankees

He hit a home run in his very first at-bat of the season, and it went downhill from there. I kid to a degree. Wells did increase his home run total by over 50% despite only having 34 more plate appearances but somehow he actually went down from a .229 batting average and lost 10 points. Unfortunately, that looks like what he’s going to be. A modern-day Danny Jansen. Lots of pop, lots of strikeouts and a hindrance of a batting average. If that fits your roster build in a two-catcher league, than Wells is the guy for you.

19. J.T. Realmuto, Free Agent

The good news is that Realmuto stayed healthy. The bad news is that despite 137 more plate appearances in 2025, he hit two fewer home runs and only drove in five more runs and his batting average dropped. He will be 35 before the season starts and that many years of catching is bound to catch up with you eventually. Realmuto still hits well enough to have some value in two-catcher leagues, but his day of being ranked in the top 12 at the position have come and gone.

20. Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays 

So, did Kirk actually improve? Or did everything just go right for the Blue Jays last season? Kirk had more home runs in 2025 than he had the previous two seasons combined, and his RBI jumped 22 from the previous year. The good news with Kirk is, even if he goes back to his single-digit home run ways, he at least isn’t going to hurt your batting average. He should have some RBI opportunities in a loaded Blue Jays lineup, even if he does hit toward the bottom. I don’t have a ton of confidence that he will repeat last season’s production, but you can still do worse than Kirk.

Conclusion

Even after the top 20 there are still a handful of options that aren’t going to hurt you or at least offer you some upside. Logan O’Hoppe has had some trouble staying healthy and is a batting average drain but can be someone worth rostering. Tyler Stephenson has dealt with some injury issues but has double digit home runs in three straight seasons even if his batting average has fallen apart.  Edgar Quero for the White Sox has some good potential even if he didn’t come out of the gates hot last season and Dalton Rushing needs some playing time but has a lot of upside. Best of luck to you with your catchers and your fantasy baseball leagues.  

People Also Ask

Who is the best fantasy catcher for 2026?
Cal Raleigh is the top fantasy catcher for 2026 thanks to elite power, surprising speed, and consistent playing time.

Is catcher still a weak position in fantasy baseball?
No. Catcher depth has improved significantly, making it easier to find solid starters even in two-catcher leagues.

Should I draft a catcher early in 2026?
A: Only if you land an elite option like Cal Raleigh. Otherwise, waiting can still produce strong value.

Which catcher has the biggest breakout upside?
Ivan Herrera and Drake Baldwin offer major upside due to strong plate skills and growing roles.

Are veteran catchers still worth drafting?
Yes. Players like Salvador Perez and William Contreras still provide reliable power and counting stats.