Catchers to Target for 2026 Fantasy Baseball

Here, friend, are some catchers that I will be targeting at my 2026 fantasy drafts after the top options are gone. I’m not going to get into the strategy of punting catchers. Been there, half-drunkenly wrote that during the Ottoman Empire. Click on the player’s name where applicable to read more and see their 2026 projections and blurbs I wrote for them. This is a (legal-in-most-countries) supplement to the top 20 catchers of 2026 fantasy baseball. (Yes, I will go over each position.) Now, guys and five girl readers, I am not saying avoid catchers like Yainer Diaz if they fall, but, to get on this list, a catcher needs to be drafted after 200 overall, and, yes, I will go around the entire infield, outfield and pitchers to target very late. In regards to the ADP in the parenthesis, NFBC is for two catcher leagues, so that should be taken into account. One other note, I think we’ve lost Yahoo rankings. I don’t think they exist anymore. Rest now, Yahoo, I will see you in Vahalla. So, we’re going with ESPN and NFBC. Anyway, here’s some catchers to target for 2026 fantasy baseball:

PSYCHE! Before the recap, just wanted to say my top 500 and all my 2026 fantasy baseball rankings are updated as soon as possible (yesterday, Konnor Griffin and Kevin McGonigle were updated in the shortstops rankings). Also, Rudy’s War Room is updated multiple times per day, and in-season subscriptions are open for business. Buy a subscription and save a cowboy. Anyway II, the sleeper catchers post:

Samuel Basallo (ESPN 236) The good news is Razzball is your last stop for fantasy baseball rankings. The bad news is it’s your first stop too. It’s also your 2nd thru 15th stop. If I croak out like a frog in boiling water that was testing a theory about frogs in boiling water, I don’t know what you’re going to do. I say this because I’m looking at Yahoo for the first time, and they’re not really doing rankings anymore. They laid off most of their team and what’s left is not Yahoo rankings. Then there’s ESPN’s rankings, and, well, I’m being polite when I say, I don’t really understand what they’re ranking for half the time, and there’s zero explanation. For unstints, Hurston Waldrep is out with elbow surgery; it’s been weeks now this was announced, so how is he ranked at 250 overall, before guys like Shane Smith, Ryne Nelson and countless others? Is ESPN actually paying attention to their rankings? I honestly don’t think so. Finally, I appreciate NFBC, but that’s ADP, it’s not rankings. So, it’s basically me ranking. I’m the only one still doing fantasy baseball rankings. Don’t like it? Too bad! I mention that now because is Basallo really going at 236 as ESPN has him ranked? Like they used to say before booking Gwen Stefani’s band, doubt it. By the way, if I’m the only one ranking, it would explain why Fantasy Pros has this to say:

Kyle Teel (ESPN 241) NFBC is at 180 for Teel, so he wasn’t included in the parenthesis, but that’s a two-catcher schematic, so you take that with a grain of salt or Mrs. Dash, if you want it to pop. White Sox are going to be a bit of a mess, likely still, but Teel could be decent-ish. His HardHit% was 32.6% and he stole 12 bags in the minors in 2024. His season last year was 16/10 when combining majors and minors and he hit .273 in the majors. He does 16/10/.270 in the majors, hitting out of the top three spots? You can do worse.

Ryan Jeffers (ESPN NR, NFBC 275) For every player I list in just about every post I write, I go to Roster Resource to doublecheck a guy is the starter. It’s a good doublecheck to make sure I haven’t forgotten anyone. Thankfully, I don’t think I have for the Twins, but I think the Twins might’ve forgot someone. Namely, a DH or a backup catcher. They have Ryan Jeffers as the everyday catcher and Victor Caratini as the everyday DH? I’m sorry, I doubted you, Baldelli, you’re much smarter than I gave you credit for. You got out out of that mess just in time.

Francisco Alvarez (ESPN NR) If it’s any consolation to ESPN not ranking Alvarez, if Yahoo still did rankings, they would’ve been too low on Fran-Al, too. Not ranking a guy at all for a guy going 172nd overall in NFBC? Well, I don’t know. Feels a little off. I would draft Francisco Alvarez in every league if you gave me the chance. Sadly, I’m not in every league. I skip one draft every preseason. I only have time for 45,987 drafts a year.

Carter Jensen (ESPN 272) I am admittedly low on Carter Jensen too in my top 500. I don’t love Jansen like some, but I have ranked him and would draft him late, just in case he goes straight bizzonkers. His minor league numbers do jump off the page: 20/10/.290 in 427 ABs. You need to be wearing your 3D glasses for them to jump off the page. For what it’s Cronenworth, there is zero projections system saying to draft Jansen. Rudy has him ranked at 425-something with the projections of 9/3/.243.

Edgar Quero (ESPN NR, NFBC 425) You know what I said for Jeffers? If you don’t, get your medulla oblongata checked. It needs a tuneup. Well, it’s sorta same as Quero, because Quero is currently the everyday DH, according to Roster Resource. I don’t know if that’s accurate; I actually doubt it is, but he could sneak into 400 ABs. Will he be in good in 400 ABs? He’s going at 425 overall in a two-catcher league, what do you think? Rudy has Quero ranked above Jensen. ¿Yo Quero el catchero? Sí. He will be 23 in April, and went 16/1/.280 in 2024 as a 21-year-old. See, that’s how ages work.