Catcher took an enormous leap in 2025, with Hunter Goodman, Ben Rice, Agustin Ramirez and Drake Baldwin all rising as affect bats on the place and Kyle Teel making his presence generally known as properly.
However that is not the tip of it. Samuel Basallo barely acquired his toes moist on the finish of the yr. Similar for Carter Jensen. They rank as the highest two in a catcher class that continues to be loaded with offensive expertise, even with the latest inflow we have seen within the majors.
- 2026 Prospects: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | P
A few of it is nonetheless distant, and the assurances run out earlier than we arrive on the tenth identify on the listing. However that ought to go with out saying at catcher, a place the place enjoying time will be unpredictable and never each prospect goes on to fulfill the excessive defensive threshold. I’d guess not less than three of those catchers do not truly find yourself as catchers.
However the backside line is that there is nonetheless lots to sit up for at this place even with the embarrassment of riches within the majors.
Notice: These rankings are supposed primarily for Dynasty use, emphasizing long-term worth over a fast payoff, however to say proximity holds no weight would not be fully correct both. Not all of those gamers will contribute in 2026 — most, in reality, is not going to — however amongst prospects, they’re the names Fantasy Baseballers most have to know.
1. Samuel Basallo, Orioles
Age (on opening day): 21
The place he performed in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .270 BA (270 AB), 23 HR, .966 OPS, 44 BB, 76 Okay
Main league stats: .165 BA (109 AB), 4 HR, .559 OPS, 6 BB, 30 Okay
Although a masher of the very best standing within the minors, Basallo did not capitalize on a late-season harm to Adley Rutschman, persevering with the Orioles’ latest pattern of high-profile prospect disappointments. The pattern was too small to take at face worth, although, and the expectation is that he’ll enter spring coaching with the within observe at both first base or DH, making him an early Rookie of the 12 months favourite.
2. Carter Jensen, Royals
Age (on opening day): 22
The place he performed in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .290 BA (427 AB), 20 HR, 10 SB, .878 OPS, 60 BB, 122 Okay
Main league stats: .300 BA (60 AB), 3 HR, .941 OPS, 9 BB, 12 Okay
Jensen had the key league debut Basallo was alleged to, forcing his means into an on a regular basis position with a 95.4 mph common exit velocity and the top-line manufacturing to match. It was a clarifying efficiency for a participant who caught some evaluators abruptly — a seamless continuation of his minor league breakthrough — and it’d result in Salvador Perez spending most of his time at DH this yr.
Age (on opening day): 21
The place he performed in 2025: Excessive-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .266 BA (364 AB), 20 HR, .883 OPS, 66 BB, 87 Okay
Briceno’s MVP efficiency within the Arizona Fall League a yr in the past certainly carried over to common season play at Excessive-A, the place he slashed .296/.422/.602 in 55 video games. His manufacturing slipped with a midseason transfer as much as Double-A, however he was nonetheless solely 20 on the time and sustained his robust plate self-discipline and exit velocity readings. Hardly ever lately are catchers as tall as he’s, however to make use of an previous trope, the bat will play anyplace.
Age (on opening day): 20
The place he performed in 2025: Low-A
Minor league stats: .287 BA (390 AB), 18 HR, .948 OPS, 95 BB, 91 Okay
There is a case for rating Duno forward of Briceno on condition that he is already producing main league-caliber exit velocities as a 19-year-old and slashed .316/.456/.632 over his remaining 40 video games, however Briceno was placing up related numbers a step greater on the minor-league ladder. It is true that Duno is the extra possible of the 2 to stay at catcher, however that is not all the time one of the best factor for a participant’s Fantasy worth (due to enjoying time issues and whatnot).
Age (on opening day): 22
The place he performed in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .316 BA (446 AB), 13 HR, 29 2B, .858 OPS, 49 BB, 67 Okay
Main league stats: .298 BA (57 AB), 2 HR, 2 2B, .868 OPS, 9 BB, 12 Okay
The very first thing you may discover about Ballesteros is that he is constructed like a bowling ball, however what issues extra is his uncanny knack for making good contact on unhealthy pitches, which factors to excessive batting common potential. He is typically in comparison with Alejandro Kirk due to his form, place and make contact with expertise, however I feel a Pablo Sandoval comp extra precisely captures his upside as a hitter, to not point out his probability of shifting off catcher.
Notice: Ballesteros is eligible solely at DH to start 2026 since that is the place he spent most of his time with the large membership in 2025. As a result of I will not be rating DH prospects, although, I believed it solely becoming for me to rank him at his pure place, even when the percentages are in opposition to him sticking there.
Age (on opening day): 19
The place he performed in 2025: Rookie, Low-A, Excessive-A
Minor league stats: .276 BA (301 AB), 20 HR, .954 OPS, 54 BB, 65 Okay
Given what he is already achieved at age 18 — climbing all the best way to Excessive-A with strike-zone judgment past his years, a swing that is optimized for energy, and exit velocities as excessive as 111 mph — it isn’t exhausting to think about Rodriguez claiming the highest spot on this listing as early as subsequent yr. Like Ballesteros, he might have hassle discovering a defensive residence if he would not stick as a catcher, which is a authentic query with Ivan Herrera, Leonardo Bernal and Jimmy Crooks additionally up and coming for the Cardinals.
Age (on opening day): 23
The place he performed in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .283 BA (374 AB), 16 HR, 7 SB, .868 OPS, 74 BB, 88 Okay
Ford reversed the pattern of declining energy along with his transfer as much as Triple-A, positioning himself as a high catcher prospect once more, however the tradeoff is that he gave up on being a base-stealer, dropping from 35 in 2024 to seven in 2025. Nonetheless, the general profile seems to be extra viable now, significantly whenever you think about his profession .405 on-base share within the minors, however there may be the not-so-small downside of him enjoying in the identical group as Cal Raleigh.
Age (on opening day): 19
The place he performed in 2025: Low-A, Excessive-A
Minor league stats: .253 BA (438 AB), 14 HR, 32 2B, .738 OPS, 36 BB, 99 Okay
The stat line might not blow you away, however there’s loads of upside to challenge onto Tait, who exhibits appreciable energy potential along with his exit velocities peaking close to 114 mph as a youngster. He has but to completely actualize that energy and has strides to make with regard to pitch choice in protection, however the prize of the Jhoan Duran deal is properly forward of the developmental curve, having reached Excessive-A previous to turning 19.
9. Ethan Salas, Padres
Age (on opening day): 19
The place he performed in 2025: Double-A
Minor league stats: 6 for 32 (.188), 1 2B, 2 SB, 6 BB, 5 Okay
It feels compulsory to rank Salas right here given the mountains of reward heaped upon him as a 17-year-old, however the trustworthy reality is that he hasn’t hit a lick within the two years since. Granted, he did not get a good shot in 2025, lacking a lot of the yr with a stress response in his again, and he stays younger for his degree even when not outrageously so. Consider his Gold Glove-caliber protection, and he is not but a misplaced trigger.
Age (on opening day): 24
The place he performed in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .260 BA (510 AB), 10 HR, 36 2B, .808 OPS, 86 BB, 85 Okay
There is not a transparent alternative for the No. 10 spot, so whereas I’ve some affection for Leonardo Bernal, Jeferson Quero and Marco Dinges, I am going to go for the catcher with the clearest path to enjoying time, which is Ingle. A Jonathan Lucroy kind who persistently walks greater than he strikes out and hits doubles like they are going out of fashion, Ingle could also be able to push Bo Naylor, who has but to search out his footing within the majors after a number of years of attempting.
