Nick Mariano's expert catcher (C) fantasy baseball rankings for 2026 drafts. RotoBaller has the industry's #1 accuracy fantasy baseball rankings, projections.
The catcher position might be the deepest it's ever been heading into 2026 fantasy baseball drafts. There has been an influx of young talent and prospects that have helped bolster the position. Depending on the format you play in, waiting until the later rounds to draft your starting catcher is a strategy most fantasy managers will go with. However, in two-catcher formats like NFBC, you will need to prioritize catchers earlier in drafts. Below you will find our 2026 fantasy baseball catcher rankings and tiers for roto leagues (5x5 category mixed leagues). These March rankings cover the top 50 catchers for 2026.
With Opening Day fast approaching, fantasy managers should expect to hear a lot of news, rumors, and hype this offseason on trendy picks or even a player having a hot spring. When should you take a chance on a catcher who is on the rise, a top prospect, a player returning from injury, or a catcher who is set to bounce back this season? Find out where key third basemen such as Drake Baldwin, Samuel Basallo, Carter Jensen, Francisco Alvarez, Moises Ballesteros, and others are listed in our rankings.
The catcher rankings below are specifically designed for traditional roto leagues, put together by RotoBaller's lead MLB forecaster Nick Mariano. We're also writing fresh articles all throughout the off-season for fantasy baseball prospects, fantasy baseball dynasty, and so much more. Win more in 2026!
Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball draft tools and resources:- Fantasy baseball draft kit
- Fantasy baseball rankings
- Team Sync platform and Draft Assistant
- Fantasy baseball mock draft simulator
- Fantasy baseball draft cheat sheets
- Fantasy baseball closer depth charts
- Fantasy baseball prospects
Updated Catcher Fantasy Baseball Rankings (March)
Fantasy Baseball Catcher (C) News
Moises Ballesteros, Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell informed catcher/designated hitter Moises Ballesteros on Friday that he will be on the team's Opening Day roster, according to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. Most of Ballesteros' playing time is expected to come as the Cubbies' designated hitter as he heads into his first full major-league season, but he will also provide depth at catcher behind Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya.
The 22-year-old Venezuelan left-handed hitter went 17-for-57 (.298) with two homers and 11 RBI in his first 20 major-league games at the end of last season and then went 11-for-31 (.355) with two homers, eight RBI, and four runs scored in 11 Cactus League games this spring to convince the powers that be that he should be on the Opening Day roster. Ballesteros can swing the bat, but his fantasy value will be limited if he cannot regain catcher eligibility in 2026.
Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh had one of the all-time great offensive seasons by a backstop in 2025, slashing .247/.359/.589 with 60 home runs, 125 RBI, 114 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases across 705 plate appearances. With a career 15.4% barrel rate and 153 career home runs to his name across 623 total MLB games, Raleigh's ability to hit for power is not up for debate. He also lowered his strikeout rate to a career-best 26.7% in 2025, which could help his batting average in 2026 stay closer to his 2025 mark than his career average of .226.
While Seattle will deploy Raleigh at designated hitter on days when he needs a break from catching, it may be difficult for him to reach 700 plate appearances for the second straight year. However, even if his counting stats regress across the board, Raleigh still projects as the number one catcher in fantasy baseball by a significant margin. Managers will have to pay a steep price in drafts to get Raleigh on their teams, but his upside relative to his positional peers may make him worth it.
Francisco Alvarez, New York Mets
New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (back) is feeling "better" after exiting Thursday's spring training contest with back tightness, manager Carlos Mendoza told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Alvarez is expected to return to the lineup on Saturday if he's still feeling good at that point. All in all, it appears the Mets avoided any serious injury news with their primary backstop.
He dealt with four different injuries in 2025 alone, so New York's brass and fanbase will be glad to hear that this latest ailment isn't too concerning. Having Alvarez available is key for the Mets, both at the plate and in the field. He slashed .256/.339/.447 with 11 home runs and 124 wRC+ last year, and he has 9.0 career FRV despite finishing with -6.0 last year. He currently ranks as the #12 catcher in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.
Gabriel Moreno, Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno (forearm) is serving as the team's designated hitter and will bat fifth in Thursday's Cactus League game versus the Chicago White Sox. Moreno will return after missing a few spring training games due to tightness in his right forearm, which mostly affected him while throwing the baseball. The 26-year-old starting backstop should be fine for Opening Day next week.
He'll be hoping to get some more timing down before the start of the 2026 regular season, as he's gone just 5-for-28 (.179) with a homer, three RBI, one walk, and six strikeouts in nine Cactus League games played. Injuries have been an issue for Moreno in his four years in the big leagues, as he's only played over 100 games once, back in his second year in the league and first with Arizona in 2023.
Moreno slashed .285/.353/.433 with a career-high .786 OPS, nine homers, and 40 RBI in 83 games in 2025. Treat Moreno as a low-end No. 1 catcher/high-end No. 2 option in upcoming fantasy drafts.
Bo Naylor, Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor hit under .200 with a career-high 14 home runs, 47 RBI, and 46 runs scored in 123 games in his second full season in the big leagues in 2025. However, he went from a leg kick to a toe tap in August of last year, and in September, he was one of the team's top hitters. "I think Bo's just scratching the surface of the hitter he can be," manager Stephen Vogt said.
"Everybody develops at a different clip. I think he's putting himself into a position to have a big breakout year." He hit .174/.278/.360 with a 12.4% walk rate and 24.8% strikeout rate in 91 games before he changed to a toe tap. In 19 games in September, Naylor hit .290/.324/.548 with a 5.8% walk rate, 18.8% strikeout rate, a 136 wRC+, and a 48.1% hard-hit rate. He also hit .353 (6-for-17) with a homer in four games for Canada in the World Baseball Classic.
Naylor has hit just .205/.286/.384 with a .670 OPS in his 318 major-league games in Cleveland, but if his mechanical change continues to provide results early in 2026, fantasy managers will take notice and grab him off the waiver wire.
Carter Jensen, Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals catching prospect Carter Jensen appears poised to break camp as the team's designated hitter for 2026, while also likely to spell veteran Salvador Perez behind the plate on occasion. The Royals' top-ranked prospect surged through the upper levels of the minor leagues last year, culminating with an impressive 20-game debut in the majors in which he slashed .300/.391/.550 with three home runs and a 9:12 BB:K.
The left-handed slugger has looked solid again this spring, going 8-for-30 (.267) with three home runs in 10 games. While the 22-year-old may see some regression from the 2025 numbers over the course of a 162-game season, the contact ability and power are real, as is his ability to draw walks, owning a career 15.2 percent walk rate in the minors.
The former third-round draft pick is the 15th catcher going off the board in fantasy drafts (ADP 199), but could easily find himself finishing within the top 12 at the position by season's end, and he currently owns the fourth-best odds for AL Rookie of the Year at +700 (FanDuel), not far behind the leader, Kazuma Okamoto, who is at +460.
Who Should I Draft Fantasy Baseball Tool
Not sure who to draft? Use our free Who Should I Draft tool.
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to draft...
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four MLB players at once, and then click the Who To Draft? button to see who the recommended draft picks are based on fantasy baseball rankings, projections, and more.
Improvements For Who Should I Draft? We have lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your 2026 fantasy baseball drafts. You'll see MLB player tiles with stats and projections, ADPs, and news -- enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their preseason fantasy baseball rankings and projections based on their research and updates them constantly throughout the preseason. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy baseball managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's roto leagues (rotisserie) scoring or points leagues scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are two small radio buttons (small circle), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Draft Searches. Curious to see some tough draft decisions for 2026? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Draft? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at, including recent trending player names who are seeing increases or decreases in their draft values. Click any of the links to see the results and recommendations.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Draft
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Draft tool for 2026 drafts:
More Fantasy Baseball Analysis
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!
RADIO




