2026 Catcher Fantasy Baseball Rankings

December 31, 2025

Early catcher (C) fantasy baseball rankings, tiers for 5x5 mixed roto leagues (December updates). Nick Mariano's tiered catcher rankings for 2026 drafts.

Below you will find our MLB teams' 2026 fantasy baseball catcher rankings and tiers for 5x5 mixed roto leagues. These December rankings cover the top 20 catchers for 2026. Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh proved catchers can produce elite fantasy production by mashing 60 home runs last season. With injuries and lack of fantasy production at the position, unless you are in a two-catcher format, fantasy managers can wait on the position. Raleigh is the only backstop ranked within the top 70 overall. 

There were several key news, transactions, and rumors about floating trades/signings this offseason involving catchers. The Nationals acquired catching prospect Harry Ford from the Mariners in exchange for Jose A. Ferrer. Boston is showing interest in free agent catcher J.T. Realmuto. Danny Jansen and the Rangers agreed on a two-year deal, while Texas continues to shop catcher Jonah Heim. Braves catcher Sean Murphy continues to rehab and work his way back from surgery in September to fix a labral tear.

The catcher rankings below are specifically designed for traditional 5x5 Roto Mixed 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!

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2026 Fantasy Baseball Catcher Rankings (December)

Fantasy Baseball Catcher (C) News

Danny Jansen, Texas Rangers

Free-agent catcher Danny Jansen has agreed to a two-year, $14.5 million contract with the Texas Rangers. In 2025, Jansen slashed .215/.321/.399 with 14 home runs, 36 RBI, and 38 runs scored, good for a 103 wRC+ across 337 plate appearances. The 30-year-old also posted a career-high 25.5% strikeout rate, offset by a solid 12.5% walk rate.

Jansen is expected to serve as the Rangers' primary catcher, though he will split time with Kyle Higashioka. From a fantasy standpoint, Jansen profiles best as a second catcher in two-catcher formats and is unlikely to be a viable option in standard 10- or 12-team leagues.

Harry Ford, Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals acquired catching prospect Harry Ford by trading away left-handed reliever Jose A. Ferrer to the Seattle Mariners. The 22-year-old is an MLB Pipeline top-50 prospect who slashed .283/.408/.460 with 16 home runs, 68 runs, 74 RBI, seven steals, and a 125 wRC+ in 458 plate appearances at AAA last year. The Mariners already have All-Star Cal Raleigh behind the dish, which apparently made Ford expendable.

For the Nationals, they land a top prospect that can quickly take over for Keibert Ruiz and Riley Adams. Ruiz hasn't come close to replicating his 2023 breakout season, when he slugged 18 home runs with a .274 xBA and a 10.3% strikeout rate. Last year, Ruiz hit only two home runs in 267 plate appearances while battling symptoms from a concussion he sustained on June 23. Ford was called up at the end of last year and may be the Nationals' starting catcher at some point in 2026.

J.T. Realmuto, Free Agent

Acquiring a catcher is not among the Boston Red Sox's top offseason priorities, but they are showing interest in free-agent catcher J.T. Realmuto, according to people briefed on the team's talks. The BoSox just acquired veteran starting pitcher Sonny Gray to bolster their rotation behind ace lefty Garrett Crochet, and re-signing third baseman Alex Bregman is another primary goal. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Jen McCaffrey say that the best guess is still that Realmuto will re-sign with the Philadelphia Phillies, the team he's been with since 2019.

The Phils don't have an internal replacement for the veteran backstop, which makes them motivated to keep him. In Boston, he'd be more of a complementary player as he enters his age-35 season in tandem with Carlos Narvaez. Realmuto is projected to land a three-year, $45 million contract on the open market. He'd be a clear offensive upgrade over Connor Wong, who is currently Boston's No. 2 catcher.

Agustin Ramirez, Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins have a glaring need at first base going into next season, but MLB.com's Christina De Nicola writes that as of now, the team doesn't plan to give catcher Agustin Ramirez reps there. However, that could change if he doesn't show progress as a defender behind the plate. The 24-year-old Dominican backstop hit only .231 (124-for-537) in his first major-league season in 2025, but he impressed with 21 long balls, 67 RBI, 72 runs scored, and even 16 stolen bases in 136 games played.

Another thing that could change the Marlins' mind with Ramirez playing some first base is if catching prospect Joe Mack, the team's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, forces their hand and wins the starting catching job on Opening Day. With the glove, Ramirez was one of the worst defensive catchers in baseball last year, so he's going to need to continue to hit to keep a spot in the starting lineup regularly.

Sean Murphy, Atlanta Braves

Atlanta Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said on Wednesday that the team will have a better idea of catcher Sean Murphy's (hip) rehab plan in January, according to David O'Brien of The Athletic. The Braves plan on him playing and sharing at-bats with Drake Baldwin at catcher and designated hitter, unless they add a DH in the offseason. O'Brien thinks that if Murphy is expected back early next year, Atlanta will pass on adding a big DH.

The 31-year-old backstop needed surgery in September to fix a labral tear in his right hip that he's been dealing with for several years. Health issues have caused the former third-rounder to hit a lowly .197/.293/.384, albeit with 26 home runs and 70 RBI, in 166 games the last two years in Atlanta. Baldwin just won the NL Rookie of the Year and is on the rise, so Murphy could lose more playing time going forward, even if he can stay healthy.

Christian Bethancourt, Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs agreed to a minor-league contract with catcher Christian Bethancourt on Monday. According to Jon Heyman, Bethancourt will get an invitation to spring training with the Cubs. The 34-year-old is likely coming in to serve as depth at catcher with the organization moving on from Reese McGuire this offseason.

During his last big league season, Bethancourt slashed .209/.241/.367 with five home runs and 22 RBI in 62 games between the Miami Marlins and Cubs in 2024. The Cubs have Carson Kelly, Miguel Amaya, and Moises Ballesteros as their top options behind the plate right now. It looks like Bethancourt will have an uphill battle to make the 26-man roster to begin the season.

Andrew Knizer, Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners and free agent catcher Andrew Knizer agreed to a one-year deal on Tuesday. Knizner will serve as the top backup to Cal Raleigh. The Mariners need catching depth after recently trading top catching prospect Harry Ford to the Washington Nationals last week in exchange for reliever Jose A. Ferrer.

Knizner, 30, became a free agent last month when he was non-tendered by the San Francisco Giants. The former seventh-round pick in 2016 out of North Carolina has spent five of his seven big-league seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. His best season came in 2023 in St. Louis, when he hit 10 home runs with a .712 OPS and 1.0 bWAR in 70 games. Knizner hit .221 (17-for-77) with a homer, five RBI, and 12 runs in only 33 games for the Gigantes in 2025.

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