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Catcher fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts, values for the middle rounds of 2026 drafts. Discounted catchers with upside include Hunter Goodman, Drake Baldwin, and more.
RotoBaller is back with more fantasy sleepers and targets to help you crush your upcoming fantasy baseball drafts, as part of our ongoing mid-round fantasy baseball values and sleepers series. Today, we review the catcher position. If you miss out on Cal Raleigh or Ben Rice, not to worry -- we are here to help out, and below we provide some of our favorite middle-round catcher fantasy baseball sleepers, values, and targets with upside for 2026 fantasy baseball drafts.
The middle rounds of the fantasy draft are essential for any fantasy baseball draft, as it's about the time to decide when to select emerging prospects, overlooked veterans, or even players returning from injury. Below are some cheaper catcher options for you to consider drafting in your season-long leagues this season. Are their ADPs undervalued? Will they make significant fantasy contributions? If you are in a two-catcher league, these options will likely be bumped up, but in leagues that start just one, we have a few viable options to target in the middle rounds.
The five catcher fantasy baseball outlooks below are meant to give you a taste of the in-depth analysis you receive with our industry-leading 2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit. Be sure to save 30% on any MLB Package today to start reading all of our in-depth 2026 player outlooks and many other premium articles and tools, including Team Sync, the Live Draft Sync assistant, Custom Rankings Service, and so much more. Let's win some leagues in 2026!
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Catcher Fantasy Baseball Draft Values
Hunter Goodman, C, Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman was one of the few bright spots for a Rockies team that lost 119 games last year. He broke out last season after slashing .278/.323/.520 with 31 home runs, 91 RBI, 73 runs, and a stolen base over 144 games. The 26-year-old was one of four catchers to blast at least 30 homers in 2025 as he did most of his damage at home by hitting .307 with 13 home runs, 48 RBI, and a .881 OPS.
However, he managed to hit 18 of his 31 long balls on the road despite playing half of his game in hitter-friendly Coors Field. Goodman has legit power, evidenced by his .466 xSLG, which is the 75th percentile, while his 46.9% Hard-Hit percentage was in the 72nd percentile per Baseball Savant. The Rockies acquired outfielder Jake McCarthy from the Diamondbacks and signed infielder Willi Castro this offseason, but did not bring in any other key free agents to bolster their lineup.
Goodman lost his outfield eligibility but is projected to hit third for the Rockies in 2026, and everything is set for him to repeat or come close to last year's breakout campaign. He is ranked sixth in the latest catcher rankings from RotoBaller. Goodman has an ADP of 76 in NFBC leagues and is the fifth catcher off the board, which aligns with his RotoBaller ranking.
Fantasy managers searching for homers, RBI, and runs from the catcher position in the middle rounds should consider selecting Goodman for their upcoming 2026 fantasy baseball drafts. ATC projects 28 homers, 87 RBI, 72 runs, and .256/.303/.483 slash line over 141 games in 2026.
-- Brad Camara - RotoBaller
Ivan Herrera, C, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera (elbow) turned heads with his bat towards the end of 2024 and entered last season poised to take over as the team's everyday catcher. Unfortunately, an elbow injury limited him to just 14 games behind the plate, making him a utility-only bat for next season on NFBC. Still, he is listed as a catcher on Yahoo.
Herrera thrived in 2025, slashing .284/.373/.464 with 19 homers, 66 RBI, and 54 runs scored in just 107 games played. The production was backed up by excellent contact rates (78.8%) and quality (47% Hard-Hit and 11% Barrel rates). He even chipped in eight stolen bases. Fantasy managers will hope Herrera regains catcher eligibility on sites like NFBC, and recent reports are positive.
Iván Herrera is the No. 9 catcher on @MLBNow's #Top10RightNow. pic.twitter.com/xLc3OeEwtI
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 3, 2026
According to Derrick Gould of the St.Louis Dispatch, the Cardinals are going to try using Herrera at first base and outfield if it doesn't work out at catcher. The 26-year-old could be a relative steal for managers willing to take the risk and cover the catcher position until he again qualifies.
Fortunately, his bat is potent enough that there is little downside even if he is restricted to DH duties all season. ATC projects him with a .268/.353/.428 slash line with 17 home runs, 65 RBI, 67 runs, and seven stolen bases across 127 games. Herrera has an NFBC ADP of 171, which aligns with his RotoBaller ranking of 173, making him a solid pick toward the middle rounds of upcoming fantasy drafts.
-- Michael Cecchini - RotoBaller
Drake Baldwin, C, Atlanta Braves
In a year filled with exciting rookie catchers, Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin stood out among his catching peers, winning the National League Rookie of the Year award. In 446 plate appearances, Baldwin slashed .274/.341/.469 with 19 home runs and 80 RBI. He became the first rookie catcher since Geovanny Soto in 2008 to have at least 80 RBI in their debut season. And if his metrics are any indication, this was just the beginning for Baldwin.
"The Braves have done a really good job of extending their young players."@Feinsand talks Drake Baldwin on #MLBNHotStove. pic.twitter.com/yHhxs3IJJF
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 16, 2026
Almost everything under the hood was impressive. Baldwin finished 2025 with an 11% barrel rate, 91.7 mph AVG EV, and 49.6% hard-hit rate, along with above-average contact rates and a 15.2% strikeout rate. He was also one of just 20 hitters to have an xBA above .270 and an xSLG above .480. All the ingredients are here for Baldwin to be a Top-5 fantasy catcher in 2026 and beyond.
-- Eric Cross - RotoBaller
Salvador Perez, C/1B, Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has been a mainstay at the backstop position for the past decade. In 2025, Perez turned in another strong campaign, posting a .236/.284/.446 line with 54 runs, 100 RBI, and 30 home runs. However, managers could expect an even more productive season from the 35-year-old backstop in 2026.
Last summer, Perez generated a promising .357 xwOBA with a .269 xBA, suggesting he should see some significant positive regression, especially in the batting average category. His .357 xwOBA was right in line with the .361 xwOBA he posted the year prior, where he tallied a much higher .271 AVG. Perez continued to hit the ball hard, generating a 91st percentile barrel rate with an above-average 46.7% hard-hit rate.
Perez also generated a stellar 26.6% pull-air rate, showing he still possesses the ability to hit a high total of home runs. More importantly, in 2025, Perez logged a high 38 games at the DH spot, which will likely increase in 2026, given the emergence of budding catcher Carter Jensen. By lowering his playing time as a catcher, Perez had a much better chance to stay healthy and remain a high-end contributor in the batter's box.
Managers who choose to wait to select their catcher can select Perez at a discount at his current 92.7 ADP in NFBC drafts. ATC projects another strong season for Perez, hitting 27 long balls with 65 runs, 90 RBI, and an improved .251 AVG.
-- Andy Smith - RotoBaller
Yainer Diaz, C, Houston Astros
Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (foot) was a resounding disappointment in 2025, limping to a .256/.284/.417 triple slash along with 20 home runs and 70 RBI in 567 plate appearances. Those are okay numbers for a late-round catcher, but Diaz was going as one of the top backstops off the board heading into 2025.
One thing that attracted fantasy managers to him was his strong batting average ability, a rare trait for a catcher. Diaz hit .282 in his rookie campaign in 2023 and .299 in 2024. We thought the high batting average would give Diaz a safe floor, but we learned in 2025 that his floor can be quite low. His biggest problem at the plate is his free-swinging nature. Diaz was tied for the highest swing rate among qualified hitters at 59.5%, and his 44.3% chase rate ranked in the bottom first percentile in MLB. That's a brutal combination, and even though Diaz has a low strikeout rate (17.7% career mark), his aggressive approach can lead to prolonged slumps, like we saw last season.
Diaz is currently going as the 111th player and 10th catcher in NFBC leagues, and he's a fine pick as a volume play there with the chance to bounce back. This approach can be quite volatile, and he's not someone to actively target or reach out to. Still, he's proven he can hit well in the majors before and could be a value at this cost, even better if he falls a few rounds, which can be common for players who've burned fantasy managers in the past.
It's worth noting that the 27-year-old is behind schedule with his running program after suffering a left foot sprain in the Dominican Winter League, but is expected to be ready in spring training. ATC projects Diaz to slash .269/.302/.444 with 20 home runs, 68 RBI, 58 runs, and a stolen base across 521 plate appearances, making him a solid pick at his current ADP.
-- Elliott Baas - RotoBaller
Who Should I Draft Tool
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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 update it 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 that 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.
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