Catcher took a big leap in 2025, with Hunter Goodman, Ben Rice, Agustin Ramirez and Drake Baldwin all emerging as impact bats at the position and Kyle Teel making his presence known as well.
But that’s not the end of it. Samuel Basallo barely got his feet wet at the end of the year. Same for Carter Jensen. They rank as the top two in a catcher class that remains loaded with offensive talent, even with the recent influx we’ve seen in the majors.
- 2026 Prospects: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | P
Some of it’s still far away, and the assurances run out before we arrive at the 10th name on the list. But that should go without saying at catcher, a position where playing time can be unpredictable and not every prospect goes on to meet the high defensive threshold. I would guess at least three of these catchers don’t actually end up as catchers.
But the bottom line is that there’s still plenty to look forward to at this position even with the embarrassment of riches in the majors.
Note: These rankings are intended mainly for Dynasty use, emphasizing long-term value over a quick payoff, but to say proximity holds no weight wouldn’t be entirely accurate either. Not all of these players will contribute in 2026 — most, in fact, will not — but among prospects, they’re the names Fantasy Baseballers most need to know.
1. Samuel Basallo, Orioles
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .270 BA (270 AB), 23 HR, .966 OPS, 44 BB, 76 K
Major league stats: .165 BA (109 AB), 4 HR, .559 OPS, 6 BB, 30 K
Though a masher of the highest standing in the minors, Basallo failed to capitalize on a late-season injury to Adley Rutschman, continuing the Orioles’ recent trend of high-profile prospect disappointments. The sample was too small to take at face value, though, and the expectation is that he’ll enter spring training with the inside track at either first base or DH, making him an early Rookie of the Year favorite.
2. Carter Jensen, Royals
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .290 BA (427 AB), 20 HR, 10 SB, .878 OPS, 60 BB, 122 K
Major league stats: .300 BA (60 AB), 3 HR, .941 OPS, 9 BB, 12 K
Jensen had the major league debut Basallo was supposed to, forcing his way into an everyday role with a 95.4 mph average exit velocity and the top-line production to match. It was a clarifying performance for a player who caught some evaluators by surprise — a seamless continuation of his minor league breakthrough — and it might lead to Salvador Perez spending most of his time at DH this year.
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .266 BA (364 AB), 20 HR, .883 OPS, 66 BB, 87 K
Briceno’s MVP performance in the Arizona Fall League a year ago indeed carried over to regular season play at High-A, where he slashed .296/.422/.602 in 55 games. His production slipped with a midseason move up to Double-A, but he was still only 20 at the time and sustained his strong plate discipline and exit velocity readings. Rarely these days are catchers as tall as he is, but to use an old trope, the bat will play anywhere.
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2025: Low-A
Minor league stats: .287 BA (390 AB), 18 HR, .948 OPS, 95 BB, 91 K
There’s a case for ranking Duno ahead of Briceno given that he’s already producing major league-caliber exit velocities as a 19-year-old and slashed .316/.456/.632 over his final 40 games, but Briceno was putting up similar numbers a step higher on the minor-league ladder. It’s true that Duno is the more likely of the two to stick at catcher, but that’s not always the best thing for a player’s Fantasy value (because of playing time concerns and whatnot).
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .316 BA (446 AB), 13 HR, 29 2B, .858 OPS, 49 BB, 67 K
Major league stats: .298 BA (57 AB), 2 HR, 2 2B, .868 OPS, 9 BB, 12 K
The first thing you’ll notice about Ballesteros is that he’s built like a bowling ball, but what matters more is his uncanny knack for making good contact on bad pitches, which points to high batting average potential. He’s often compared to Alejandro Kirk because of his shape, position and contact skills, but I think a Pablo Sandoval comp more accurately captures his upside as a hitter, not to mention his likelihood of moving off catcher.
Note: Ballesteros is eligible only at DH to begin 2026 since that’s where he spent most of his time with the big club in 2025. Because I won’t be ranking DH prospects, though, I thought it only fitting for me to rank him at his natural position, even if the odds are against him sticking there.
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, Low-A, High-A
Minor league stats: .276 BA (301 AB), 20 HR, .954 OPS, 54 BB, 65 K
Given what he’s already accomplished at age 18 — climbing all the way to High-A with strike-zone judgment beyond his years, a swing that’s optimized for power, and exit velocities as high as 111 mph — it’s not hard to imagine Rodriguez claiming the top spot on this list as early as next year. Like Ballesteros, he may have trouble finding a defensive home if he doesn’t stick as a catcher, which is a legitimate question with Ivan Herrera, Leonardo Bernal and Jimmy Crooks also up and coming for the Cardinals.
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .283 BA (374 AB), 16 HR, 7 SB, .868 OPS, 74 BB, 88 K
Ford reversed the trend of declining power with his move up to Triple-A, positioning himself as a top catcher prospect again, but the tradeoff is that he gave up on being a base-stealer, dropping from 35 in 2024 to seven in 2025. Still, the overall profile appears to be more viable now, particularly when you factor in his career .405 on-base percentage in the minors, but there is the not-so-small problem of him playing in the same organization as Cal Raleigh.
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, High-A
Minor league stats: .253 BA (438 AB), 14 HR, 32 2B, .738 OPS, 36 BB, 99 K
The stat line may not blow you away, but there’s plenty of upside to project onto Tait, who shows considerable power potential with his exit velocities peaking near 114 mph as a teenager. He has yet to fully actualize that power and has strides to make with regard to pitch selection in defense, but the prize of the Jhoan Duran deal is well ahead of the developmental curve, having reached High-A prior to turning 19.
9. Ethan Salas, Padres
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: Double-A
Minor league stats: 6 for 32 (.188), 1 2B, 2 SB, 6 BB, 5 K
It feels obligatory to rank Salas here given the mountains of praise heaped upon him as a 17-year-old, but the honest truth is that he hasn’t hit a lick in the two years since. Granted, he didn’t get a fair shot in 2025, missing most of the year with a stress reaction in his back, and he remains young for his level even if no longer outrageously so. Factor in his Gold Glove-caliber defense, and he’s not yet a lost cause.
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .260 BA (510 AB), 10 HR, 36 2B, .808 OPS, 86 BB, 85 K
There isn’t a clear choice for the No. 10 spot, so while I have some affection for Leonardo Bernal, Jeferson Quero and Marco Dinges, I’ll opt for the catcher with the clearest path to playing time, which is Ingle. A Jonathan Lucroy type who consistently walks more than he strikes out and hits doubles like they’re going out of style, Ingle may be ready to push Bo Naylor, who has yet to find his footing in the majors after several years of trying.
