Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Notes

Position

Team

Cal Raleigh Note
	1. Cal Raleigh SEA Cal Raleigh had the year of his life in 2025, smacking 60 home runs while batting .247, far and away his best batting average ever. He drove in 125 and scored 110 times for a Seattle Mariners team that came very close to the World Series. Catcher is such a thin position that it is tempting to spend an early-round pick on Raleigh to be able to set-and-forget the position. His 2026 projections again place him among the position's home run leaders, with playing time security supporting strong counting stats, but we aren't going to see a repeat of his career year, and that is the current draft cost for the Big Dumper. Do you still want to spend a second-round pick on him if he's "only" getting you 40 homers with a .230 batting average? If so, he's easily the best catcher on the board. If not, wait three or four rounds to pick from the second tier. 3 weeks ago

William Contreras Note
	2. William Contreras MIL William Contreras took a small step back in 2025, with his OPS dipping to .754 as his ISO fell to .140 despite continued growth in plate discipline (career-best 12.7% BB rate, sub-19% K rate). His contact quality stayed well above league average (91.1 mph EV, 48.6% hard-hit. The 2026 projections point to a rebound toward his established .360+ OBP profile with mid-20s homer upside, supported by premium volume at a scarce catcher position. Given his durability, lineup role, and stable skills, Contreras profiles as a high-floor catcher with bounce-back upside and remains one of the safest investments at the position. 3 weeks ago

Shea Langeliers Note
	3. Shea Langeliers ATH Shea Langeliers took a significant step forward in 2025, posting career-best marks across the board with a .277/.325/.536 slash, 31 homers, and sharp gains in contact quality. His strikeout rate dropped to 19.7% (down from 27.2% in 2024) while maintaining strong power indicators, including a .260 ISO and near-elite hard-hit rate for the position. The improved approach and BABIP rebound (.290) support much of the batting average growth, not just a fluky power spike. With 2026 projections reinforcing him as a 25-30 HR catcher with playable ratios, Langeliers has firmly elevated himself into the upper tier at a thin fantasy position. 3 weeks ago

Ben Rice Note
	4. Ben Rice NYY Ben Rice followed a rough 2024 debut with a legitimate breakout in 2025, slashing .255/.337/.499 with 26 homers and a 131 OPS+ across 138 games. The power spike was supported by improved contact quality and a manageable strikeout rate, turning him from replacement-level depth into a middle-of-the-order threat. Dual eligibility at catcher and first base quietly boosts his fantasy value. While his defensive profile may keep him rotating between DH and multiple positions, Rice's age-26 surge makes him an appealing upside target. 3 weeks ago

Hunter Goodman Note
	5. Hunter Goodman COL Hunter Goodman broke out in 2025, collecting a 31 HR, 91-RBI campaign with a .278/.323/.520 slash and 120 OPS+. His average exit velocity (90.8 mph) and 47.3% hard-hit rate both cleared league norms. The strikeout rate remains elevated (26.3%) and his 5.7% walk rate caps the OBP ceiling, but a .243 ISO with consistent pull-side authority gives him bankable power in Colorado. For 2026, projections have his batting average closer to his career .248 mark, reflecting some BABIP normalization after last year's .331 clip. Qualifying at catcher enhances his value, given the position's shallowness. Goodman profiles as a power bat whose batted-ball quality supports another 25-30 homer season, but managers should price in batting average volatility rather than paying for a repeat of the .278 mark. 3 weeks ago

Salvador Perez Note
	6. Salvador Perez KC Sal Perez remained remarkably durable in 2025 with 155 games played, but the underlying production continued to slide as his batting average fell to .236 and his OBP dipped below .290. While the raw power is still intact, 30 homers and 100 RBI, the overall offensive efficiency has flattened to league-average levels, limiting his advantage over younger catching options. His aggressive approach and declining contact quality leave little margin for error, especially as age-related regression becomes harder to ignore. Perez is still a volume-driven fantasy catcher with counting-stat value, but he now profiles best as a mid-tier option rather than a clear positional edge. 3 weeks ago

Drake Baldwin Note
	7. Drake Baldwin ATL Drake Baldwin broke out in 2025, finishing with a .274/.341/.469 slash line, 19 home runs and an .810 OPS (126 OPS+) across 446 plate appearances, good for 3.3 WAR and a runner-up Rookie of the Year finish. Baldwin is a clear riser at a thin catcher position. Catchers who combine above-average power (4.3% HR rate, .195 ISO) with strong contact skills are rare, and his everyday role in Atlanta further boosts counting-stat reliability. If the 2026 projections maintain anything close to his rookie rate production over a fuller workload, Baldwin profiles as a top-tier fantasy catcher with a stable floor and legitimate 20-25 home run upside. 3 weeks ago

Agustin Ramirez Note
	8. Agustin Ramirez MIA Agustín Ramírez took his lumps as a 23-year-old rookie in 2025, slashing .231/.287/.413 with 21 home runs and 16 steals across 136 games. With modest plate-discipline growth, the 2026 projections point toward improved run production and a step forward in overall efficiency, making Ramírez a clear fantasy sleeper entering his age-24 season. The power-speed blend is already bankable in standard formats, and any OBP rebound would push him into the top tier at his position. 3 weeks ago

Will Smith Note
	9. Will Smith LAD Will Smith rebounded in 2025 with one of the most efficient offensive seasons of his career, slashing .296/.404/.497 with a 152 OPS+ across 110 games. Improved plate discipline helped offset a modest 20.4% strikeout rate, and his .345 BABIP wasn't entirely fluky given the quality of contact. Projections peg some batting average regression but maintain him as an elite offensive catcher thanks to stable power (mid-20s HR pace over a full season) and strong OBP skills in the middle of a loaded Dodgers lineup. Smith should be drafted as a top-tier catcher in all formats, with OBP leagues especially benefiting from his elevated walk rate and run-production environment. 3 weeks ago

Yainer Diaz Note
	10. Yainer Diaz HOU

Adley Rutschman Note
	11. Adley Rutschman BAL Adley Rutschman enters 2026 as a clear fantasy rebound candidate after a disappointing, injury-shortened 2025 season. His plate discipline remains above league average and the power indicators weren't catastrophic. With 2026 projections forecasting a bounce-back toward his career norms, Rutschman profiles as a discounted catcher who could outperform his draft slot if the batted-ball luck normalizes. 3 weeks ago

Ivan Herrera Note
	12. Ivan Herrera STL Ivan Herrera followed up his 2024 breakout with another step forward in 2025, logging 452 plate appearances and posting a .284/.373/.464 line with 19 home runs and a 140 Rbat+. His gains were backed by skills growth: a career-best 18.6% strikeout rate, 9.5% walk rate and 91.2 mph average exit velocity, along with a jump to a .180 ISO. While his BABIP dipped to .315, his rOBA (.372) and hard-hit rate (48.2%) supported the production, reinforcing that the bat is driving the value rather than batted-ball luck. The 2026 projections maintain him as an above-average offensive catcher with mid-to-high teens power and strong on-base skills, though a full repeat of last year's efficiency likely regresses slightly. Even with modest pull and fly-ball rates, Herrera's improving contact quality and stable plate discipline give him one of the higher offensive floors at the position. He only had 14 appearances at catcher in 2025, so check your league's position eligibility or prepare to have him only as a DH for a while into 2026. 3 weeks ago

Alejandro Kirk Note
	13. Alejandro Kirk TOR

Francisco Alvarez Note
	14. Francisco Alvarez NYM

Gabriel Moreno Note
	15. Gabriel Moreno ARI

Samuel Basallo Note
	16. Samuel Basallo BAL

J.T. Realmuto Note
	17. J.T. Realmuto PHI

Carter Jensen Note
	18. Carter Jensen KC

Kyle Teel Note
	19. Kyle Teel CWS

Austin Wells Note
	20. Austin Wells NYY

Dillon Dingler Note
	21. Dillon Dingler DET

Logan O'Hoppe Note
	22. Logan O'Hoppe LAA

Tyler Stephenson Note
	23. Tyler Stephenson CIN

Ryan Jeffers Note
	24. Ryan Jeffers MIN

Bo Naylor Note
	25. Bo Naylor CLE

Carlos Narvaez Note
	26. Carlos Narvaez BOS

Edgar Quero Note
	27. Edgar Quero CWS

Moises Ballesteros Note
	28. Moises Ballesteros CHC

Carson Kelly Note
	29. Carson Kelly CHC

Freddy Fermin Note
	30. Freddy Fermin SD

Keibert Ruiz Note
	31. Keibert Ruiz WSH

Sean Murphy Note
	32. Sean Murphy ATL

Patrick Bailey Note
	33. Patrick Bailey SF

Victor Caratini Note
	34. Victor Caratini MIN

Danny Jansen Note
	35. Danny Jansen TEX

Dalton Rushing Note
	36. Dalton Rushing LAD

Miguel Amaya Note
	37. Miguel Amaya CHC

Harry Ford Note
	38. Harry Ford WSH

Joey Bart Note
	39. Joey Bart PIT

Kyle Higashioka Note
	40. Kyle Higashioka TEX

Pedro Pages Note
	41. Pedro Pages STL

Liam Hicks Note
	42. Liam Hicks MIA

Jonah Heim Note
	43. Jonah Heim ATL

Connor Wong Note
	44. Connor Wong BOS

Joe Mack Note
	45. Joe Mack MIA

Henry Davis Note
	46. Henry Davis PIT

Jimmy Crooks III Note
	47. Jimmy Crooks III STL

Adrian Del Castillo Note
	48. Adrian Del Castillo ARI

Travis d'Arnaud Note
	49. Travis d'Arnaud LAA

Nick Fortes Note
	50. Nick Fortes TB

Luis Campusano Note
	51. Luis Campusano SD

Mitch Garver Note
	52. Mitch Garver SEA

Gary Sanchez Note
	53. Gary Sanchez MIL

Jose Trevino Note
	54. Jose Trevino CIN

Luis Torrens Note
	55. Luis Torrens NYM

Jeferson Quero Note
	56. Jeferson Quero MIL

James McCann Note
	57. James McCann ARI

Braxton Fulford Note
	58. Braxton Fulford COL

Ben Rortvedt Note
	59. Ben Rortvedt NYM

Cooper Ingle Note
	60. Cooper Ingle CLE

Josue Briceno Note
	61. Josue Briceno DET

Hunter Feduccia Note
	62. Hunter Feduccia TB

Daniel Susac Note
	63. Daniel Susac SF

Yohel Pozo Note
	64. Yohel Pozo STL

Jake Rogers Note
	65. Jake Rogers DET

Tyler Heineman Note
	66. Tyler Heineman TOR

Austin Wynns Note
	67. Austin Wynns ATH

Endy Rodriguez Note
	68. Endy Rodriguez PIT

Rafael Marchan Note
	69. Rafael Marchan PHI

Mickey Gasper Note
	70. Mickey Gasper BOS

Jesus Rodriguez Note
	71. Jesus Rodriguez SF

Reese McGuire Note
	72. Reese McGuire CWS

J.C. Escarra Note
	73. J.C. Escarra NYY

Rafael Flores Note
	74. Rafael Flores PIT

Elias Diaz Note
	75. Elias Diaz KC

Drew Millas Note
	76. Drew Millas WSH

Alex Jackson Note
	77. Alex Jackson MIN

Andrew Knizner Note
	78. Andrew Knizner COL

Ethan Salas Note
	79. Ethan Salas SD

Christian Vazquez Note
	80. Christian Vazquez HOU

Brett Sullivan Note
	81. Brett Sullivan COL

Riley Adams Note
	82. Riley Adams WSH

Luke Maile Note
	83. Luke Maile KC

Austin Hedges Note
	84. Austin Hedges CLE

Tom Murphy Note
	85. Tom Murphy FA

Leonardo Bernal Note
	86. Leonardo Bernal STL

Korey Lee Note
	87. Korey Lee CWS

Cesar Salazar Note
	88. Cesar Salazar HOU

Dom Keegan Note
	89. Dom Keegan TB

Jacob Stallings Note
	90. Jacob Stallings FA

Austin Barnes Note
	91. Austin Barnes FA

Willie MacIver Note
	92. Willie MacIver TEX

Chadwick Tromp Note
	93. Chadwick Tromp ATL

Jorge Alfaro Note
	94. Jorge Alfaro KC

Kyle McCann Note
	95. Kyle McCann COL

Jhonny Pereda Note
	96. Jhonny Pereda SEA

Eric Haase Note
	97. Eric Haase SF

Rodolfo Duran Note
	98. Rodolfo Duran SD

Drew Romo Note
	99. Drew Romo CWS

Will Banfield Note
	100. Will Banfield CIN

Brandon Valenzuela Note
	101. Brandon Valenzuela TOR

Sebastian Rivero Note
	102. Sebastian Rivero LAA

Matt Thaiss Note
	103. Matt Thaiss BOS

Tomas Nido Note
	104. Tomas Nido DET

Brian Serven Note
	105. Brian Serven ATH

Blake Hunt Note
	106. Blake Hunt SD

Shane McGuire Note
	107. Shane McGuire ATH

Seby Zavala Note
	108. Seby Zavala FA

Hayden Senger Note
	109. Hayden Senger NYM

Sam Huff Note
	110. Sam Huff BAL

Maverick Handley Note
	111. Maverick Handley BAL

Jason Delay Note
	112. Jason Delay BOS

Blake Sabol Note
	113. Blake Sabol TB

Chad Wallach Note
	114. Chad Wallach ATH

Jose Herrera Note
	115. Jose Herrera TEX

Eliezer Alfonzo Note
	116. Eliezer Alfonzo LAD

Dom Nunez Note
	117. Dom Nunez CLE

Sandy Leon Note
	118. Sandy Leon ATL

Garrett Stubbs Note
	119. Garrett Stubbs PHI

Eduardo Valencia Note
	120. Eduardo Valencia DET

Collin Price Note
	121. Collin Price HOU

Matthew Wood Note
	122. Matthew Wood MIL

Nick Raposo Note
	123. Nick Raposo SEA

Cesar Salazar Note
	124. Cesar Salazar FA