Catcher is a unique position in both real baseball and fantasy baseball. In fact, it might be the most unique position on the field, other than pitcher. While everyone has a defensive responsibility, and everyone needs to adjust to performing at the major league, it’s more difficult for a catcher.
Not only do they need to adjust to hitting major league pitching, but they also have a heavy lift behind the plate. That means it takes them that much longer to adjust from a fantasy perspective, as their focus has to be on things other than strictly hitting.
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As we look to build our dynasty rosters, let’s take a look at some dynasty catcher targets for 2026 fantasy baseball.
Dynasty Catcher Targets
Francisco Alvarez, New York Mets
Health hasn’t been on the side of Francisco Alvarez. That was especially true in 2025, as it was a rough go from an injury perspective. Alvarez was limited to just 76 games and put off surgery on a sprained UCL in his thumb until the end of the season. While just 24 years old, that was the second straight rough season for Alvarez.
It’s important to remember that age is still on Alvarez’s side, and he actually improved compared to 2024. Assuming that Alvarez is healthy in 2025, and there’s nothing to suggest that he won’t be, he makes for an intriguing option.
His draft price has fallen due to his recent struggles, but ultimately, he’s still the same player we previously targeted. In 277 plate appearances last season, Alvarez hit .256 with 11 home runs, 32 RBI, and 32 runs scored. After a .228 ISO in 2023, we also saw it jump back up to .191 last year.
With a 12.1% barrel rate and 54.3% hard hit rate, Alvarez does a good job of making contact. That should translate to a resurgence as Alvarez tries to reach his potential. And that makes him a dynasty target.
Logan O’Hoppe, Los Angeles Angels
It’s a common theme here, but Logan O’Hoppe also has youth on his side at age 25. In 19 fewer games (136 to 119), O’Hoppe hit just one fewer home run last year as he went from 20 to 19. Perhaps more staggering was seeing his batting average decrease from .244 to .213. O’Hoppe’s BABIP followed a similar trend, .318 to .267, but his .231 xBA gives us a little optimism.
Instead, my focus is on O’Hoppe’s batted ball metrics. While the statistics and, therefore, fantasy production, weren’t at the desired level, O’Hoppe did post the following career highs over his three full seasons:
Average Exit Velocity – 90.9 miles per hour
Max Exit Velocity – 112.4 miles per hour
Hard Hit Rate – 46.9%
O’Hoppe also had a strong 13.3% barrel rate and 17.3 degree average launch angle. Operating under the assumption that he stays healthy, it’s too soon write O’Hoppe off just yet, as the best is still to come.
Austin Wells, New York Yankees
The power with Austin Wells is real. So is the opportunity, as Ben Rice will now truly be spending his time at first base instead of competing with Wells for playing time.
We aren’t going to get batting average from Wells. He hit .219 last season. Strikeouts are also going to be a problem (26.3%). At the same time, though, Wells’ BABIP was just .245, although with a .216 xBA, I’m not sure there’s a ton of upside in this department.
When it comes to the catching position, though, we know that batting average is going to be a weakness. With regular playing time, we could make the argument that Wells has 30 home run upside. And it would make us feel that much better about his outlook.
Last season, we saw Wells’ ISO increase from .167 to .217. When you combine that with a 20.7 degree average launch angle, 10.2% barrel rate, and 45.1% hard hit rate, there’s a reason for optimism. Wells also drove in 71 runs last season as he can be a contributor there as well.
Harry Ford, Washington Nationals
Dynasty leagues are all about playing the long game and taking things deep. With Harry Ford, we do just that.
While the Seattle Mariners moved on from Harry Ford this offseason, for a seemingly light package (reliever Jose Ferrer and moderate pitching prospect Isaac Lyon), that doesn’t mean we should as well.
For starters, playing behind Keibert Ruiz is a lot better for Ford’s opportunity than being stuck behind Cal Raleigh. Ruiz struggled last season, and while he’s under a moderate long-term contract, the Nationals are playing for the future. That means giving Ford a chance to show what he can do, and also giving him a runway if he finds success.
In 97 games in Triple-A last season, Ford hit .283 with 16 home runs, 74 RBI, 68 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. While that won’t directly translate to the major leagues, that is a solid starting point of production.
At this point, Ford has lost a good amount of prospect luster, but we can use that to our advantage in dynasty leagues.
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