Fantasy Baseball Mid-to-Late-Round Catcher Options for 2026 Drafts

There are so many fantasy leagues that require two catchers. For many years that was very challenging as there were barely 12 catchers that were fantasy relevant, never mind 24. So you had to decide if you were going to burn two mid-round picks on catchers to stay relevant, or if you were going to punt the second catcher and hope that the guy you took a flier on surpassed expectations. However, there has been quite the influx of new talent behind the dish, and you can now find some nice late-round options that are fantasy worthy for your second catcher.

Francisco Alvarez (New York Mets)

Alvarez would likely be a top-7 option at the position if he could stay healthy. He has great power as evidenced by his 25 home runs in 2023, but he has missed significant portions of the last two seasons. The good news is that he has improved his batting average in each of his years in the majors. He really has no real competition behind him, and he appears to be beyond the back injury scare from a week or so ago.

That doesn’t mean that something else won’t crop up, but if you can stomach some injury risk (or perhaps draft another useable catcher), Alvarez could smash his ADP in the 20th round as he is currently around the 14th catcher off the board. If you waited a long time to pick your catcher or are in a two-catcher league, Alvarez could pay big dividends.

Carter Jensen (Kansas City Royals)

A top-20 prospect in 2025, Jensen impressed in his cup of coffee with the Royals last season and then got off to a hot start this spring. He is, of course, blocked somewhat behind the plate with Salvador Perez, but Perez is not a young man and should cede some days to Jensen behind the plate and the designated hitter is always an option. He showed great all-around talent in the minors in 2025 as he hit 20 home runs while stealing 10 bases and hitting .290. Jensen has great plate discipline and is playing for a team on the rise with young star bats. He should have an impressive season.

Kyle Teel (Chicago White Sox)

Another dazzling young riser who might have a little platoon worry, Teel hit eight home runs and stole three bases in 78 games for the White Sox last season. He is dealing with a hamstring injury he suffered during the World Baseball Classic, but that shouldn’t keep him out more than a couple of weeks. Buy the dip. He showed impressive power (although less than Jensen) and a great batting eye throughout his career. Teel is more talented than Edgar Quero and I expect him to play the vast majority of games behind the dish. He’s about the 19th catcher taken in drafts now and should be a top-10 producer at the position easily.

Austin Wells (New York Yankees)

He homered in his first two games last season and then hit 19 more the rest of the way. The issue with Wells is that other guys at the position have gotten better and offer more than sheer power. However, we are talking about mid-range catchers here. You already have your starter or your first of two catchers. He does hit toward the bottom of the Yankee lineup, but it is still a very powerful lineup. With Aaron Judge two batters later, pitchers are likely to give Wells something to hit. He has the upside of 25+ home runs, which at this position isn’t easy to come by at this point of the draft. He has his warts, but Wells can deliver some power numbers.

Tyler Stephenson (Cincinnati Reds)

He was once a positive at batting average and not much else, Stephenson has given up a little of the batting average but gained some power numbers. He missed nearly 80 games with oblique and thumb injuries last season and still posted 13 home runs and 50 RBI. His batting average actually plummeted too, but let’s chalk that up to the injury situation. Stephenson is currently the 23rd catcher off the board and assuming the injury crushed his 2025, he could really pay off in 2026.

As you can see while the top options at the position are very nice, you don’t have to use early picks on catchers, even in two catcher leagues. If a few of these guys bounce back or are young players who take off, you can match some in your league that selected their catchers well before you.

Managers Want To Know More About Mid- To Late-Round Catchers In Fantasy Baseball For 2026

What are Francisco Alvarez's 2026 projections?
.248 AVG, 20 HR, 65 RBI, 55 R, 2 SB per FantasyPros.

What is Carter Jensen’s 2026 fantasy outlook?
Emerging prospect with power, plate discipline, and multi-category upside if he earns consistent playing time.

What are Kyle Teel’s 2026 projections?
.255 AVG, 15 HR, 63 RBI, 42 R, 1 SB per FantasyPros.

What is Austin Wells’ fantasy value in 2026?
Power-focused catcher with 20-25 home run upside driven by strong lineup context in New York.

Is Tyler Stephenson a bounce-back candidate in 2026?
Yes, improved health could restore batting average and power, making him a strong late-round value.

Which mid-round catcher strategy works best in 2026 drafts?
Wait on the position and target upside bats like Francisco Alvarez or balanced profiles like Kyle Teel.