Here are the Top 10 catching prospects for 2026
This browser does not support the video element.
MLB Pipeline will reveal its 2026 Top 100 Prospects list at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 23, with a one-hour show on MLB Network and MLB.com. Leading up to the release of the Top 100, we'll examine baseball's top 10 prospects at each position.
Even with National League Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin as well as Edgar Quero, Dalton Rushing and Kyle Teel graduating to the Majors in 2025, the state of catching prospects remains strong.
Our upcoming Top 100 Prospects list will include 12 backstops, just one short of the all-time high set last year. Four of them are viable Rookie of the Year candidates for 2026: Samuel Basallo (Orioles) and Carter Jensen (Royals) in the American League, Moisés Ballesteros (Cubs) and Joe Mack (Marlins) in the NL.
Interestingly, not a single catcher selected in the past two Drafts cracked the Top 100, though Rainiel Rodriguez (Cardinals) did sign during the 2024 international period. Six of baseball's 10 best catching prospects came from the global market, while the other four were taken in the top three rounds of the Draft.
The Top 10 (ETA)
- Samuel Basallo, Orioles (2026)
- Carter Jensen, Royals (2026)
- Rainiel Rodriguez, Cardinals (2028)
- Alfredo Duno, Reds (2027)
- Josue Briceño, Tigers (2027)
- Moisés Ballesteros, Cubs (2026)
- Joe Mack, Marlins (2026)
- Eduardo Tait, Twins (2028)
- Harry Ford, Nationals (2026)
- Blake Mitchell, Royals (2027)
This browser does not support the video element.
Top tools
Hit: Ballesteros, Jensen (60)
Ballesteros' advanced hitting ability carried him to full-season ball at 18 and the Majors at 21, and it has translated into a career .289/.372/.458 line in pro ball. Jensen ranked as the best pure hitter in the 2021 high school catching crop and has displayed a mature approach throughout his career despite always being one of the youngest players in his leagues.
Power: Basallo, Rodriguez (65)
Basallo's strength and bat speed are outstanding, producing huge pop to all fields and 77 homers in 432 pro games en route to arriving in the Majors shortly after turning 21. Rodriguez has similar gifts and slugged .596 in his first two pro seasons, going deep 20 times in 84 games during his U.S. debut last summer.
Run: Ford (50)
Ford displayed plus speed as an amateur and drew some Craig Biggio comparisons for his combination of catching ability and athleticism. He's now more of an average runner after four full pro seasons behind the plate, but he's still quicker than most backstops.
This browser does not support the video element.
Arm: Basallo (70)
Basallo's arm gives him a second well-above-average tool, and he can produce sub-1.9-second pop times. He threw out five of 13 (38 percent) of basestealers who tested him in the big leagues but just 13 percent in Triple-A. Every catcher on this list features at least solid arm strength.
Field: Mack, Mitchell (55)
A basketball and volleyball player in high school, Mack is more athletic than most catchers and possesses quality receiving, framing and blocking skills. Mitchell isn't quite as quick as Mack but has similar defensive ability.
Superlatives
Highest ceiling: Basallo
Basallo could be a .275 hitter with 35 or more homers per year, which would make him an All-Star even if he doesn't stay behind the plate. It will be interesting to see if he can gain enough defensive polish to stick at catcher and whether the Orioles may want to maximize his offensive production by moving him elsewhere.
Highest floor: Mack
At worst, Mack's defensive prowess alone should translate into a long career as a backup. And while he's a true power-over-hit guy, adjustments at the plate have enabled him to total 45 homers in the last two seasons.
This browser does not support the video element.
Rookie of the Year candidate: Basallo
Basallo is the most obvious choice here, but Ballesteros and Jensen are two more gifted hitters with nothing left to prove in the Minors. All three should get regular big league at-bats in 2026, though a lot of them may come at DH. Mack is a far better defender than Marlins incumbent Agustín Ramírez and ready for his chance to start in the Majors.
Highest riser: Rodriguez
Seven of the 10 catchers above opened 2025 on our preseason Top 100 Prospects list, and the other three (Mack, Rodriguez, Tait) all ranked among their organization's 10 best prospects. Rodriguez had the lowest profile a year ago because he had yet to advance past the Dominican Summer League, though he did rank second in the Rookie circuit in slugging (.683) and OPS (1.145) in his debut.
This browser does not support the video element.
Humblest beginning: Tait
Tait originally signed with the Phillies for a modest $90,000 out of Panama in 2023, standing out with his bat but coming with questions about his catching and athleticism. That profile still holds true after he slashed .283/.341/.462 in his first three pro seasons and reached High-A at 18. The Twins acquired him in a package for Jhoan Duran last July.
Most to prove: Ford
Regarded as the Mariners' catcher of the future when they drafted him 12th overall in 2021, Ford became redundant with the emergence of Cal Raleigh and was traded to the Nationals for Jose A. Ferrer in December. He actually posted the best numbers (.283/.408/.460) of his full-season career in 2025, but he may not have a better-than-average tool besides his solid arm.
Keep an eye on: Ethan Salas, Padres
The top prospect in the 2023 international class, Salas signed for $5.6 million out of Venezuela and reached Double-A at 17 that August. Rushing him didn't help, and he struggled in High-A in 2024 before playing just 10 games last season because of a stress reaction in his back. He still has the upside of a Gold Glove catcher with 20-homer power once he's healthy and gets a chance to catch his breath.