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Playing Matchmaker for MLB's Top Catchers at the 2026 Trade Deadline
This was already shaping up to be an unusual MLB trade deadline, and now it seems that one of the deepest positions for potential trade targets is… catcher?
It sounds wild, but it's true. There has been some level of trade buzz around All-Stars like Adley Rutschman, Hunter Goodman and Shea Langeliers, as well as a few others who at least profile as useful part-timers.
The obligatory word of warning is that midseason trades of catchers are complicated. It's easy to put on a new uniform. It's hard to learn a whole new pitching staff basically overnight.
All the same, the situation calls for a game of "Matchmaker." Ahead, we'll pitch perfect fits and trade packages for the top seven catchers potentially available before MLB's August 3 trade deadline.
We'll count down towards the most desirable catcher on the market.
Prospect rankings are according to B/R's Joel Reuter.
7. Tyler Stephenson, Cincinnati Reds
1 of 7
Age: 29
2026 Stats: 77 G, 272 PA, 8 HR, .244 AVG, .320 OBP, .393 SLG
Contract Status: 1-year, $6.8 million, free agent after 2026
Perfect Fit: Los Angeles Dodgers
As a rental player who isn't having an especially good season, Stephenson presents a tricky case as a trade candidate. He could be useful for anyone, but could be most useful for a win-now contender that could play him on a part-time basis.
The Dodgers won't fit the bill if Will Smith eventually makes a strong recovery from his neck injury, but that increasingly feels like a big "if." So, our thinking on Stephenson is that he could be a contingency plan.
Because Stephenson is a righty swinger, he'd be a natural platoon partner for the lefty-swinging Dalton Rushing. Stephenson also typically does well against lefties, posting a career 111 wRC+ against them.
Trade Proposal: Los Angeles Dodgers get C Tyler Stephenson; Cincinnati Reds get 1B/RF Ryan Ward
Even though he's 28 years old, MLB Pipeline has Ward ranked as the No. 19 prospect in a loaded Dodgers system. But if he sticks with Los Angeles, playing time is never likely to come in abundance.
Cincinnati is a better place for him just in this respect, and the Reds could use his near-future offensive upside. Ward topped 30 homers in the minors in 2024 and 2025.
Other Landing Spots: New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays
6. Victor Caratini, Minnesota Twins
2 of 7
Age: 32
2026 Stats: 75 G, 282 PA, 7 HR, .234 AVG, .323 OBP, .360 SLG
Contract Status: Year 1 of 2-year, $14 million
Perfect Fit: Pittsburgh Pirates
Victor Caratini is not a star. He's a guy you bring in to provide solid at-bats and impart some wisdom on both his fellow hitters and on a pitching staff. He's in his 10th year in the majors and has seen action in three postseasons.
The Pirates make sense for Caratini just on this level. Only the Milwaukee Brewers have a younger pitching staff, and the offense has more than its share of youngsters as well. And as you may have heard, the Bucs haven't won a postseason series since 1979.
Further, it should matter to the Pirates that Caratini wouldn't be a rental. Even if getting him wouldn't set an everyday plan for 2027, it would at least bring some certainty to a catcher position that has produced just 1.1 rWAR this year.
Trade Proposal: Pittsburgh Pirates get C Victor Caratini; Minnesota Twins get RHP Khristian Davis (Pirates No. 10)
The Twins have MLB's No. 4 farm system largely because of a wealth of talented hitters, led by outfielder Walker Jenkins and newly drafted catcher Vahn Lackey. What they need is arms. Pretty badly, in fact.
Davis isn't a can't-miss prospect, but he does have assets that point to some untapped upside. He's 6'5", 215 pounds with a mid-90s fastball and as many as three secondaries that can be counted on to miss bats.
Other Landing Spots: Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers
5. Ryan Jeffers, Minnesota Twins
3 of 7
Age: 29
2026 Stats: 44 G, 177 PA, 9 HR, .284 AVG, .392 OBP, .541 SLG
Contract Status: 1-year, $6.7 million, free agent after 2026
Perfect Fit: Philadelphia Phillies
Honestly? As "perfect" fits go, this one is somewhat imperfect. The Phillies have J.T. Realmuto signed to a three-year contract, and he and Jeffers both bat righty. They wouldn't be able to form a natural platoon.
Then again, the Phillies should be less concerned with finding the right puzzle pieces and more concerned with just plain solving problems. And one of their big ones is production from the right side of the plate, where they have a 75 wRC+.
Jeffers is a righty hitter with a 164 wRC+. And since the Phillies have their eyes on the World Series, his pending free agency is no big deal whatsoever.
Trade Proposal: Philadelphia Phillies get C Ryan Jeffers; Minnesota Twins get RHP Matthew Fisher (Phillies No. 9), RHP Moisés Chace (Phillies No. 10)
In case anyone skipped over the last slide, the problem with the Twins' farm system is that it lacks arms. If they can load up in trades, they should.
Look, they're not getting Gage Wood for Jeffers. But Fisher and Chace seem like a reasonable package. The former is a 20-year-old who flashes three above-average pitches. The latter had loads of helium early in 2025 before he needed Tommy John surgery.
Other Landing Spots: New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox
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4. Keibert Ruiz, Washington Nationals
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Age: 28
2026 Stats: 66 G, 225 PA, 7 HR, .274 AVG, .302 OBP, .462 SLG
Contract Status: Year 4 of 8-year, $50 million, with 2031-32 club options
Perfect Fit: Tampa Bay Rays
There haven't been any serious rumblings about the Nationals listening on Keibert Ruiz, but his resurgence after a slow start to his career does paint him as a solid "sell high" trade chip. And besides, he has Harry Ford breathing down his neck.
For their part, the Rays haven't gotten much out of the catcher spot since Mike Zunino launched 33 homers for them back in 2021. Ruiz doesn't have that kind of power, but he does have an elite bat-to-ball skill that would suit the Rays. Their offense has the league's lowest strikeout rate.
Also, cost certainty is everything to the Rays. It doesn't get better than Ruiz, who is owed less than eight figures per year annually through 2030.
Trade Proposal: Tampa Bay Rays get C Keibert Ruiz; Washington Nationals get RHP Brody Hopkins (Rays No. 5)
Among NL teams, only the Colorado Rockies have allowed more runs than the Nationals this year. So if they get a chance to turn Ruiz into a pitcher, they'll need to consider it.
Hopkins is no sure thing, as you can tell from how he's walked 74 batters in 77.2 innings at Triple-A. But in Baseball America's words, he has "the best stuff of any Rays minor league starter."
Other Landing Spots: Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers
3. Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles
5 of 7
Age: 28
2026 Stats: 67 G, 284 PA, 8 HR, .251 AVG, .331 OBP, .433 SLG
Contract Status: 1-year, $7.25 million, free agent after 2027
Perfect Fit: Texas Rangers
Adley Rutschman is still not the ascendant star that he was for the Orioles back in 2022 and 2023. But at least he's better, and that's something.
For the Rangers, he'd be every kind of upgrade. Their catchers only have a .618 OPS, so an offensive upgrade for sure. He's also playing Gold Glove-caliber defense this year, so that as well. Basically, he's maybe the best guy Texas can get as part of an effort to seal the deal and win the AL West.
That Rutschman isn't a free agent until after 2027 is a deal-sweetener. His free agency timeline maps nicely onto the Rangers' contention window, which isn't meant to be open for the foreseeable future.
Trade Proposal: Texas Rangers get C Adley Rutschman; Baltimore Orioles get RHP Kumar Rocker, RHP Caden Scarborough (MLB No. 80)
The Orioles are another team that should only consider moving its catcher if the return is a live arm. They especially need one for a rotation that only has mid- and back-end types in it.
To this extent, Rocker wouldn't even be the best get for Baltimore in this deal. They'd surely be thrilled to get Scarborough, who has a plus fastball and slider and a pretty good idea for how to throw strikes.
Other Landing Spots: New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox
2. Shea Langeliers, Athletics
6 of 7
Age: 28
2026 Stats: 92 G, 412 PA, 23 HR, .263 AVG, .333 OBP, .497 SLG
Contract Status: 1-year, $5.25 million, free agent after 2028
Perfect Fit: Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox have effectively small-balled their way back into the AL playoff race, which is fine for now. But come October, their lack of power (i.e., an AL-low 96 home runs) could become a bigger problem.
Oh, and the catchers? They've produced just three homers. Three.
This is why you go get a guy like Shea Langeliers, who also just plain profiles as a dangerous hitter at Fenway Park. The Green Monster awards right-handed pull power, and he slugs .915 to his pull side for his career.
Trade Proposal: Boston Red Sox get C Shea Langeliers; Athletics get LHP Connelly Early, RHP Anthony Eyanson (MLB No. 22)
This is where we have the real reason that Boston and the A's should hook up on a trade. The A's are known for their young bats. The Red Sox are known for their young arms, and the A's need those in the worst way.
Early is an established MLB starter, and Eyanson is a breakout star (60.2 IP, 1.19 ERA) in the minors, so this would be a lot for the Red Sox to give up. But to solve a major problem for two-plus years, it's worth it.
Other Landing Spots: New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers
1. Hunter Goodman, Colorado Rockies
7 of 7
Age: 26
2026 Stats: 95 G, 397 PA, 31 HR, .258 AVG, .327 OBP, .463 SLG
Contract Status: 1-year, $810,000, free agent after 2029
Perfect Fit: New York Yankees
The Yankees have only gotten a .531 OPS from the catcher position. It's the second-worst in MLB, and it sends a pretty clear message that Austin Wells is not their guy after all.
So despite all the speculation about Ryan Jeffers, the Yankees really should be aiming for a longer-term solution. And they really can't do better than Hunter Goodman.
Among catchers, only Cal Raleigh (remember him?) has hit more homers than Goodman's 62 over the last two seasons. And don't worry, it's not all Coors Field. He's hit 34 of those homers on the road, with a 134 wRC+ to boot.
Trade Proposal: New York Yankees get C Hunter Goodman; Colorado Rockies get OF Jasson Domínguez, OF Spencer Jones, RHP Carlos Lagrange (MLB No. 73)
Word is that the Yankees consider Domínguez and Jones to be trade pieces. They would surely have to offer both just to get the Rockies to listen, and the pitch would have to be that both would have a future as regulars at Coors Field.
The Rockies would have to take a leap of faith on Lagrange, who's currently shut down with a shoulder injury. But any time a guy has a 103 mph fastball, you like his odds of surviving at elevation better than most.
Other Landing Spots: Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.
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