Will Smith tends to get overlooked in fantasy (and real life, as well) since he’s part of not only what’s arguably the best lineup in all of baseball, but also one that features at least three future Hall of Famers. However, the star catcher is coming off one of the best seasons of his career in 2025 and is not showing any signs of slowing down in 2026.
Smith posted several career-high marks in 2025, including batting average (.296), on-base percentage (.404), and walks (64) despite logging fewer than 500 plate appearances for the first time in his five full seasons in the majors. He also earned a third straight All-Star nod and continues to be one of the best catchers in the game. How does that translate to fantasy baseball ahead of the 2026 campaign?
Will Smith 2026 Fantasy Baseball Projections: Strengths and Weaknesses
The answer is simple: Smith’s ability translates quite well into fantasy. He has proven he can hit for average, and thanks to his impressive ability to get on base, Smith’s OBP and OPS numbers should be above average for catching standards. For what it’s worth, catcher isn’t exactly a position that’s loaded with talent. Smith should easily be a top-10 backstop in fantasy again in 2026.
Even though he doesn’t have the power of other catchers, such as Cal Raleigh, Hunter Goodman, or Salvador Perez, Smith has blasted between 17 and 25 homers in each of the last five years in the majors. His run-producing numbers should remain high as well, although that has more to do with the fact that he hits in the middle of the order of one of the best lineups in the league.
The one area in which Smith might be lacking is the steals department, as he’s never stolen more than three bases in a single season since making his MLB debut in 2019. However, backstops aren’t known for being speedy players, so this is a category fantasy managers can live without as long as there’s enough speed in other players on the roster.
All things considered, though, Smith should be an above-average backstop again in fantasy in 2026. He won’t be one of the first catchers taken off the board, but any manager who decides to draft him will be getting a player with a consistent floor who also has the benefit of being part of the best offense in the league.
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