The following is a list of the ten best catchers in MLB, with a brief bio for each. Unlike most positions on a baseball field, catchers are generally picked and paid for their defensive prowess. Catchers have more responsibilities than anyone on the field, from throwing out runners to fielding bunts to handling pitchers. Indeed, many of the best managers - Joe Torre, Mike Scioscia, Bruce Bochy, etc - become great managers because they see the entire field, every play, from behind the plate.
10. James McCann, New York Mets
James McCann is entering his first season as the New York Mets catcher.
(Jasen Vinlove/USA Today)
Admit it - it feels weird not having a Big Apple baseball player shooting up this list. Between Yogi Berra, Roy Campanella, Gary Carter, Thurman Munson, Mike Piazza, and Jorge Posada, there have been some legendary catchers in Gotham. Not so much these days. But McCann sneaks in at the last slot on the list. Drafted by the White Sox in 2008 and Detroit in 2011, McCann played for the Tigers until 2018 and then the White Sox in 2019, where he reached his only All-Star Game. McCann impressed the sport enough that the Mets offered him a four-year, $40 million contract. It shows the dearth of dominant catchers, or perhaps McCann is an incredibly late bloomer.
9. Mitch Garver, Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins catcher Mitch Garver has outstanding power at the plate.
(Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
While his bio shows he's played seven different positions - including one inning as a pitcher - Garver has played over 200 of his 216 MLB games as a catcher. He's also a late bloomer, drafted at 22 yet didn't play his first big-league game until he turned 26. Garver won a Silver Slugger in 2019, the year Minnesota shattered the MLB record for home runs hit by a team in a single season, with 307. For his part, Garver launched an astounding 31 homers, despite never swatting more than seven at any other point in his MLB career.
8. Travis d'Arnaud, Atlanta Braves
Travis d'Arnaud put on an impressive offensive display for the Braves in 2020.
(Bob Levey/Getty Images)
After spending his first six MLB seasons with the Mets, d'Arnaud spent his seventh with three different clubs. The Mets had high hopes for d'Arnaud, who seemed to have a potentially big bat. But he never swung his way into longterm grace with the Mets, and so he spent one game as a Dodger, 92 games as a Tampa Bay Ray in 2019, and then had some kind of resurgence with the Braves last year, batting .321 - an impressive number for a backstop. It got him a Silver Slugger award last year, and a place on this list this year.
7. Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals
Salvador Perez is a veteran leader for the Kansas City Royals
(Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
The 31-year-old Venezuelan might have leapfrogged everyone to top this list, but he missed 2019 with Tommy John surgery. Before that he was voted to six straight All-Star Games. Perez also has five Gold Glove awards and three Silver Slugger awards (given to the player with the best batting average at his position). The lifelong Royal has been a stud for some time, and even has a World Series ring to show for it, when they toppled the Mets in the 2015 Fall Classic.
6. Austin Nola, San Diego Padres
Austin Nola has played multiple positions throughout his career.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Nola was late to the MLB party, getting his first games under his belt at age 29. Now, at 31, having pinballed all around the field - playing first base, second base, third base, right field, and left field, he's largely become a catcher now. He doesn't have to knock the cover off the ball on an absolutely loaded Padres team, with a star-studded infield signing over $800 million in contracts. Nola is projected to blast 17 homers, post 61 RBI, and finish with a .334 on-base percentage.
5. Sean Murphy, Oakland A's
Sean Murphy is another young star uncovered by the Athletics organization.
(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Murphy, 26, was drafted in the third round of the 2016 draft. Though he's only played 64 games, Murphy finished fourth in the American League Rookie of the Year vote. If you've seen the movie "Moneyball" or know the basics of MLB, you know the Athletics and GM Billy Beane seem to unearth these young stars every year, which is the only way a small-market club like Oakland can keep up with the Yankees and Red Sox and Dodgers. He's projected to get on base 34% of the time, keeping with the Athletics philosophy of flooding the bases and the runs will come.
4. Willson Contreras, Chicago Cubs
Willson Contreras has been a Cub for his entire big league career.
(Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)
The 28-year-old Contreras was an All-Star over MLB's last two full seasons (2018, '19). He's in the last year of his rookie deal, and should get a big raise through arbitration in 2022 and then free agency in 2023. Baseball-Reference.com predicts Contreras will belt 20 homers and knock in 68 runs in the 2021 MLB season.
3. Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith is only 25 years old.
(Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
No, not that Will Smith, who saves the world from zombies, invading aliens, and makes an occasional romcom. If the Dodgers weren't good enough, winning the last World Series with a nuclear lineup and absurdly talented pitching, they also have a promising young backstop.The homegrown, first-round pick is 25-year-old, and has only played about 90 MLB games, but Baseball-Reference.com projects Smith will hit .260, with 22 homers and 68 RBI in his first full season - all impressive for his age and wage - to go with a .360 on-base percentage.
2. Yasmani Grandal, Chicago White Sox
Yasmani Grandal is a two-time All-Star.
(Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The 32-year-old from Cuba is entering his 10th big-league season, is a two-time All-Star, and has played for four MLB clubs since his first game for the Padres in 2012. His best year came the year before the pandemic chopped baseball into a 60-game affair. In 2019, Grandal clubbed 28 homers, drove in 77 runs, and notched 109 walks. Not only was Grandal an All-Star that year (with the Brewers), he also got some MVP votes.
1. J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies were able to hold on to J.T. Realmuto this offseason.
(Mark Brown/Getty Images)
The gem of free agent catchers this hot stove season, Realmuto chose Philly out of all the teams bidding for his services, signing through 2025. Realmuto was an All-Star the last two full MLB seasons (2018, 2019), a Silver Slugger each season, won a Gold Glove in 2019, and is still considered the best defensive catcher by many. Though he turns 30 in March - and aging is hardest on catchers because of the grueling nature of the position - he's the best until someone supplants him.
Related articles:
Ranking the 9 Greatest Catchers in MLB History
Ranking the 10 Greatest Pitcher-Catcher Duos in MLB history
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