2018 Positional Top 10: Catcher
Matt Linder
The catching crop currently consists of a few proven veterans, a few up-and-coming stars and a few late bloomers. Overall, the position is slightly thin, but there is a general consensus on the top three guys. After that, the spots are wide open and up for debate. Enjoy!
1. Gary Sanchez
The Yankees backstop led all catchers with a 4.1 WAR, despite missing a month of the season. He hit more home runs (33) and for a higher OPS (.876) than anybody else at his position. At only 25 years old, there is still plenty of room for improvement, especially defensively. Sanchez’s glove is much-maligned, but his struggles are largely overblown. He has one of the strongest arms from behind the plate, throwing out 39% of potential base-stealers, and his pitch framing graded out as above average. The only missing piece for Sanchez is pitch-blocking, which he will likely improve upon as he matures. Overall, the combination of elite offensive production and solid defense makes him the best catcher in baseball.
2. Buster Posey
Despite being behind the plate for many long playoff runs, the 30-year old has shown no signs of slowing down. The three-time World Series champion put forth his sixth consecutive season of star-level production in 2017. Posey’s OBP of .400 blew away the next closest catcher, Sanchez’s .345. However, he only hit twelve home runs last season, a career low. Posey’s defense behind the plate is still extremely strong. The future Hall of Famer has been the model of consistent excellence and I would not argue with anybody who ranks him ahead of Sanchez.
3. Wilson Contreras
In his first full season as the Cubs’ catcher, Contreras put together an impressive season. He finished third in WAR for catchers, right behind Sanchez and Posey. Contreras missed a month of the season, but still hit 21 home runs and produced an OPS+ of 119 (100 = league average). Like Sanchez, the 25-year old has a rocket for an arm and should improve the finer mechanics of catching as he matures. I expect Contreras to make his first of many All-Star appearances in 2018.
4. J.T. Realmuto
Likely overshadowed by the Marlins’ star-studded outfield the past two seasons, Realmuto has quietly become one of the best catchers in the league. He finished fourth in WAR behind the three guys ahead of him on this list. He added more power to his offensive game, hitting a career high 17 home runs in 2017. For his career, the 27-year old throws out over 33% of potential base stealers, thanks to his elite pop time. Also, unlike most catchers, he can contribute on the base paths as well. Realmuto’s sprint speed is on par with Brett Gardner and Mike Trout. He is the last remaining piece of value following the Marlins teardown and I would not be shocked if he was dealt at the trade deadline to a contender.
5. Salvador Perez
The Royals’ backstop is far from perfect, but in a weak crop of catchers, Perez comes in at number five in the ranking. He has not reached base at a .300 clip since 2013 however, he hits for power (27 home runs last year) and receives praise for the way he handles the pitching staff. The 28-year old is a good defender behind the plate, posting positive defensive WARs in every season since he became an everyday catcher in 2013.
6. Yadier Molina
The veteran hit 18 home runs last year, the second most of his career. However, he only had an OBP of .312. Overall, his OPS+ dropped from 111 in 2016 to 96 last season. Is that a sign of decline or an outlier? Regardless of the answer, Molina still provides enough offensively to be a valuable player, especially when coupled with his good defense and excellent leadership. Yadi’s overall body of work and continued solid production earned him the sixth spot on the list.
7. Mike Zunino
The 27-year old put together by far his best season as a big leaguer in 2017. Zunino’s year did not start off well however. In April, he slashed .167/.250/.236 with no home runs, before being sent to the minors. Something must have clicked in Triple-A, because when the Mariners called him back to the big leagues in late May, he hit .270/.349/.571 with 25 home runs for the rest of the year. Zunino strikes out a lot, 160 times in 124 games, but his power makes up for it. On the other side of the field, he is not a great defender. He has trouble blocking pitches in the dirt, but is decent both at throwing out potential base stealers (24%) and framing pitches. I would not be surprised if Zunino picked up where he left off in 2017 and earned a trip to the All-Star game this season.
8. Jonathan Lucroy
Lucroy’s did not have a good 2017. He only hit 3 home runs during the entire season, while playing in hitter friendly home ballparks in Texas and Colorado. Lucroy is only 31 years old and maybe a change of scenery in Oakland will get him back on track. Just two seasons ago, he hit .292/.355.500 with 24 home runs. He has been an average defender for most of his career. Depending on whether this season resembles his 2016 or his 2017 production, I will either look smart or stupid for putting him on this list.
9. Tyler Flowers
The Braves’ catcher is the definition of a “late bloomer.” The 32-year old spent the bulk of his career as backup catcher for the White Sox. However, since becoming a Brave in 2016, Flowers has resurrected his career. Last season, he slashed an impressive .281/.378/.445. In addition to the newfound offense, his best skill is stealing strikes; he grades out as the single best pitch-framer in the game.
10. Austin Barnes
This is probably the spot I struggled with most, especially considering that Barnes may not even be the Dodgers everyday catcher. Yasmani Grandal caught the bulk of games for LA last season, but was benched late in the year because Barnes was playing better. In his first full big league season, the 28-year old hit .289/.408/.486, while catching 55 games and playing second base in another 21 games. He does not have a great arm behind the plate, but both his framing and blocking graded out well-above average. I think he will, and should, be the Dodgers everyday catcher in 2018 based on his strong performance last season.
Also Considered:
Yasmani Grandal - Dodgers
Alex Avila - Diamondbacks
Wellington Castillo – White Sox
**All WAR stats come from Baseball Reference
Please check back again tomorrow for my top 10 first basemen in 2018.
If you have any questions, comments or criticisms feel free to reach out to me at mattlinder2@gmail.com
The catching crop currently consists of a few proven veterans, a few up-and-coming stars and a few late bloomers. Overall, the position is slightly thin, but there is a general consensus on the top three guys. After that, the spots are wide open and up for debate. Enjoy!
 |
| Brad Penner - USA TODAY Sports |
1. Gary Sanchez
The Yankees backstop led all catchers with a 4.1 WAR, despite missing a month of the season. He hit more home runs (33) and for a higher OPS (.876) than anybody else at his position. At only 25 years old, there is still plenty of room for improvement, especially defensively. Sanchez’s glove is much-maligned, but his struggles are largely overblown. He has one of the strongest arms from behind the plate, throwing out 39% of potential base-stealers, and his pitch framing graded out as above average. The only missing piece for Sanchez is pitch-blocking, which he will likely improve upon as he matures. Overall, the combination of elite offensive production and solid defense makes him the best catcher in baseball.
 |
| Andy Hayt - Getty Images |
2. Buster Posey
Despite being behind the plate for many long playoff runs, the 30-year old has shown no signs of slowing down. The three-time World Series champion put forth his sixth consecutive season of star-level production in 2017. Posey’s OBP of .400 blew away the next closest catcher, Sanchez’s .345. However, he only hit twelve home runs last season, a career low. Posey’s defense behind the plate is still extremely strong. The future Hall of Famer has been the model of consistent excellence and I would not argue with anybody who ranks him ahead of Sanchez.
 |
| Steve Mitchell - USA TODAY Sports |
3. Wilson Contreras
In his first full season as the Cubs’ catcher, Contreras put together an impressive season. He finished third in WAR for catchers, right behind Sanchez and Posey. Contreras missed a month of the season, but still hit 21 home runs and produced an OPS+ of 119 (100 = league average). Like Sanchez, the 25-year old has a rocket for an arm and should improve the finer mechanics of catching as he matures. I expect Contreras to make his first of many All-Star appearances in 2018.
 |
| David Zalubowski - AP |
4. J.T. Realmuto
Likely overshadowed by the Marlins’ star-studded outfield the past two seasons, Realmuto has quietly become one of the best catchers in the league. He finished fourth in WAR behind the three guys ahead of him on this list. He added more power to his offensive game, hitting a career high 17 home runs in 2017. For his career, the 27-year old throws out over 33% of potential base stealers, thanks to his elite pop time. Also, unlike most catchers, he can contribute on the base paths as well. Realmuto’s sprint speed is on par with Brett Gardner and Mike Trout. He is the last remaining piece of value following the Marlins teardown and I would not be shocked if he was dealt at the trade deadline to a contender.
 |
| Jay Biggerstaff - USA TODAY Sports |
5. Salvador Perez
The Royals’ backstop is far from perfect, but in a weak crop of catchers, Perez comes in at number five in the ranking. He has not reached base at a .300 clip since 2013 however, he hits for power (27 home runs last year) and receives praise for the way he handles the pitching staff. The 28-year old is a good defender behind the plate, posting positive defensive WARs in every season since he became an everyday catcher in 2013.
 |
| AP |
6. Yadier Molina
The veteran hit 18 home runs last year, the second most of his career. However, he only had an OBP of .312. Overall, his OPS+ dropped from 111 in 2016 to 96 last season. Is that a sign of decline or an outlier? Regardless of the answer, Molina still provides enough offensively to be a valuable player, especially when coupled with his good defense and excellent leadership. Yadi’s overall body of work and continued solid production earned him the sixth spot on the list.
 |
| Otto Greule Jr - Getty Images |
7. Mike Zunino
The 27-year old put together by far his best season as a big leaguer in 2017. Zunino’s year did not start off well however. In April, he slashed .167/.250/.236 with no home runs, before being sent to the minors. Something must have clicked in Triple-A, because when the Mariners called him back to the big leagues in late May, he hit .270/.349/.571 with 25 home runs for the rest of the year. Zunino strikes out a lot, 160 times in 124 games, but his power makes up for it. On the other side of the field, he is not a great defender. He has trouble blocking pitches in the dirt, but is decent both at throwing out potential base stealers (24%) and framing pitches. I would not be surprised if Zunino picked up where he left off in 2017 and earned a trip to the All-Star game this season.
 |
| Mark J. Rebilas - USA TODAY Sports |
8. Jonathan Lucroy
Lucroy’s did not have a good 2017. He only hit 3 home runs during the entire season, while playing in hitter friendly home ballparks in Texas and Colorado. Lucroy is only 31 years old and maybe a change of scenery in Oakland will get him back on track. Just two seasons ago, he hit .292/.355.500 with 24 home runs. He has been an average defender for most of his career. Depending on whether this season resembles his 2016 or his 2017 production, I will either look smart or stupid for putting him on this list.
 |
| John Bazemore - AP |
9. Tyler Flowers
The Braves’ catcher is the definition of a “late bloomer.” The 32-year old spent the bulk of his career as backup catcher for the White Sox. However, since becoming a Brave in 2016, Flowers has resurrected his career. Last season, he slashed an impressive .281/.378/.445. In addition to the newfound offense, his best skill is stealing strikes; he grades out as the single best pitch-framer in the game.
 |
| Jae C. Hong - AP |
10. Austin Barnes
This is probably the spot I struggled with most, especially considering that Barnes may not even be the Dodgers everyday catcher. Yasmani Grandal caught the bulk of games for LA last season, but was benched late in the year because Barnes was playing better. In his first full big league season, the 28-year old hit .289/.408/.486, while catching 55 games and playing second base in another 21 games. He does not have a great arm behind the plate, but both his framing and blocking graded out well-above average. I think he will, and should, be the Dodgers everyday catcher in 2018 based on his strong performance last season.
Also Considered:
Yasmani Grandal - Dodgers
Alex Avila - Diamondbacks
Wellington Castillo – White Sox
**All WAR stats come from Baseball Reference
Please check back again tomorrow for my top 10 first basemen in 2018.
If you have any questions, comments or criticisms feel free to reach out to me at mattlinder2@gmail.com
Comments
Post a Comment