- Yogi Berra won 10 World Series.
- Josh Gibson has the highest wRC+ by a catcher.
- Several 21st-century catchers make the top 15.
Offence and defence were equally important when deciding on the best catchers in MLB history. Good defence behind the plate is extremely valuable, but getting above-average offensive production from a catcher can also be transformative for a team.
15 Best Catchers in MLB History, Ranked
| Rank | Player | Team(s) |
| 1 | Yogi Berra | New York Yankees |
| 2 | Johnny Bench | Cincinnati Reds |
| 3 | Josh Gibson | Memphis Red Sox, Pittsburgh Crawfords, Homestead Grays |
| 4 | Mike Piazza | Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics |
| 5 | Ivan Rodriguez | Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros, Washington Nationals |
| 6 | Gary Carter | Montreal Expos, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 7 | Buster Posey | San Francisco Giants |
| 8 | Joe Torre | Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets |
| 9 | Gabby Hartnett | Chicago Cubs, New York Giants |
| 10 | Roy Campanella | Washington Elite Giants, Philadelphia Stars, Brooklyn Dodgers |
| 11 | Ted Simmons | St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves |
| 12 | Joe Mauer | Minnesota Twins |
| 13 | Yadier Molina | St. Louis Cardinals |
| 14 | Jorge Posada | New York Giants |
| 15 | Russell Martin | Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays |
Who Are the Greatest Major League Baseball Catchers Ever?
1. Yogi Berra
Fifth in fWAR and outside the top 20 in wRC+ at his position, Yogi Berra earns the top spot due to his durability and his role in the dominance of the New York Yankees.
Berra was a three-time MVP, a 10-time World Series winner, and earned 18 All-Star selections.
2. Johnny Bench
Johnny Bench was integral to the Cincinnati Reds during a time when they were consistently among the favourites in baseball playoff odds.
A two-time MVP and key member of the Big Red Machine, Bench was named an All-Star in 13 consecutive seasons. During that period, he averaged 6.4 bWAR per 162 games.
3. Josh Gibson
Josh Gibson was a 12-time All-Star and won two Triple Crowns in the Negro National League. His 202 wRC+ is 62 points better than any other catcher.
I was tempted to put Gibson in first place as a result, but third was the highest I could go, considering his 44.5 fWAR.
4. Mike Piazza
Gibson is the only catcher with a higher wRC+ than Mike Piazza’s 140. Piazza led the NL in OPS+ in 1995 and led the majors in the same category two seasons later.
He never won MVP, but he finished in the top four in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 2000.
5. Ivan Rodriguez
Winner of 13 Gold Gloves and named MVP in 1999, Ivan Rodriguez is one of the greatest defensive catchers in baseball history.
He was also a very good hitter, with a 127 OPS+ between 1997 and 2004.
6. Gary Carter
Bench is the only catcher in the history of baseball with more fWAR than Gary Carter. Beloved by teammates, Carter received MVP votes in seven seasons and was named an All-Star on 11 occasions.
He averaged 6.4 bWAR per season between 1977 and 1985.
7. Buster Posey
Of catchers to play over 1,000 games, only four had a better wRC+ than Buster Posey.
The NL Rookie of the Year in 2010 and MVP in 2012, Posey was the heartbeat of the San Francisco Giants team, which won three World Series in five years. He is one of a handful of catchers to finish his career with a batting average above .300.
8. Joe Torre
Seventh in fWAR and tied with Posey on 129 wRC+, Joe Torre was an all-time great catcher before becoming a Hall of Fame manager. Torre won MVP in 1971 and was named an All-Star nine times.
9. Gabby Hartnett
Named MVP in his age-34 season, Gabby Hartnett has a better wRC+ than Bench and Berra. His hitting production ensured a top-10 place in my rankings, despite ranking 13th in fWAR.
10. Roy Campanella
Between 1949 and 1955, Roy Campanella won NL MVP on three occasions and posted a .901 OPS. He averaged 28.6 home runs per season.
While his peak was very high, Campanella played fewer games and had less WAR than many of the players above him.
11. Ted Simmons
Playing 21 seasons, primarily as a catcher, is a very impressive feat. Ted Simmons only had one season with an OPS+ below 112 between 1971 and 1973. He was an eight-time All-Star.
12. Joe Mauer
Joe Mauer’s three-year peak included an MVP award, three Gold Gloves, and three Silver Sluggers.
Extend that period to eight seasons, and Mauer had a 139 OPS+ and 6.5 bWAR per 162 games between 2006 and 2013.
13. Yadier Molina
With a 96 career OPS+ and only four seasons with an OPS+ above 103, Yadier Molina is the worst hitter on this list. Molina, though, was a game-altering defensive catcher, with his arm stopping other teams from even attempting to steal bases.
He won nine Gold Gloves and four Platinum Gloves.
14. Jorge Posada
Jorge Posada was one of the core players during a period when the Yankees were constantly priced as the favourites in World Series odds.
He won four Fall Classics in his career and had a 129 OPS+ between 2000 and 2009.
15. Russell Martin
Eleventh all-time in fWAR, the majority of Russell Martin’s value came from his glove.
Martin was a solid hitter, but he only had four seasons with an OPS+ above 101.
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