Top 10 Right Now: Catchers

Inspired by MLB Network's top 10 right now television series, in which analysts (as well as the Shredder) discuss their top 10 players at each position, I'm excited to share my own thoughts. Join me as I reveal my personal top 10 rankings for each position, accompanied by my thoughts on each player and why they've earned their spot.

1. Adley Rutschman

After just his second full season, Rutschman has solidified himself as the top catcher in MLB. Elite both at the plate and behind the dish, Rutschman led all catchers in OBP at .374 and posted a .373 xwOBA, tied for 22nd among all qualified hitters. Rutschman does a great job of drawing walks and putting the ball in play, as he has a 14.7% K% and a 13.4% BB%, good for 90th and 91st percentile among all hitters. This strong batting profile would put him in the conversation for top catcher alone, but Rutschman has the defense to back it up as well, holding above average statistics blocking, framing, and throwing runners out. Rutschman was also a workhorse, appearing in 154 games and often DH’ing in games he did not catch. Rutschman is the complete package and a pretty easy selection for me as baseball’s top catcher. 

2. Sean Murphy

In his first season in Atlanta, Murphy earned his first all star appearance on his way to a career year. His .395 xwOBA ranked first and his 129 wRC+ ranked third among catchers. His blend of power and vision makes him one of the best hitting catchers in baseball. Murphy’s defense, however, is what separates him from many of the other top hitting catchers. Murphy was the best blocking catcher in 2023 according to baseball savant, and his framing, pop time, and caught stealing metrics also rank near the top of the leaderboards. 

3. Will Smith

Will Smith had a down year for his standards in 2023, yet he still ranked 6th among all catchers with a .353 xwOBA. Much like Rutschman, Smith does a good job of avoiding strikeouts and drawing walks, giving him a high offensive floor. Smith’s defensive metrics aren’t as strong as the two catchers I have ranked above him, especially as a framer, but his offensive track record is elite for a catcher and he slots in as my #3 ranked catcher 

4. William Contreras

William Contreras put together a true breakout season in 2023, and was rewarded by taking home the silver slugger award for NL catchers. Highlighted by his 56 extra base hits and .367 OBP, Contreras has firmly established himself as an elite hitting catcher. Much like Adley Rutschmann, Contreras’ bat is too good to take out of the lineup on days he is not catching, as Milwaukee routinely used him as a DH and he compiled 611 PA in 2023, trailing just Adley Rutschman. This type of offensive value alone would put Contreras on this list, but his defensive improvements in 2023 make him all the more valuable and are the reason why his 5.4 fWAR lead all catchers in 2023. Not necessarily known as a great defensive catcher, Contreras ranked in the 85th percentile in blocks above average and 93rd percentile in framing in 2023. If those improvements are real, and he continues to hit the way he has been, Contreras could move even further up this list come next year. 

5. J.T. Realmuto

Not too long ago, Realmuto was considered by many the best catcher in baseball, a do it all type of player strong in all aspects of the game. Realmuto is coming off his worst full season in nearly a decade, and it’s possible his age (32) is starting to catch up to him. Even though Realmuto may be starting to decline, he is still a very good player. He posted a 102 wRC+ in 2023, one of only 13 catchers with over 300 plate appearances to do so, and his 5 triples and 16 stolen bases led all catchers, and prove he’s still got some of that speed that makes him a unique catcher. Realmuto also has the very best average pop time among all catchers, and remains good at managing the run game. However, his framing was ranked in just the second percentile, nearly the lowest among all catchers in MLB. Realmuto has never ranked as an elite framer, but 2023 was his worst season in that category by far. 2024 will be a big season for Realmuto to prove he’s still one of the league’s elite catchers. 

6. Cal Raleigh

Cal Raleigh hit 30 home runs in 2023, pacing all catchers. Although he’s got some swing and miss to his game, he has hit 57 home runs in 984 plate appearances over the past two seasons, and his barrel rates would also indicate his power is real. His OBP has improved every season, and it’s certainly possible he continues to make improvements to become a more well-rounded hitter. Although Raleigh struggled blocking in 2023, he posted strong metrics in both framing and throwing runners out, and overall was definitely a net positive defensively. Although he’s not without his flaws, Raleigh’s power and defensive contributions make him a valuable player as he slots in as my #6 catcher. 

7. Willson Contreras

Willson Contreras put up another strong offensive season in 2023, his first with St. Louis. His .375 xwOBA ranked second among catchers, and his 127 wRC+ was tied for fourth. Contreras has a strong offensive track record, and he has been an above average hitter since he entered the league in 2016. What’s holding him back in this ranking for me is his defensive metrics. He is a poor framer and below average at blocking, and although he has a good arm and can throw base stealers out, Cardinals fans will agree that he is nowhere near the defensive catcher they became accustomed to in Yadier Molina. Contreras has a strong bat and won’t necessarily kill you defensively, but he slots in at #7 for me as he just isn’t as well rounded as the 6 catchers I have ranked above him. 

8. Yainer Diaz

Yainer Diaz broke onto the scene in 2023 with some very strong hitting statistics and the batted ball data to back it up. He posted a .365 xwOBA and a 127 wRC+, ranking 4th and tied for 4th among catchers, respectively. Diaz also recorded strong blocking and throwing metrics, proving he is not solely offensive focused. The biggest red flag to me about Diaz's profile is that he almost never walks. He drew just 11 walks on the season, drawing walks at just a 2.9% rate. Diaz has yet to show strong discipline at the plate, as he chases more than almost anyone in the league. That being said, his bat to ball skills are strong and his strikeout rate didn’t suffer nearly as much as you would expect. Diaz is a true wild card and it’s difficult to predict how next season and the future of his career may look. With other organizations and their pitchers almost certainly pitching him more carefully next season, Diaz will likely have to improve his discipline to continue to be so effective. 

9. Francisco Alvarez

Francisco Alvarez managed to hit 25 home runs as a catcher in his age 21 season. It’s an incredible feat and worthy of praise, but Alvarez still has to prove he’s more than just a home run hitter as his career progresses. Alvarez power ability doesn’t need to be discussed, but his .284 OBP is a concern, and despite his power surge, he posted just a 97 wRC+ across 423 PA in 2023. Alvarez surprised many with his defensive ability at such a young age, as he was legitimately one of the best framers in the league, and Mets pitchers raved about his leadership and ability behind the plate at his age. Alvarez is only going to improve, and although many may feel it is premature to rank him in the top 10 catchers already, I am a believer in Alvarez prospect pedigree, and believe he is only going to get better than what he showed in 2023. Many catching prospects don’t even make the major leagues until they are 25 or older, what Alvarez was able to do at age 21 was very impressive, and I believe it’s a sign Alvarez will eventually cement himself as a regular in this top 10 list for years to come. I’m comfortable placing him at # 9, while accepting there is a wide range of outcomes for his 2024 performance. 

10. Jonah Heim

Jonah Heim had an incredible 2023, winning a world series, gold glove award, and being named to his first all star team. Heim’s defense is unquestionably elite, posting strong metrics across the board en route to his gold glove award. Where Heim has evolved his game the most is with the bat. While Heim didn’t post elite numbers or batted ball data, he did enough to post a 103 wRC+, by far the best of his career. Most notably, he was great at hitting with runners in scoring position, posting an 1.126 OPS with RISP, driving in 95 runs in the process. If Heim can just remain a league average hitter like he was in 2023, his defensive abilities are strong enough to make him a very valuable player

Honorable Mentions: Gabriel Moreno, Alejandro Kirk