Ranking the top five catchers in MLB entering 2021 season
Major League Baseball isn't exactly overloaded with talent at the catcher position heading into 2021, but there are several backstops capable of doing damage at the plate while being reliable behind it.Perhaps the best of them all is J.T. Realmuto, who re-upped with the Philadelphia Phillies this offseason on a five-year, $115.5 million contract. He and James McCann (New York Mets) headlined the 2021 class of free-agent catchers.Who else belongs in the conversation of best catchers in the game? Here's a look at the top five heading into the 2021 campaign.
It feels like Perez has been in the league forever, but he enters the 2021 season only 30 years old. After a down 2018 and a 2019 campaign that was missed due to Tommy John surgery, the Royals veteran bounced back in 2020.
In 37 games, he hit .333 with 11 homers and 32 RBI while providing his usual stellar defense behind the plate. Oakland Athletics backstop Sean Murphy and San Diego Padres' Austin Nola are right there with him, but Perez's track record keeps him in the top five for now.
Chavis admits his future with Sox is murky at best
Contreras' numbers dipped slightly in the shortened 2020 season, but make no mistake, the Cubs backstop remains one of the league's best hitting catchers. The 28-year-old has a ton of power and a big arm behind the plate. In 2019, he crushed 24 homers and posted a .888 OPS in 105 games. He'll be the heart of Chicago's offense alongside Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javy Baez once again in 2021.
At only 25 years old, Smith has turned himself into one of the best catchers in the majors. In 91 career games between 2019 and 2020, Smith has hit 24 homers and driven in 67 runs with an OPS of .937. The 2020 World Series champion still has work to do defensively, but that will come with more big-league experience.
Grandal has earned a reputation as one of the best all-around catchers over the last five seasons. That earned him a $73 million contract with the White Sox in 2020, though the numbers during his first year in Chicago were down by his standards. Still, the switch-hitting 32-year-old remains the 1b to Realmuto's 1a.
Realmuto was widely considered the top free agent on the market during the offseason, and it isn't hard to see why. He's incredibly consistent both offensively and defensively. The soon-to-be 30-year-old has posted an OPS of at least .820 in each of the last three seasons and is a safe bet for 20-plus homers as well. The Phillies were smart to retain their star on a five-year, $115.5 million deal this offseason.
