Ranking Every MLB Team's Starting Catcher for the 2024 Season
Welcome to Bleacher Report's 2024 MLB position rankings series.
With the beginning of a new baseball season right around the corner, we'll be ranking each team's starter at every position in the coming weeks to provide a full position-by-position preview for the 2024 campaign.
Catcher is a position that is often lacking in star power, and while there is a shortage of true impact players at the position across baseball right now, there are some elite options at the top of this list.
Sean Murphy, Adley Rutschman and Will Smith have all joined J.T. Realmuto in the top tier, while breakout seasons from Jonah Heim, Gabriel Moreno and 2023 rookies Francisco Álvarez, Yainer Diaz and Logan O'Hoppe have breathed new life into the position.
Players were ranked based on expectations for the 2024 season. Offensive and defensive contributions were both considered, and past track record played a major role in determining each player's outlook.
Included on each slide is also a look at the next man up at catcher. This is who would take over if the current starter missed significant time. In some cases, it's a minor leaguer or bench player; in others, it's a starter moving over from a different position.
Let the debate begin.
Catch up on the 2024 Position Ranking series: First Basemen, Second Basemen, Shortstops, Third Basemen
30. Martín Maldonado, Chicago White Sox
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Next Man Up: Max Stassi
A respected veteran leader behind the plate and in the clubhouse, Martín Maldonado signed a one-year, $4.25 million deal with the Chicago White Sox during the offseason following five years in Houston.
The 37-year-old is a .207 career hitter with a 72 OPS+ over 13 seasons, but he has averaged 14 home runs over the last three seasons, so he is capable of running into a mistake and making an impact offensively.
Fellow veteran Max Stassi will start the year as his backup, but former top prospect and Houston Astros teammate Korey Lee could make a push for playing time at some point.
29. Christian Bethancourt, Miami Marlins
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Next Man Up: Nick Fortes
Once a top prospect in the Atlanta Braves system, Christian Bethancourt has had a long, winding road to MLB success.
He didn't make an appearance in the big leagues during the 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons, spending time in the KBO and making various minor league stops during that span while also briefly trying to convert to pitching.
The 32-year-old resurfaced in 2022 and posted a 100 OPS+ with 11 home runs and 34 RBI in 100 games with the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays. He was on the move again this winter, going from Tampa Bay to Cleveland to Miami, and he will likely split time with Nick Fortes.
28. Connor Wong, Boston Red Sox
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Next Man Up: Reese McGuire
With Alex Verdugo traded to the New York Yankees, catcher Connor Wong is now the last player standing from the return package the Boston Red Sox received in the Mookie Betts blockbuster with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Wong, 27, had a 2.2-WAR season last year largely on the strength of his defensive game, though he was ultimately not chosen among the AL Gold Glove finalists.
He hit .235/.288/.385 for an 80 OPS+ with 25 doubles, nine home runs and 36 RBI in a career-high 403 plate appearances, and with club control through the 2028 season he will be a fine stopgap until 2023 first-round pick Kyle Teel is ready to take over.
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27. Jake Rogers, Detroit Tigers
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Next Man Up: Carson Kelly
Similar to Connor Wong in Boston, Jake Rogers is also the last player standing from a major blockbuster trade, as he was acquired as part of a five-player trade that sent Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros in 2017.
The 28-year-old saw some sporadic MLB action in 2019 and 2021, but finally broke through as the team's starting catcher last year, hitting .221/.286/.444 for a 96 OPS+ with 21 home runs and 49 RBI in 107 games.
His offensive value will be largely tied to his ability to continue to hit balls over the fence, but he is also a valuable anchor to a starting rotation that has the potential to be a major strength for the TIgers in 2024.
26. René Pinto, Tampa Bay Rays
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Next Man Up: Alex Jackson
The catcher position has been a revolving door for the Tampa Bay Rays since their inception as a franchise in 1998, with 11 different Opening Day starters over 26 seasons.
That number will grow to 12 starters in 27 seasons with René Pinto penciled into the starting lineup, and the Rays are placing a lot of faith in a player with only 63 career games of experience in the majors.
"He puts a ton of work in. He's a tremendous person. He's really fun to throw to. He cares a lot, which I think is his biggest attribute. So it's going to be really fun working with him this year," Rays ace Zach Eflin told reporters this spring.
The 27-year-old also posted a 97 OPS+ with six home runs and 16 RBI in 105 plate appearances, so there is also some intriguing offensive upside.
25. Henry Davis, Pittsburgh Pirates
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Next Man Up: Yasmani Grandal
Henry Davis is making his case to be the Pittsburgh Pirates starting catcher in 2024.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft made his MLB debut last season, but in 62 games worth of action he played just two innings behind the plate, spending the bulk of his time in the outfield.
The Pirates then went out and signed veteran Yasmani Grandal to a one-year, $2.5 million deal, further raising questions about what Davis' role with the team would be in 2024, and whether he might start the year in the minors to continue working on his defensive game.
The 24-year-old has gone 7-for-21 with four home runs so far this spring, and while spring training stats don't always mean much, he is playing his way onto the Opening Day roster and into a potential starting role.
24. Elías Díaz, Colorado Rockies
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Next Man Up: Jacob Stallings
Elías Díaz played his way into a three-year, $14.5 million extension when he posted an 18-homer, 2.2-WAR campaign in 2021, and he was an All-Star for the first time last year, though his production fell off dramatically after the break.
- 1st Half: 305 PA, .277/.328/.435, 15 2B, 9 HR, 45 RBI
- 2nd Half: 221 PA, .255/.299/.375, 10 2B, 5 HR, 27 RBI
The 33-year-old is now entering the final season of that contract after starting a career-high 116 games behind the plate, and while defensive-minded Jacob Stallings was added for depth, he will be the primary backstop once again in 2024.
The 2023 All-Star Game MVP will now need to prove his strong first half was not a fluke.
23. Yan Gomes, Chicago Cubs
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Next Man Up: Miguel Amaya
Veteran Yan Gomes had one of the best seasons of his career in 2023, hitting .267/.315/.408 for a 93 OPS+ with 20 doubles, 10 home runs, 63 RBI and 1.7 WAR in 116 games.
The 36-year-old is now entering the final season of a three-year, $18 million contract, and he could start to cede more playing time to up-and-comer Miguel Amaya in 2024, though for now he still stands as the Chicago Cubs starting catcher.
With 19.3 WAR over 12 seasons and a resume that includes a Silver Slugger in 2014, an All-Star selection in 2018 and a World Series title in 2019, Gomes has quietly put together a terrific career.
22. Austin Wells, New York Yankees
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Next Man Up: Jose Trevino
Austin Wells has been viewed as the catcher of the future for the New York Yankees since going No. 28 overall in the 2020 draft, and he is now poised to get his chance after a strong debut last year as a September call-up.
The 24-year-old posted a 97 OPS+ with six doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI in 75 plate appearances down the stretch, and he has shown good power and advanced on-base ability throughout his time in the minors, logging a 13.5 percent walk rate.
The question now is whether his defensive game is ready for the big leagues, and he will have 2022 Platinum Glove winner Jose Trevino as a mentor and backup to help ease his transition to the majors.
21. Tyler Stephenson, Cincinnati Reds
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Next Man Up: Luke Maile
Tyler Stephenson looked like a star on the rise when he posted a 106 OPS+ with 21 doubles, 10 home runs and 45 RBI in a 2.0-WAR rookie season and finished sixth in 2021 NL Rookie of the Year voting.
He hit .319/.372/.482 for a 133 OPS+ with 15 extra-base hits in 183 plate appearances the following year, but injuries limited him to only 50 games, and he was sidelined from July 22 through the end of the season.
The 27-year-old started a career-high 78 games behind the plate last season and took the field for 142 games overall, but he hit just .243/.317/.378 for an 87 OPS+ with 20 doubles, 13 home runs and 56 RBI.
Can he maintain the production he showed in 2022 over a full season?
20. Luis Campusano, San Diego Padres
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Next Man Up: Kyle Higashioka
Luis Campusano ranked as a Top 100 prospect prior to the 2020 (No. 79), 2021 (No. 36) and 2022 (No. 53) seasons, but injuries and questions about his defensive profile kept him from seizing the starting catcher job in San Diego.
The 25-year-old finally showed signs of breaking through last season, hitting .319/.356/.491 with seven doubles, seven home runs and 30 RBI in 49 games, and with Austin Nola and Gary Sánchez both gone he will be the team's primary catcher in 2024.
He hit .298/.363/.483 with 14 home runs and 60 RBI in 81 games at Triple-A in 2022, so the potential is there for him to be an impact player in the batter's box.
19. Shea Langeliers, Oakland Athletics
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Next Man Up: Tyler Soderstrom
The Oakland Athletics acquired Shea Langeliers as the prospect centerpiece in the four-player package acquired from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for slugger Matt Olson, and he took over as the present and future at catcher after Sean Murphy was also sent packing to Atlanta.
In his first season as the team's primary backstop, he posted a 92 OPS+ with 22 home runs and 63 RBI in 135 games, and he also continued to show off one of the strongest throwing arms in baseball by nabbing 31 percent of base stealers.
The 26-year-old is controllable through the 2028 season and has quickly become one of the more valuable players on the Oakland roster, so it's only a matter of time before he's suiting up elsewhere.
18. Patrick Bailey, San Francisco Giants
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Next Man Up: Tom Murphy
More than a few eyebrows were raised when the San Francisco Giants used their 2020 first-round pick on NC State catcher Patrick Bailey, just two years after presumptive catcher of the future Joey Bart was chosen No. 2 overall in the 2018 draft.
With Bart's development stalled, it now looks like a stroke of genius.
Bailey, 24, hit .233/.285/.359 for a 77 OPS+ with 18 doubles, seven home runs and 48 RBI over 97 games in his first MLB action, but doesn't paint an accurate picture of his value.
He also led all catchers in overall defensive value and ranked third in Defensive Runs Saved (13) at the position while throwing out 25 of 88 base stealers. The most telling stat of all might be the fact that the Giants pitching staff had a 3.69 ERA in 765.2 innings with him behind the plate, compared to a 4.48 ERA in 669 innings when someone else was in the crouch.
17. Bo Naylor, Cleveland Guardians
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Next Man Up: Austin Hedges
Bo Naylor was hyped as one of the best pure hitters in the 2018 draft class when the Cleveland Guardians selected him No. 29 overall, and while it took some time for the pieces to fall into place in the minors, he now looks like a potential star on the rise.
After hitting .189 with a .612 OPS in 87 games at Double-A in 2021, he took a massive step forward the following year, batting .263/.392/.496 with 26 doubles, 21 home runs, 68 RBI and 20 steals in 118 games in the upper levels of the minors.
The 24-year-old made his MLB debut down the stretch in 2022, but returned to the minors last season to continue refining his defensive game. He was called up for good in mid-June and went on to post a 124 OPS+ with 13 doubles, 11 home runs and 32 RBI in 230 plate appearances.
16. Salvador Pérez, Kansas City Royals
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Next Man Up: Freddy Fermin
Salvador Pérez had one of the best offensive seasons in MLB history by a catcher in 2021 when he led the American League in home runs (48) and RBI (121) and racked up a career-high 5.5 WAR while finishing seventh in AL MVP voting.
The 33-year-old has continued to produce solid power numbers in the two years since, averaging 23 home runs and 78 RBI, and he was an All-Star for the eighth time last season.
However, the five-time Gold Glove winner is no longer the standout defender he was in his prime, and it's only a matter of time before the 10,063.2 innings he has spent behind the plate—tops among all active catchers—takes a toll on his production.
Is he a Hall of Famer?
15. Logan O'Hoppe, Los Angeles Angels
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Next Man Up: Matt Thaiss
Logan O'Hoppe flashed the potential to be a perennial All-Star behind the plate during his rookie season with the Los Angeles Angels, though his breakout performance was interrupted by injury.
The 24-year-old hit .283/.339/.547 with four home runs and 13 RBI through his first 21 games last season before suffering a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder that required surgery and ended up costing him 103 games.
It took him some time to shake off the rust after returning to action on Aug. 18, but he ended up finishing with a 111 OPS+ while slugging 14 home runs in 199 plate appearances, and he looks like an obvious breakout candidate heading into 2024.
14. Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays
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Next Man Up: Danny Jansen
Alejandro Kirk was a breakout star during the 2022 season, earning the starting nod in the All-Star Game and winning Silver Slugger honors while joining Danny Jansen to form one of the best catching tandems in the sport.
However, he took a step backward in his encore performance last year:
- 2022: 139 G, 127 OPS+, .285/.372/.415, 33 XBH (14 HR), 63 RBI, 3.9 WAR
- 2023: 123 G, 93 OPS+, .250/.334/.358, 24 XBH (8 HR), 43 RBI, 1.9 WAR
The 25-year-old also saw a dip in his hard-hit rate (45.4 to 38.3 percent) and average exit velocity (90.5 to 87.6 mph), and his batting average against fastball plummeted from .325 to .254.
All of that makes it tough to buy a full rebound to his 2022 form, though his solid plate discipline and the quality defense that made him a Gold Glove finalist still slot him comfortably in the middle of the pack in these rankings.
13. Ryan Jeffers, Minnesota Twins
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Next Man Up: Christian Vázquez
The Minnesota Twins signed Christian Vázquez to a three-year, $30 million deal last offseason, assuming he would serve as the team's starting catcher while Ryan Jeffers handled backup duties.
Jeffers ended up carving out a significant role thanks to a breakout offensive season, posting a 134 OPS+ with 15 doubles, 14 home runs and 43 RBI in 335 plate appearances while earning 71 starts behind the dish.
The 26-year-old also nailed 13 of 53 base stealers, and while it will likely continue to be an evenly split platoon, Jeffers has established himself as a quality all-around option just entering his prime.
12. Francisco Álvarez, New York Mets
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Next Man Up: Omar Narváez
The good: The power potential that scouts raved about while Francisco Álvarez was in the minors is the real deal. The 25 home runs he hit last year were the sixth-highest total in MLB history by a rookie catcher. He was also better-than-expected defensively from both a receiving and a framing standpoint.
The bad: The power production was nice, but it was accompanied by a .209 average and a .284 on-base percentage, which left him with a 95 OPS+ overall. He also saw his production plummet after the All-Star break, as he hit just .174/.270/.343 with eight home runs and a 26.5 percent strikeout rate during the second half.
Still only 22 years old, he has the potential to one day challenge for the No. 1 spot in these rankings, but there is still a long way to go in his development before he is more than just a feast-or-famine slugger.
11. Yainer Diaz, Houston Astros
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Next Man Up: Victor Caratini
With Martín Maldonado no longer blocking his path and veteran-loving manager Dusty Baker no longer at the helm in Houston, Yainer Diaz has a golden opportunity to build off a strong rookie season and emerge as a top-tier option at the catcher position.
The 25-year-old hit .282/.308/.538 for a 128 OPS+ with 22 doubles, 23 home runs and 60 RBI in 377 plate appearances last season, but much of his playing time came at designated hitter when Yordan Álvarez and Michael Brantley were both sidelined.
He only started 42 games at catcher, but he thwarted 15 of 50 base stealers during that time, and the pitching staff's work with him behind the plate (399 INN, 4.06 ERA, .243 BAA) was similar to what they produced throwing to Maldonado (1,006.2 INN, 3.91 ERA, .238 BAA).
10. Keibert Ruiz, Washington Nationals
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Next Man Up: Riley Adams
Ranking Keibert Ruiz this high might seem a bit aggressive at first glance, but a quick look at his first and second half splits shows that he is a prime candidate for a breakout season in 2024.
- 1st Half: 305 PA, .226/.279/.360, 20 XBH (9 HR), 31 RBI
- 2nd Half: 257 PA, .300/.342/.467, 22 XBH (9 HR), 36 RBI
The 25-year-old was one of baseball's top catching prospects throughout his time in the Los Angeles Dodgers system, and he was the headliner alongside Josiah Gray in the blockbuster deal that sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner out of town at the 2021 deadline.
The Nationals signed Ruiz to an eight-year, $50 million extension that includes club options in 2031 and 2032 last March, and that could end up being one of baseball's biggest bargains in the coming years.
9. Willson Contreras, St. Louis Cardinals
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Next Man Up: Iván Herrera
After a rocky start to his first season with the St. Louis Cardinals where a move to the outfield was discussed and he was briefly scapegoated for the starting rotation's struggles, Willson Contreras ultimately had another solid all-around season.
The 31-year-old had ended up with the fifth 20-homer season of his career, hitting .264/.358/.467 for a 124 OPS+ while tallying 27 doubles, 20 home runs and 67 RBI in a 3.4-WAR campaign.
He ended up starting 89 games behind the plate, 30 games at designated hitter and zero in the outfield. Any questions about whether his long-term future in St. Louis is behind the plate have seemingly been erased heading into the second season of his five-year, $87.5 million contract.
8. Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
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Next Man Up: Seby Zavala
A third-round pick in the 2018 draft, Cal Raleigh was never a Top 100 prospect, and he never ranked higher than the No. 8 prospect in the Seattle Mariners farm system before making his MLB debut midway through the 2021 season.
The 27-year-old seized the starting catcher job with a breakout 2022 season, posting a 122 OPS+ with 27 home runs and 63 RBI in a 3.9-WAR season, and he cemented his status as one of the game's best offensive backstops by leading all catchers with 30 home runs during the 2023 season.
The power production grabs headlines, but Raleigh is also a strong defender, throwing out 28 percent of base stealers in his career and grading out as one of baseball's best pitch-framers in 2023.
7. William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers
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Next Man Up: Gary Sánchez
The Milwaukee Brewers acquired William Contreras in the same three-team deal that sent Sean Murphy from Oakland to Atlanta, and he ended up being the most consistent middle-of-the-order producer in the team's lineup in 2023.
The 26-year-old hit .289/.367/.457 for a 125 OPS+ with 38 doubles, 17 home runs and 78 RBI while making 108 starts behind the plate, and he was better-than-expected defensively after splitting his time between catcher and designated hitter during his time in Atlanta.
He only allowed two passed balls and ranked as an elite pitch-framer, and he will be counted on even more to make an impact anchoring the pitching staff with Corbin Burnes gone and Brandon Woodruff sidelined.
6. Gabriel Moreno, Arizona Diamondbacks
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Next Man Up: Tucker Barnhart
Gabriel Moreno is a star on the rise for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and while he has already proven to be an elite defender, his performance during the postseason also hinted at the potential for more offensively.
The 24-year-old was acquired last offseason along with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in the deal that sent Daulton Varsho to the Toronto Blue Jays, and he hit .284/.339/.408 with 27 extra-base hits during the regular season while becoming the first rookie catcher since Charles Johnson in 1995 to win a Gold Glove.
He posted a .749 OPS with four home runs and 12 RBI in 17 games during the playoffs, and even league-average offensive production would make him a top-tier catcher thanks to his elite defense.
5. Jonah Heim, Texas Rangers
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Next Man Up: Andrew Knizner
Jonah Heim teased a potential breakout in 2022 when he hit .262/.313/.467 with 12 home runs and 33 RBI during the first half, but his production fell off a cliff after the All-Star break and he batted just .181 with four home runs the rest of the way.
The 28-year-old came into the 2023 season as the unquestioned starter for the first time in his career and all the pieces fell into place for a true breakout season.
He earned the starting nod in the All-Star Game, won a Gold Glove and posted a 103 OPS+ with 28 doubles, 18 home runs and 95 RBI for a team that went on to win the World Series title. The top four players on this list are in a tier of their own, but he is the closest to joining that group.
4. J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies
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Next Man Up: Garrett Stubbs
J.T. Realmuto is in an interesting place historically, bridging the gap between 2010s superstars Buster Posey, Yadier Molina and Salvador Pérez and the next generation of elite catchers who now slot in ahead of him in these rankings.
For a handful of seasons, he had a strong claim to the title of best catcher in baseball, including a 2022 campaign where he posted a 130 OPS+ with 26 doubles, 22 home runs, 84 RBI and 21 steals while winning Gold Glove and Silver Slugger and racking up a career-high 6.5 WAR.
The 32-year-old still belongs in the top tier at the position, and it's not out of the question to think he could again make a case for the No. 1 spot.
3. Sean Murphy, Atlanta Braves
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Next Man Up: Travis d'Arnaud
After four seasons establishing himself as a rising star behind the plate for the Oakland Athletics, Sean Murphy was traded to the Atlanta Braves last offseason, and he earned the All-Star Game start in his first season in the National League.
The 29-year-old went on to post a 125 OPS+ with 21 doubles, 21 home runs and 68 RBI in 108 games, and his counting numbers would have looked even better if not for the fact that he has a strong platoon partner in Travis d'Arnaud who made a handful of starts each week.
With 0.6, 1.1, 2.7, 3.5 and 3.9 WAR over his first five seasons in the majors, Murphy is clearly a star on the rise, and the 2021 AL Gold Glove winner is a true dual-threat who could be right back in the All-Star Game starting lineup in 2024.
2. Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Next Man Up: Austin Barnes
There are only 35 active players with at least 1,800 career plate appearances and a 125 OPS+ or higher for their career, and Will Smith is the only catcher on that list.
The 28-year-old has quietly been a consistent force in the middle of some stacked Los Angeles Dodgers lineup since taking over as the team's starting catcher midway through the 2019 season.
He finally earned a long-overdue first All-Star selection last season while posting a 114 OPS+ with 21 doubles, 19 home runs and 76 RBI in a 4.1-WAR campaign. He has also developed into a top-tier defender, ranking fourth among catchers with 12 Defensive Runs Saved in 2023.
1. Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles
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Next Man Up: James McCann
It's not easy to find a true franchise catcher who can solidify the position for a decade plus and serve as a foundational building block for the roster, but the Baltimore Orioles did just that when they selected Adley Rutschman with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft.
The 26-year-old did not make his MLB debut until May 21 in 2022, but he still went on to record 5.1 WAR in 113 games, joining Carlton Fisk (7.3 in 1972), Mike Piazza (7.0 in 1993), Thurman Munson (5.5 in 1970) and Johnny Bench (5.0 in 1968) as the only rookie catchers with a 5-WAR season.
He backed that up by hitting .277/.374/.435 with 31 doubles, 20 home runs and 80 RBI in his first full season in the majors last year, earning an All-Star nod and winning Silver Slugger honors while finishing ninth in AL MVP balloting.
After years of piling up losses while rebuilding, the Orioles have gone 154-102 (.602) when Rutschman is in the starting lineup over the last two years.
That's not a coincidence.
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