With the trade deadline looming and fewer than 60 games left in the MLB season, catcher production is carrying real weight. Teams are trying to lock down playoff spots, and the position behind the plate has delivered plenty of impact. Entering the week, these are the 10 best catchers in the game.
Hunter Goodman sits at No. 1 after putting together another big power season for Colorado. He has reached 30 home runs for a second straight year, and he leads all MLB catchers in homers. Goodman also tops the Rockies in home runs, RBI, and total bases.
Dillon Dingler comes in at No. 2, and he’s been one of Detroit’s most reliable bats all season. The Tigers are in the mix for a Wild Card spot, and Dingler has helped keep them there. Entering the week, he ranks third among MLB catchers in home runs and first in RBI, and he’s in the middle of the best season of his career.
At No. 3, Drake Baldwin has become a major reason Atlanta has found success this year.
In just two years, he’s grown into one of the premier catchers in the sport. Entering the week, he has already set a new career high for home runs in a season.
Shea Langeliers lands at No. 4, though his season has been cut short by a weekend meniscus injury that will keep him out for the rest of the year. Before the injury, he was on track for another strong power campaign. Entering the week, he led the Athletics in home runs and hits, and he ranked second among MLB catchers in home runs.
Liam Hicks checks in at No. 5 after taking another step forward in his second season. He has become a bigger part of Miami’s offense, leading the Marlins in home runs and RBI entering the week. Among MLB catchers, he is tied for second in RBI.
William Contreras is No. 6, and consistency is the calling card. He has become one of the most dependable offensive catchers in baseball, and his batting average has stayed strong over the last few seasons. Entering the week, he leads all MLB catchers in hits.
Samuel Basallo lands at No. 7, and the rookie has already shown Baltimore he belongs. He’s giving the Orioles real power from the catcher spot, and entering the week he ranks fifth in home runs among MLB catchers. Baltimore can build around that kind of pop for years to come.
Gabriel Moreno is No. 8 after turning in the best season of his career in his fourth year. He’s still one of the more overlooked players at the position, but the numbers are starting to match the talent. By season’s end, he could finish with career-best marks across the board.
Carter Jensen comes in at No. 9, and the rookie has flashed exactly why Kansas City is excited about him. Strikeouts have been part of the story, but the power has been loud. Entering the week, he is top 10 among MLB catchers in both home runs and RBI.
Keibert Ruiz rounds out the list at No. 10, and the Nationals backstop is putting together one of the better seasons of his career. After two down years, he has found his rhythm again. Entering the week, his on-base percentage and OPS are both the highest of his career.
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Rockies Suddenly Have A Center Field Decision They Can't Fake
Brenton Doyles return from injury was supposed to settle one of the Rockies cleaner roster questions, but it has only made center field more complicated. While Doyle works his way back, Cole Carrigg has given Colorado real reason to pause, handling the position with enough confidence and impact to make this more than a temporary fill-in situation.
Carrigg has earned the right to stay in the conversation, and the Rockies now have to decide whether to keep riding the hot hand or hand the job back to a player who had not automatically reclaimed it. Manager Warren Schaeffer has already acknowledged Carriggs impact, which only underscores how much this has turned into a legitimate playing-time decision rather than a simple rehab timeline. [Read more 🡒]
Rockies Fans Are About To Have A Jake McCarthy Debate
With the Rockies buried in the standings and staring at another deadline shaped more by selling than chasing, the front office has a familiar choice to make on veterans. But Jake McCarthy is not a familiar kind of trade chip. Acquired from Arizona in January for minor league right-hander Josh Grosz, the outfielder has quickly become one of the more useful pieces on the roster, giving Colorado the kind of speed, contact and defense it has spent years trying to find.
McCarthys appeal is bigger than one hot stretch, too, because he is still under team control through 2028 and fits the style the Rockies say they want to build around. That is why the debate is coming: his value is high enough to draw attention, but moving him would only make sense if the return is substantial. Colorado can listen, sure, but it would be hard to justify dealing a player who looks like part of the next core unless the offer clearly changes the conversation. [Read more 🡒]