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MLB 2017: Top 10 catchers

By Joshua Sadlock

Jul 16, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey (28) hits an RBI double during the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 16, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey (28) hits an RBI double during the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 21, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the ninth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 21, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the ninth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

7. Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals

That Perez won the American League Silver Slugger at catcher last year with an OPS+ of 89 should tell you all you need to know about the weakness of the position in the league. For Perez, the award was actually deserved. He led all AL catchers in home runs and slugging percentage.

Perez is quite an interesting player to consider. He has been to four straight All-Star Games despite gradually declining offensive numbers. Perez actually rates quite low in most pitch-framing metrics, but has won four gold Gloves in a row. He has a rifle arm, a knack for getting the most out of a pitching staff, and a winning personality.

The intangibles put Perez into the upper echelon of catchers in the game today. That being said, he is probably not destined for an all-time great career. It’s just not there offensively for him, and catching 130-140 games a year is going to take its toll. Perez does not do enough with the bat to justify a move to first base. He is a valuable part of a winning team, a fan favorite, and a solid player — just not quite worthy of being mentioned as a top-five catcher despite the accolades.

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