15 Best MLB Catchers of This Year
15 Best MLB Catchers of This Year
November 18, 2026
This article was last updated by Sujan on June 15, 2026
Every new season of the MLB begins with new hopes and expectations. The best catchers, pitchers, and batters of the previous season want to recreate that magic.
During the new season, every player wants to be the best. However, not all can perform their best.
MLB catchers (Source: Wikimedia.com) The best MLB catchers of 2026 catch the ball and help the pitchers better understand the batter’s mindset.
Even in the 2026 season, few catchers managed to rise above others and make an impact. Nevertheless, they helped their team’s performance as well as brought their best performance.
15 Best MLB Catchers 2026
These players are picked based on their performance during the 2026 season. The stats of the players are picked up from ,
15. Carson Kelly
The professional catcher for Arizona Diamondbacks is one of the best catchers in the MLB. Carson Kelly joined the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2019.
Since then, he has hit 36 home runs and has a batting average of .228. In 2026, he had a dream start.
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He hit 6 home runs with an average of .338 before suffering from injury. Sadly, his batting average dropped to .171 after returning from injury.
14. Mitch Garver
Another catcher on the list of best MLB catchers in 2026 is Mitch Garver. Garver plays for the Minnesota Twins.
The 35 years old catcher has an average of .256. Apart from that, he has hit 53 home runs.
He is particularly famous for his stance. It’s different from the other catchers as he keeps one knee grounded.
As a result, he initially struggled against low-pitched deliveries. However, after a lot of training, he was able to overcome the flaw.
In the 2026 season, his batting average was the same as his career average. His major career achievement was to win a Silver Slugger Award in 2019.
13. Yan Gomes
The Brazilian-American professional catcher played for the Oakland Athletics in 2026. Previously he played for three different teams.
Yan Gomes has a batting average of .247 with 117 runs. In the 2026 season, he scored .252, which is better than his regular season.
Also, in the 2026 season, he has 2.5 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) which is decent for a catcher. He had also won the Silver Slugger Award in 2014.
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Apart from that, he was also part of the World-Series winning team at the Washington Nationals.
12. Tyler Stephenson
The young played his second season in 2026. The Cincinnati Reds drafted the young Tyler in 2026.
Since then, he has had a batting average of .286. Stephenson is regarded as one of the best catchers prospects for the Cincinnati Reds.
Currently, he is just 29 years old. So, in the upcoming years, he is the player to watch out for.
11. Omar Narvaez
One of the best MLB catchers in 2026 is Omar Narvaez. Omar currently plays for Milwaukee Brewers.
He has a batting average of .270. Apart from that, he has hit 47 home runs in his career.
In the 2026 season, he scored at an average of .266. Similarly, he has a WAR of 1.5.
Omar Narvaez on the field (Source: Wikimedia.com) Omar’s best batting average was with Seattle Mariners. He scored an average of .278 for Seattle Mariners.
However, his overall batting average for Milwaukee Brewers is low compared to other teams. But this was the best year in his whole career.
He was selected for the All-Star in 2026.
10. Max Stassi
The Los Angeles Angels catcher is one of the best MLB catchers in 2026. In fact, his batting has improved after he joined the Los Angeles Angels.
In the 2026 season, Max Stassi managed to score 45 runs with a batting average of .241. Apart from that, he also hit with an average of .426 towards the end week.
For the performance, he won the American League Player of the Week award. But, he played only 87 games for his team.
Even with the small number of games, he has a WAR of 1.8. Therefore he is one of the best MLB catchers in 2026.
9. Jacob Stallings
Some of the players on this list had their best season in 2026. One such player is Jacob Stallings.
Pittsburgh Pirates drafted him in the 2016 season. Since then, he has hit 17 home runs with a batting average of .254.
In 2026, he batted at an average of .246 with 8 home runs. Impressively, he has a WAR of 3.0 games.
For his performance, he won the Gold Glove award and the Fielding Bible award this season. He also has one of the best WAR among the MLB catchers.
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Jacob’s impressive performance helped the young pitchers of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
8. Sean Murphy
The 32 years old catcher plays for the Oakland Athletics. The Oakland Athletics drafted him in 2019.
Currently, he has a batting average of .222 and has hit 28 home runs. In 2026 he batted at an average of .216 while scoring 47 runs.
Sean Murphy became an impressive prospect during his minor league games. He played his first minor league game for the Arizona League Athletics.
For his impressive performance, he was awarded the Gold Glove award. So the Oakland Athletics is looking to hold him for a long time.
7. Willson Contreras
One of the best MLB catchers in 2026 is Willson Contreras. Currently, he plays for the Chicago Cubs.
Willson is from Venezuela, and there he attended an academy run by Chicago Cubs. The Cubs picked him from Venezuela to play for the MLB.
He made his MLB debut in 2016. Willson has a batting average of .259. Similarly, he has hit 95 home runs.
Most impressively, he has a WAR of 4.1. It falls within the top five of WAR in the MLB.
This season he made 61 runs with an average of .237 while striking 21 home runs.
6. Yasmani Grandal
The two-time All-Star player Yasmani Grandal plays for Chicago White Sox. Previously, he played for three different teams.
Yasmani has a batting average of .240. Similarly, he has hit 172 home runs in his career.
In the 2026 season, he scored 60 runs. He has a WAR of 3.7, which makes him a very valuable player.
Yasmani Grandal Best MLB catcher [current-year] (Source: Wikimedia.com) Yasmani is known for more walking than hitting. Therefore he dispels one of the wrong beliefs about the batters. It does not matter if they score by walking or by hitting.
In 2019, he was selected for the All-MLB second team. This makes him a very valuable player for the Chicago White Sox.
5. J.T. Realmuto
The 5th best MLB player in 2026 is J.T. Realmuto. His full name is Jacob Tyler Realmuto.
He has a batting average of .275 with 112 home runs. In the 2026 season, he batted at an average of .263 with 64 runs.
J.T. is a prolific player with many awards in his career. The three times All-Star player was selected to All-MLB First team in 2019.
Similarly, he was also selected to the All-MLB Second team in 2026. Apart from that, he won the Gold Glove award in 2019.
Read more about .
Next, he won the Silver Slugger award in 2018 and 2019.
4. Will Smith
No, he’s not the actor Will Smith. The catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers is one of the best catchers in the MLB.
In 2026, he had a batting average of .258 while scoring 71 runs. Similarly, he has a WAR of 3.5.
His career batting average is .262 with 48 home runs. Will has an impressive On-bases Plus Slugging. His OPS is 137.
Since he is athletic, Will can move easily behind the plate. But he is average at catching deliveries.
Will was part of the World-Series winning team in 2026. During the 2026 season, his batting average was .289.
All of his combined skills make him a very valuable player for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
3. Mike Zunino
One of the best MLB catchers of the 2026 season is Mike Zunino. Currently, Zunino plays for the Tampa Bay Rays.
In his career, he has a batting average of .202 with 141 home runs. But, in the 2026 season, he scored at .216, which is higher than his usual.
Mike Zunino (Source: Wikimedia.com) Currently, he has 136 OPS and 3.8 WAR. As a result, Zunino is regarded as one of the best catchers in the MLB.
Due to his impressive performance in the 2026 season, he was selected to the All-Star game.
Mike’s performance helped Tampa Bay to win the Division title. Looking at his recent years’ trend, his next season will be an even better one.
2. Buster Posey
Though he played as a pitcher and hitter in his high school, became a catcher at the university. In 2026, he announced retirement from baseball.
Seven times All-Star Posey has a WAR of 3.5 games. The star catcher had a batting average of .302 with 158 home runs.
He played his whole career for the San Francisco Giants and helped them to win the World Series three times. Buster didn’t play the 2026 season.
He ended the season with a .304 batting average with an OPS of 0.89. He won the Silver Slugger award and the NL Comeback Player of the Year in his final year.
1. Salvador Perez
The number one player on the list of best MLB catchers in 2026 is Salvador Perez. He plays for the Kansas City Royals.
Seven times All-Star Salvador has won the Gold Glove award five times. Similarly, he won the World Series Most Valuable Player in 2015. The same year Royals won the world series.
Salvador Perez MLB catcher (Source: Wikimedia) In 2026 alone, he hit 48 home runs, which is the record for the most home runs in a season. He finished the season with a batting average of .273 with 88 runs.
Salvador has the highest WAR among the catchers. His WAR is 5.3. Therefore, he is very valuable to his team.
Conclusion
Was your favorite catcher on our list? Please comment on your list of the best 15 MLB catchers in 2026.
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Sanjib Sah is an engineer and content writer passionate about sports and athletics. With a background in engineering and a love for all things active, Sanjib brings a unique perspective to the world of sports writing. Whether he is covering the latest trends in sports technology or sharing tips on improving your game, Sanjib's words are always rooted in a deep appreciation for players' hard work and dedication everywhere. In his free time, you can find him hitting the courts or hitting the trails, always looking for new ways to challenge himself and improve his skills.
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Comments
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Carpe DM
How can Buster Posey be your 2nd ranked catcher in 2026 when he has retired and no longer playing? Of course he is Cooperstown bound as one of the best catchers in all of MLB from 2010 to 2026, but why is he included in the 2026 catcher rankings?
Where does Christian Vázquez sit in your rankings?
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Richard Sinotte
How can Buster Posey be your 2nd ranked catcher in 2026 when he has retired and no longer playing? Of course he is Cooperstown bound as one of the best catchers in all of MLB from 2010 to 2026, but why is he included in the 2026 catcher rankings?
Where does Christian Vázquez sit in your rankings?
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