77. Ivan Rodriguez
Ivan Rodriguez may best be known for his defensive prowess, and later unsubstantiated accusations of steroid use by Jose Canseco, but he was far more than a great glove.
A solid power threat, Rodriguez hit 20 or more home runs from 1997 through 2001. His all around game helped Rodriguez to 14 All-Star Games, the 1999 MVP award and the 2003 NLCS MVP. He was a seven time Silver Slugger, and won 13 Gold Gloves for his prowess behind the plate.
Overall in his career, Rodriguez posted a .296/.334/.464 batting line with 311 home runs and 1332 RBI. Rodriguez finished his career 47th all time with 2,844 hits and 25th with 572 doubles. He also had a solid amount of speed during his prime, finishing with 127 stolen bases, making him the rare catcher who could contribute on the basepaths as well as in the batter’s box.
Defensively, Rodriguez was without peer. The all time leader with 2,427 games behind the plate, Rodriguez 14,864 putouts are the most in MLB history, and he ranks fifth with 158 double plays as a catcher. He is also credited as having saved 167 runs as a catcher, the most in history.
More than just a defensive force, Ivan Rodriguez was an all around catcher who may well have been one of the greatest players at his position in baseball history.
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