35. Johnny Bench
One of the key cogs in the Big Red Machine of the 1970’s, Johnny Bench was one of the greatest hitting catchers in the history of the game.
His powerful bat helped fuel the Reds dynasty of the 1970’s, as he hit over twenty home runs eleven times, including two seasons with forty or more. He led the league in RBI three times, helping him earn 14 All-Star Game nods and two MVP awards.
A stellar hitter, Bench produced a career .267/.342/.476 batting line with 381 doubles, 389 home runs and 1,376 RBI. While he ranks in the top 200 in quite a few categories, Bench is prominent when looking at the best offensive players ever behind the plate. He ranks third all time in home runs and RBI, fifth in doubles, and tenth in OPS among catchers.
Bench was also a great defensive backstop. He won ten Gold Glove awards, and was named to the Rawlings All Time Gold Glove Team in 2007. He possessed a strong arm in his youth, ranking among the league leaders in assists and caught stealing percentage for most of the 1970’s. In his long, illustrious career, Bench saved 97 runs behind the plate, the seventh most in MLB history.
An solid offensive player and a stellar defensive catcher, Johnny Bench powered the Big Red Machine in the 1970’s. His incredible production made Bench one of the true legends of the game.
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