All MLB Team: Who deserves to be named the game’s best catcher?
So, by process of elimination, that leaves us with three candidates: J.T. Realmuto, Yasmani Grandal, and Willson Contreras.
Contreras will be a popular pick, as he has been the starting catcher in the past two All-Star games for the national league. He had another great offensive year, while playing good defense. However, when comparing him to Realmuto and Grandal, he is just average. While he had a 127 wRC+, which was better than both Realmuto and Grandal, he was a significantly worse defender. He wasn’t bad, posting average numbers in most defensive categories, Realmuto and Grandal were on a different level.
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After eliminating Contreras, the debate for best catcher in the MLB comes down to J.T. Realmuto and Yasmani Grandal. When looking at the stats, it is very close between the two. Both were incredible offensively in 2019, but Grandal had the slight edge in terms of run production. He posted a 121 wRC+ compared to Realmuto’s 108 wRC+. His higher OPS highlighted his superior ability to get on base. Grandal had an impressive 17.2% walk rate, while Realmuto had a 6.9% mark. At any rate, the margin between them is small, which is evident by Realmuto winning the NL Silver Slugger award over Grandal, which has sparked widespread debate.
However, at the end of the day, it all comes down to defense. For that reason, Realmuto reigns supreme over Grandal and the rest of the league. Grandal was great, posting a 17.0 FRM, but Realmuto was even better all around. His 8.0 FRM and 11 DRS are both impressive, but what separates him from Grandal is his ability to throw runners out. He had an amazing 10 rSB, and caught 46.7% of runners attempting to steal on him.
At the end of the day, Realmuto had a better combination of offensive production and defensive prowess. However, Grandal was a close second, and there are valid arguments on both sides. If you favor offense, Grandal is likely your choice. However, to people who favor defense, Realmuto had a better overall season in 2019. Grandal just got paid like the game’s best catcher, but Realmuto should be in line for a lucrative payday when his time comes as well.
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Time will tell if the rest of the MLB fanbase feels the same way, but right now, the stats prove that J.T. Realmuto deserves to be named to the All MLB Team.