Summary
There is no man more important on the baseball diamond than the catcher. Between calling the game, frame pitches, coordinating strategy, throwing out baserunners, and hitting, the catcher has more responsibility than any other position.
While MLB The Show 24 doesn’t transform 100 percent of the elements of catching from real life into the game, having a good backstop on your squad separates the wheat from the chaff. These catchers are the best you may find inMLB The Show 24.
10Mitch Garver
Overall: 81
The 2023 World Series Champion Texas Rangers boasted plenty of dangerous hitters, which propelled them to their first World Series title in franchise history. Jonah Heim might’ve been the one doing most of the load come October, but he wasn’t alone.
Mitch Garver may not be the best regarding defense, but he more than makes up for it by being one of the best slugging catchers in the game. If you’re not too worried about having stellar defense at the catching position, Garver can provide your squad plenty of pop.
9Yainer Diaz
Overall: 82
For years, the Houston Astros had Martin Maldando as their primary catcher. Not only was he dreadful defensively, but one of the worst hitters in baseball. Anybody would’ve been better, but lucky for the Astros, they got someone great.
Yainer Diaz may not have the mileage, but he has plenty of potential. An 82 overall rating in MLB The Show 24 may not seem astronomical, but given his raw talent and chance to develop on a good team, Diaz will probably only see his rating increase in subsequent entries.
8Jonah Heim
Overall: 83
Catcher Jonah Heim might’ve been the unsung hero of the 2023 Texas Rangers. In his first breakout season, Heim was a constantly steady hitter and superb defender. Given the year he’s had, it’s no surprise he’s rated well in this year’s MLB The Show.
With an 83 overall, Heim is a well-rounded backstop and solid hitter. Ultimately, however, his true talent comes from hisGold Glove-winning defense. For those players who want their catcher to be as dependable with their glove as their bat, Heim is a solid option.
7Willson Contreras
Overall: 84
The past couple of years have been rough for the St. Louis Cardinals. Even after signing the free agent and former Cubs catcher Willson Contreras to multi-year contract, that wasn’t enough to turn the tables. Even if Contreras hasn’t always been consistent, he remains a dynamic hitter.
Contreras’s 84 overall in MLB The Show 24 is in-line with his ratings from previous games. His defense is most certainly lacking, but when it comes to hitting, especially power, Contreras has proven to be a consistent threat for hitting the ball out of the yard.
6Cal Releigh
Even though a catcher’s defensive ability is pivotal to their value, there are few sounder strategies to winning baseball games thanhitting a lot of home runs. In the 2023 MLB season, no catcher hit more home runs than Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh.
Without question, Raleigh’s power is his strongest attribute in both real life and in MLB The Show 24. Few catchers boast the kind of home run pop Raleigh has. Even if the rest of his stats aren’t outstanding, his power makes him a good choice for any squad.
5William Contreras
Overall: 86
For a few years, Willson Contreras was the best catcher in the NL Central. Not only did he make multiple all-star games, but he was vital in the Chicago Cubs breaking their 108 World Series drought. However, when he went to St. Louis, he also incidentally lost his number one spot to none other than his own brother.
William Contreras utterly revamped his profile when he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. A mix of power and power, Contreras sports a strong 86 overall rating in MLB The Show 24.
4Will Smith
Overall: 87
It’s hard to find any area where the Los Angeles Dodgers are below average. While they may not have won the World Series trophy as frequently as they looked destined to, they still headline an incredibly strong and deep team.
Catcher Will Smith recently signed a substantial extension with the Dodgers, and it’s easy to see why. Smith’s 87 overall in MLB The Show 24 comes from his excellent hitting stats, which do wonders at offsetting his subpar defensive metrics.
3J.T. Realmuto
Not many catchers have been as steadfastin the game of baseballas Philadelphia Phillies’s backstop J.T. Realmuto. He may never have been truly among the elite of the elite in the MLB, but he’s been a reliable player throughout his career.
An 87 overall might seem high considering he wasn’t that amazing in 2023, but Realmuto remains an everyday presence and boasts good hitting supplemented by outstanding defensive stats. Few catchers are as well-round in MLB The Show 24 as the Phillies backstop.
2Sean Murphy
Overall: 89
When Sean Murphy was traded from the Oakland (soon to be Las Vegas) A’s to the Atlanta Braves, it was clear that Murphy was going to continue being one of the game’s finest catchers, only this time on a team which would be in the playoffs each year.
Murphy’s 89 overall is the highest of any National League catcher in MLB The Show 24. He has the tools one needs to be a superstar player in baseball, especially the catching position. Few backstops are as valuable and skilled as Sean Murphy.
1Adley Rutschman
Overall: 91
The Baltimore Orioles were perhaps ‘the’ team in 2023. They may not have won it all, but their 101-61 record was extraordinary considering their absence of massive salary stars and plethora of young talent. The star of the O’s show was catcher Adley Rutschman.
Rutschman swiftly rose through the minor leagues and established himself in the majors as the MLB’s premiere backstop. His blend of striking power, contact, and defense resulted in him receiving a 91 overall in MLB The Show 24, the highest of any catcher in the game.
