Box-Toppers top catchers by time frame

Here are the top catchers in Box-Toppers points (BTP) over the past season (2016), the past two seasons (2015-16), the past six seasons (2011-16) and “all-time”—the past 22 seasons (since 1995, when Box-Toppers tracking began). For the most recent seasons, the top five catchers in each league are shown. For the “all-time” rankings, the top five overall catchers (including retired players) are shown at left and the top five active catchers in career Box-Toppers points are shown at right. Some players played more than one position, but even if their primary position was not catcher, they are listed here.


American League National League
2016 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Wieters, Matt 2643 ca bal al 11.0 Grandal, Yasmani 3058 ca lad nl 7.2
2 Martin, Russell 2202 ca tor al 10.5 Rupp, Cameron 3556 ca phi nl 6.5
3 Lucroy, Jonathan 2744 ca tex al 5.7 Realmuto, J.T. 3491 ca fla nl 5.5
4 Gattis, Evan 3179 ca hou al 5.0 Castillo, Wellington 3251 ca ari nl 5.0
5 Sanchez, Gary 3701 ca dh nyy al 4.5 Molina, Yadier 1967 ca ph stl nl 4.0
American League National League
2015-16 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 Martin, Russell 2202 ca tor al 15.5 Realmuto, J.T. 3491 ca fla nl 10.5
2 Wieters, Matt 2643 ca bal al 12.0 Grandal, Yasmani 3058 ca lad nl 9.2
3 McCann, Brian 2179 ca nyy al 9.7 Castillo, Wellington 3251 ca ari nl 8.5
4 Gattis, Evan 3179 ca hou al 9.0 Rupp, Cameron 3556 ca phi nl 7.5
5 Perez, Salvador 2972 ca kc al 8.5 Posey, Buster 2745 ca 1b sf nl 7.5
American League National League
2011-16 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 McCann, Brian 2179 ca nyy al 35.4 Posey, Buster 2745 ca 1b sf nl 28.5
2 Martin, Russell 2202 ca tor al 32.0 Montero, Miguel 2304 ca ph chi nl 21.7
3 Wieters, Matt 2643 ca bal al 30.0 Molina, Yadier 1967 ca ph stl nl 17.7
4 Lucroy, Jonathan 2744 ca tex al 26.3 Grandal, Yasmani 3058 ca lad nl 17.2
5 Perez, Salvador 2972 ca kc al 21.7 Hundley, Nick 2497 ca col nl 17.0
All players (including retired) All active players
’95-’16 Player Pos Team BTP Player Pos Team BTP
1 piazza, mike ca Retired 95.7 McCann, Brian 2179 ca nyy al 58.4
2 Posada, Jorge ca Retired 79.5 Martin, Russell 2202 ca tor al 53.0
3 rodriguez, ivan ca Retired 79.0 Pierzynski, A.J. 1446 ca atl nl 47.2
4 lopez, javy ca Retired 62.0 Wieters, Matt 2643 ca bal al 35.7
5 McCann, Brian 2179 ca nyy al 58.4 Molina, Yadier 1967 ca ph stl nl 34.7
What are those numbers after players' names?
Active players are shown on the team with whom they finished the 2016 season.

Mike Piazza leads catchers in career Box-Toppers points; Brian McCann leads active catchers in career points

Mike Piazza has the most Box-Toppers points of any catcher since tracking began in 1995.

Piazza, who played from 1992 to 2007 primarily for the Mets and Dodgers, but also for the Padres, Athletics and Marlins, earned 95.7 Box-Toppers points from 1995 to the end of his career. That is 16.2 more points than the second-place catcher since 1995, Jorge Posada (79.5).

The chart above shows the top five catchers over several time frames—over the past season (2016), the past two seasons (2015-16), the past six seasons (2011-16) and “all-time”—the past 22 seasons (since 1995, when Box-Toppers tracking began). For the most recent seasons, the top five catchers in each league are shown. For the “all-time” rankings, the top five overall catchers (including retired players) are shown at left and the top five active catchers in career Box-Toppers points are shown at right.

Piazza’s 95.7 Box-Toppers points ranks 85th among all players since 1995 and 33rd among all batters. Piazza was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016.

Piazza’s lead among catchers would likely be larger if his entire career from 1992 were tracked. Rough projections put his overall career Box-Toppers point total at about 111.

Four of the five top catchers in career Box-Toppers points since 1995 are retired and three of them played prior to the advent of Box-Toppers in 1995. If their point totals for their entire careers are roughly projected, the career standings among those five looks like this:

McCann, who played for the Yankees in 2016, but who has signed with the Astros for 2017, is the active leader in career Box-Toppers points among catchers with 58.4. That is 5.4 points ahead of the second-place active catcher, Russell Martin of the Blue Jays (53.0 Box-Toppers points). McCann also leads all catchers in Box-Toppers points over the past six seasons (35.4 points over 2011-16), which is 3.4 points ahead of second-place Martin (32.0 points). McCann also ranks third among American League catchers over the past two seasons (9.7 points over 2015-16).

Matt Wieters of the Orioles had the most Box-Toppers points of any catcher in 2016 with 11.0, 0.5 points ahead of Martin (10.5). Wieters also ranks second among AL catchers over the past two seasons (12.0 over 2015-16), third among AL catchers over the past six seasons (30.0 over 2011-16) and fourth among all active catchers in career points (35.7).

Martin has the most Box-Toppers points of any catcher over the past two seasons (15.5 over 2015-16). In addition, as previously mentioned, he ranks second among AL catchers over the past season (10.5 points in 2016), second among AL catchers over the past six seasons (32.0 over 2011-16) and second among all active catchers in career points (53.0).

Yasmani Grandal of the Dodgers leads National League catchers in Box-Toppers points over the past season (7.2 points in 2016). He also ranks second among NL catchers over the past two seasons (9.2 over 2015-16) and fourth among NL catchers over the past six seasons (17.2 over 2011-16).

J.T. Realmuto of the Marlins leads NL catchers in Box-Toppers points over the past two seasons (10.5 over 2015-16). Realmuto also ranks third among NL catchers over the past season (5.5 in 2016).

Buster Posey of the Giants leads NL catchers in Box-Toppers poitns over the past six seasons (28.5 over 2011-16). Posey also ranks fifth among NL catchers over the past two seasons (7.5 over 2015-16).

Other catchers of note:

A.J. Pierzynski of the Braves ranks third among active catchers in career Box-Toppers points with 47.2. Pierzynski, 40, is currently a free agent.

Yadier Molina of the Cardinals, a seven-time All-Star and eight-time Gold Glove winner, only ranks fifth among active catchers in career Box-Toppers points with 34.7. Molina, 34, known for his defense and pitch calling, has never had more than 4.5 Box-Toppers points in any season—a relatively low total—and he did that twice: In 2010 and 2012, the year he finished fourth in NL Most Valuable Player voting. 

Box-Toppers points for batters are usually the result of higher home run and runs-batted-in totals and while Molina has hit for above average power for a catcher, his overall Box-Toppers point total might be diminished because of his success with his own team’s pitchers. Ironically, Molina might have lost out on Player of the Game honors to his Cardinals teammates for whom he called pitches, such as Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, Kyle Lohse, Lance Lynn, Shelby Miller and Carlos Martinez. 

Molina had 4.0 Box-Toppers points in 2016, which only this year made him the best of the three catching Molina brothers in Box-Toppers points. Older brother Bengie Molina, 42, who played from 1998 to 2010, had 34.4 career Box-Toppers points. Jose Molina, 41, who played from 1999 to 2014, had 9.5 career points.

About Box-Toppers—Box-Toppers tracks who most helps their team win the most games. Using standard box score statistics, Box-Toppers uses a simple formula to determine a Player of the Game for each Major League Baseball game played. That player is the person who contributed most to his team’s win. In regular season games, players earn 1.0 Box-Toppers point for being named Player of the Game and can earn bonus points for being Player of the Day or top player or batter in their league for the day.

Box-Toppers strives for accuracy. See a mistake in a post? A wrong name, wrong team, grammar error, spelling goof, etc.? Thanks for pointing it out! Contact Box-Toppers here. Let's fix it and make it right.

Related: 

Related Box-Toppers High by Position posts showing Box-Toppers points leaders by position over several time frames—past season (2016), past two seasons (2015-16), past six seasons (2011-16) and “all-time” (since 1995, when Box-Toppers tracking began):

  • First base: Albert Pujols leads all-time, Miguel Cabrera leads past season and past six seasons.
  • Second base: Jeff Kent leads all-time, Jose Altuve leads past season.
  • Shortstop: Miguel Tejada leads all-time over Derek Jeter.
  • Third base: Alex Rodriguez leads all-time, Manny Machado and Adrian Beltre lead in recent seasons.
  • Catcher: Mike Piazza leads all-time, Brian McCann leads active catchers in career points.
  • Outfield: Manny Ramirez leads all-time, Carlos Beltran leads active outfielders in career points, Mike Trout leads in recent seasons.
  • Designated hitter: Albert Pujols leads all-time, Kendrys Morales and Edwin Encarnacion lead in recent seasons.
  • Pitcher: Randy Johnson leads all-time, CC Sabathia and Clayton Kershaw lead active pitchers in career points.
  • Closing pitcher: Trevor Hoffman leads all-time over all-time saves leader Mariano Rivera.