Which catchers should make All-MLB Team?
Voting for the 2021 All-MLB Team presented by Cue Health is underway, and you can help decide which players will be honored as the best of the regular season at each position, with 50% of the vote coming from fans and 50% coming from a panel of experts.
You can vote right here, and may continue to do so once every 24 hours until voting ends on Friday at 5 p.m. ET. The 2021 All-MLB Team will be announced next Tuesday on MLB Network. There will be a first team and second team All-MLB, and voters are asked only to consider performance during the regular season when casting their ballots.
The nominees at each position were revealed Nov. 10 on MLB Network, and seven catchers are up for consideration to be part of the 2021 All-MLB Team, though only two can be chosen.
Here’s a breakdown of each of the All-MLB candidates behind the plate:
Willson Contreras, Cubs
2021 stats: .237 AVG, 21 HR, 57 RBI, 5 SB, .778 OPS
One of the last members of the Cubs’ 2016 World Series-winning club who is still with the team, Contreras was a steadying presence for Chicago during a year marked by significant upheaval. The 29-year-old ranked second among NL catchers in homers and produced a career-best 4.1 wins above replacement, according to Baseball-Reference.
Yasmani Grandal, White Sox
2021 stats: .240 AVG, 23 HR, 62 RBI, 0 SB, .939 OPS
After batting just .131 through the end of May, Grandal posted a .300/.442/.622 slash line with 17 homers, 45 walks and 44 RBIs in his final 56 games as the White Sox easily won the American League Central. His .939 OPS on the year led all catchers.
Salvador Perez, Royals
2021 stats: .273 AVG, 48 HR, 121 RBI, 1 SB, .859 OPS
Perez’s 2021 season was historically great. Missing only one game all year, the veteran slugger tied Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the Major League lead with 48 home runs -- the AL/NL record for a primary catcher -- and led MLB outright in RBIs. No other catcher had more than 33 homers or 76 RBIs. Perez also led the Majors in caught-stealing rate, throwing out 43.9% (18 of 41) of players attempting to steal on him.
Buster Posey, Giants
2021: .304 AVG, 18 HR, 56 RBI, 0 SB, .889 OPS
We didn’t know it at the time, but 2021 turned out to be Posey’s final season, and what a swansong it was. The only backstop with an average of .300 or better, Posey finished second at the position behind Grandal in OPS. He also played an integral role on defense while guiding one of MLB’s best pitching staffs.
J.T. Realmuto, Phillies
2021: .263 AVG, 17 HR, 73 RBI, 13 SB, .782 OPS
After returning to the Phillies on a five-year deal in the offseason, Realmuto continued to contribute with his bat, legs and glove while remaining one of MLB’s most durable backstops. The 30-year-old was the only catcher to reach double figures in stolen bases, doing so for the second time in his career.
Will Smith, Dodgers
2021: .258 AVG, 25 HR, 76 RBI, 3 SB, .860 OPS
After playing just 91 games combined in his first two MLB seasons, Smith experienced a full Major League workload for the first time and continued to produce at a high level in 2021. The 26-year-old led all NL backstops in homers and RBIs and ranked fourth among big league catchers in OPS.
Mike Zunino, Rays
2021: .216 AVG, 33 HR, 62 RBI, 0 SB, .860 OPS
After hitting .182/.247/.368 for the Mariners and Rays across 2018-20, Zunino had a breakout offensive campaign in 2021. The 30-year-old tied Perez for the MLB lead in home runs (33) hit while playing catcher (Perez hit 33 as a catcher and 15 as a DH) and actually out-slugged the Royals star, .559 to .544. Zunino also showed elite pitch-framing skills, ranking fourth in called-strike percentage (51.6%) on non-swings in the shadow zone.