There's a reason top-tier catchers rarely hit the free-agent market.
Finding a franchise backstop who can provide a steadying presence for the pitching staff and produce offensively while withstanding the wear and tear that comes with playing the toughest position on the diamond is not an easy thing to do.
To put it simply: When a team finds a Buster Posey or a Yadier Molina, they don't let them get away.
Ahead we've set out to identify the top 30 catchers in the league heading into the 2017 season.
A few things to consider before we get started:
- League Averages: For the sake of reference, the league average triple-slash line for a catcher last season was .