The month of May is coming to an end as the action around Major League Baseball is starting to heat up as the dog days of summer approach.

As you look around the game over the first two months of the season a long list of players have started off the season hot or have gotten hot over the past few weeks.

This includes at the catcher position where there is a strong list of talented catchers putting together strong first halves of the 2023 MLB schedule. One of those catchers Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals lands atop the Top 10 Best MLB Catchers 2023 Rankings list.

The veteran catcher who has been an anchor behind the plate for the Royals continues to perform among the best catchers in all of baseball. Perez, who is in his 13th MLB season after making his debut during the 2011 MLB schedule has played all 1,300 plus of his games with the Royals franchise.

Entering the 2023 MLB season, the Royals All-Star catcher had posted at least 20 home runs in six of the previous seven seasons.

Joining Perez on the list of the best MLB catchers in 2023 is Will Smith of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles, Sean Murphy of the Atlanta Braves, and Jonah Heim of the Texas Rangers. Here is a look at the Top 10 MLB Best Catchers 2023 Rankings.

Honorable Mention

Danny Jansen

Team: Toronto Blue Jays

Landing just outside of the Top 10 MLB Catchers 2023 Rankings is the Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen. On the year Jansen is currently hitting .207 for the Blue Jays over his first 36 games of the season before going down with a leg injury forcing him to the 10-day disabled list.

Over those first 36 games, Jansen has accumulated 121 total at bats while picking up 25 total hits including seven doubles and six home runs. Currently Jansen ranks 13th among catchers in doubles, tied for 9th in home runs, and tied for 6th with 26 runs batted in. 

Shea Langeliers

Team: Oakland A’s

One name that might not be familiar to many around Major League Baseball is the Oakland A’s catcher Shea Langeliers. Langeliers who appeared in 40 games last season has surpassed that total to start the 2023 MLB season.

Over his first 47 games of the season Langeliers is currently hitting .210 with 35 hits over his first 167 at bats. Among those 47 hits the A’s catcher has picked up six doubles, one triple and seven home runs.

In addition, Langeliers has racked up 17 runs scored, and 24 runs batted him to start the season while throwing out 15 of the 36 base runners trying to steal against him.

Top 10 Catchers

10. Tyler Stephenson

Team: Cincinnati Reds

Coming in at number 10 on the Top 10 MLB Catchers 2023 Rankings list is the Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson. Stephenson enters the final two days of May 2023 currently ranked in the top 10 in hits, batting average, doubles, and runs scored among all MLB catchers.

Currently the Reds catcher is batting .250 on the season with 10 doubles, two home runs, 21 runs batted in while scoring 23 times for the season.

9. Wilson Contreras

Team: St. Louis Cardinals

Over the past few seasons, the former Chicago Cubs catcher Wilson Contreras has ranked among the best hitting catchers in all of baseball. While his season has started off slow for his new St. Louis Cardinals team, the veteran catcher has still put together a solid start for the team over his first 189 at bats.

Through 189 at bats this season Contreras is batting .222 on the season while racking up 12 doubles and five home runs to go along with 25 runs batted in.

In addition to those numbers Contreras has added 23 walks, four stolen bases, 21 runs scored, and 25 runs batted in for a Cardinals team looking to compete in the NL Central.

8. Cal Raleigh

Team: Seattle Mariners

Coming off a strong 2022 MLB season in which Cal Raleigh posted 20 doubles, 27 home runs, and 63 runs batted in, the Seattle Mariners catcher has started off solid for the team in 2023. 

Raleigh is currently batting .232 on the season with 38 hits over his first 164 at bats to start the season. Over those 164 at bats, Raleigh has posted nine doubles, one triple, and eight home runs while driving in 25 runs and scoring 27 runs.

The Mariners catcher currently ranks 3rd among catchers in runs scored, tied for 9th in doubles, tied for 3rd in home runs, and tied for 8th in runs batted in. 

7. J.T. Realmuto

Team: Philadelphia Phillies

One of the best all around catchers in Major League Baseball is J.T. Realmuto of the Philadelphia Phillies. Realmuto currently ranks 5th in all of baseball in caught stealing percentage (.294 %) while throwing out 12 of the 30 base runners attempting to steal against him. 

Meanwhile at the plate Realmuto leads all catchers with 14 doubles and three triples over his first 169 at bats of the 2023 MLB season.

The Phillies catcher is batting .266 on the year with 16 runs scored and 17 runs batted in while posting a 1.3 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) mark. 

6. Elias Diaz

Team: Colorado Rockies

Looking around at the best catchers in baseball lands us another solid veteran who is putting together a strong 2023 MLB season. That catcher is the Colorado Rockies 32-year-old veteran Elias Diaz who is off to one of the best starts of his MLB career.

In 161 at bats over his first 47 games of the season, Diaz is currently batting .335 on the season with 54 hits over that stretch. Among those 54 hits, the Rockies veteran catcher has racked up 11 doubles and six home runs while driving in 27 runs to start the season.

Behind the plate Diaz currently leads all catchers with a 1.1 Defensive Wins Above Replacement (DWAR) while also throwing out 11 of the 20 base runners attempting to steal against him. 

5. Will Smith

Team: Los Angeles Dodgers

Rounding out the Top 5 catchers on the Top 10 MLB Catchers 2023 Rankings list is the Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith. Smith, who enters the 2023 MLB season coming off back-to-back 20 plus home runs seasons, is looking to repeat that success during the current season.

The Dodgers catcher is currently batting .305 on the year while posting a .411 on base percentage mark over his first 131 at bats of the season.

Over those at bats Smith has posted 40 hits including seven doubles and seven home runs while driving in 28 runs and picking up 25 total walks. 

4. Jonah Heim

Team: Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers continue to rank among the hottest teams in Major League Baseball while seeing production all across the plate, in the field as well as on the mound.

One player putting together a strong stat line to start the 2023 MLB season is Jonah Heim. The 27-year-old catcher is currently batting .277 on the season with 10 doubles and six home runs over 166 total at bats.

The numbers don’t stop there for the Rangers catcher who has also added 28 runs scored, two stolen bases, and 34 runs batted in. Currently Heim ranks tied for 4th in hits (46), tied for 6th in doubles, tied for 9th in home runs, and 2nd in runs batted in among MLB catchers in 2023. 

3. Adley Rutschman

Team: Baltimore Orioles

It is hard to put on paper how good Adley Rutschman is and how high he ranks among the best catchers in Major League Baseball.

The Baltimore Orioles catcher ranks among the best hitting catchers as well as one of the best defensive catchers in baseball while commanding a strong pitching staff during the 2023 MLB season.

Rutschman entered the final two days of May ranked 2nd among catchers while posting a .397 on base percentage mark. The Orioles catcher has also added seven doubles, eight home runs, 26 runs batted in, and 26 runs scored over his first 194 at bats of the season. 

2. Sean Murphy

Team: Atlanta Braves

In one of the biggest MLB off-season moves heading into the 2023 MLB season, the Atlanta Braves acquired veteran catcher Sean Murphy from the Oakland A’s.

The move has paid off for the Braves to start the season while Murphy ranks among the best catchers in baseball. Over his first 158 at bats this season Murphy has picked up 46 hits while posting a .291 batting average and a .404 on base percentage mark while leading all catchers.

Over those 158 at bats Murphy has scored 29 runs, picked up 10 doubles and 11 home runs while driving in 38 runs. Currently Murphy trails only Salvador Perez in home runs while also ranking 6th in doubles and leading all catchers with 38 runs batted in.

1. Salvador Perez

Team: Kansas City Royals

The longtime Kansas City Royals catcher continues to rank among the best catchers in baseball during the 2023 MLB season. Over his first 193 at bats during the 2023 MLB season, Salvador Perez has picked up 54 hits while posting a .280 batting average to go along with 12 doubles and 12 home runs.

The production doesn’t stop there as Perez has driven in 32 runs, scored 27 times and posted a 1.0 Wins Above Replacement mark while landing him atop the Top 10 MLB Catchers 2023 Rankings list through the first two months of the MLB season.

How would you rank these catchers in the 2023 MLB season? Rank below to be added in the MLB Power Rankings.

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