As the offseason approaches, MLBTR will kick off our annual position by position look at the upcoming free agent class. We’ll begin with the catchers, headlined by one of the top position players on the market. The Giants, Angels, Rangers, Reds, Pirates and Yankees are among the teams who could be in the mix for catching.
Player ages are for the 2027 season. Only players who appeared in MLB this year are included, and any player whose contract contains a mutual option is expected to become a free agent.
Top of the Class
Ryan Jeffers (30)Jeffers ranked among MLBTR’s top 10 overall free agents in our final in-season power ranking published just this afternoon. He’s the only catcher who received any consideration and should easily command the largest contract of anyone at the position.
An above-average offensive catcher for the past four seasons, Jeffers was off to the best start of his career until suffering a hamate fracture in his left wrist on May 18. He underwent surgery and missed two months. Jeffers hasn’t been quite as good since coming back but is still hitting at an above-average level in the second half. He’s batting .259/.360/.476 with 14 homers and the best strikeout and walk profile of his career across 85 games.
Jeffers is a serviceable but unexceptional defender. He’s about average at framing and a little below par as a blocker. He has thrown out just seven of 62 basestealers this season, his fourth straight year with a below-average caught stealing rate.
The Twins are likely to issue Jeffers a qualifying offer, which he figures to decline in search of a multi-year contract. The Boras Corporation client could take aim at a four-year deal, which we haven’t seen for a free agent catcher since Willson Contreras in 2022. Jeffers isn’t as accomplished as Contreras was when he commanded five years and $87.5MM, but a four-year pact at a similar annual value would land around $70MM.
Regulars
Carson Kelly (32)The Cubs have gotten a good return on their two-year, $11.5MM deal with Kelly. (He’ll be paid a $1.5MM buyout when he declines his end of a $7.5MM mutual option for next year.) He has been an above-average hitter in both seasons, combining to hit .256/.337/.408 across 826 plate appearances on the North Side. He’s a steady hand defensively, a capable pitch framer and excellent blocker with an average arm.
At age 32, Kelly’s young enough to command another two-year deal. He should land something similar to or slightly above the $14-15MM range that Victor Caratini and Danny Jansen commanded last offseason. The Cubs might be content to move on despite Kelly’s solid work, as they can call upon prospect Owen Ayers to split time with Miguel Amaya in 2027.
Tyler Stephenson (30)Stephenson seemed an obvious deadline trade candidate — so much so that he told Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer that “it’s been a fun ride” as he braced for a move on August 3. It never came. The Reds apparently didn’t find an offer to their liking and held Stephenson for the final couple months. There hasn’t been any suggestion they’d consider a $23.1MM qualifying offer — Stephenson would presumably accept that in a heartbeat — so it still seems likely he’ll wind up elsewhere in 2027.
A former first-round pick, Stephenson has carved out a nice career as a bat-first catcher. He’s been heathy this year (though he left today’s game early with cramping) after fighting through a handful of injuries early in his career. Stephenson started the season terribly until his bat picked up in June. He’s up to a league average .247/.330/.418 line with 15 homers across 440 plate appearances.
Stephenson is a solid hitter against pitchers of either handedness who has five double-digit home run seasons under his belt. He’s an above-average offensive catcher but gives back some value behind the dish. He’s toward the bottom of the league in average pop time — at 6’3″, he has one of the slower exchanges in the game — and isn’t a good pitch framer. He negates some of the framing deficiencies by overturning a lot of calls via the ABS challenge system, and he’s an excellent blocker.
Given his relative youth and pedigree, Stephenson should command the second-largest contract in the catching class. A solid two-year deal feels like the floor with an outside chance at getting three years or an eight-figure average annual value.
Backups
Elias Díaz (36)The Rangers signed Díaz midseason after he’d been released by the Royals. The former All-Star Game MVP has combined for 83 games, hitting .239/.270/.402 with seven homers in 226 plate appearances. He’s one of the better catch-and-throw backstops in the league and has turned himself into a solid receiver late in his career. It’s not the highest ceiling offensive profile, yet it wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s able to snag an incentive-laden big league deal.
Austin Hedges (34)It has become an annual tradition for Hedges to sign with the Guardians for $4MM. He’s made the same base salary in three consecutive years. Cleveland typically lives with league-worst offense from Hedges because they’re so enamored with his receiving ability and leadership. He’s quietly put together one of the best offensive seasons of his career, batting .251/.325/.369 in 232 plate appearances.
No one’s going to suddenly mistake Hedges for a Silver Slugger winner, but he has enough left in the tank that he’ll command another big league deal. While it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise if Cleveland brings him back, they’ll need to weigh that against the possibility of giving more playing time to prospect Cooper Ingle in a time share with Patrick Bailey.
Kyle Higashioka (37)Higahioka is playing out a two-year deal with Texas. He’ll be paid a $1MM buyout when the Rangers decline their end of a $7MM mutual option. Higashioka has provided some pop with low on-base marks over two years in Arlington. He hasn’t played a major league game in two months because of a flexor strain that’ll prevent him from catching again this year. He could return in the coming days as a bench bat.
James McCann (37)McCann is playing his second season in Arizona on a $2.75MM deal. He missed six weeks midseason with a quad strain but has otherwise been a respectable backup behind Gabriel Moreno. He’s hitting .282/.313/.430 across 48 games. The defense hasn’t been as impressive, as he’s just 7-46 in throwing out baserunners.
Gary Sánchez (34)Sánchez doesn’t get to play often as the backup behind William Contreras, who’s in the lineup as much as any catcher in MLB. He has taken advantage of his opportunities, though, connecting on 11 home runs across 258 plate appearances. He’s not hitting for average but drawing enough walks to post a strong .353 on-base percentage. Blocking has never been a strong suit and his arm is more solid than great at this stage of his career. He’ll command another big league deal, probably with a slight pay bump over this year’s $1.75MM salary.
Christian Vázquez (36)Vázquez has backed up Yainer Diaz in his return to Houston. He hit well in April but has a .176/.229/.273 line going back to the beginning of May. Vázquez remains a solid defender and has plenty of experience. He’s still likely looking at minor league offers given the complete lack of offense over the past four seasons.
Third/Fourth Catchers
Travis d’Arnaud (38) Aramis Garcia (34)* Mitch Garver (36) Eric Haase (34)* Jonah Heim (32) P.J. Higgins (34)* Sam Huff (29)* Blake Hunt (28)* Sandy León (38) Luke Maile (36) Reese McGuire (32) Chuckie Robinson (32)* Jake Rogers (32) Ben Rortvedt (29)* César Salazar (31)* Chadwick Tromp (32)* Austin Wynns (36)** Likely to qualify for minor league free agency
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