It's time to put a bow on the 2024 MLB season with Bleacher Report's final positional rankings of the year.

Throughout the 2024 campaign, we released monthly updates to our position-by-position rankings, selecting the top 10 players at each spot. Now it's time to finalize that exercise while expanding the list to the 25 best at each position.

Just like the regular-season rankings, past production and future expectations played no part in deciding the order—this is simply a rundown of the best and brightest of 2024.

There were no specific qualifications for inclusion, though each player was only eligible to appear in these rankings at one position.

Now let's dive into the top 25 catchers of the 2024 season.

Catch up on the Top 25 in 2024 series: First Basemen, Second Basemen, Third Basemen, Shortstops, Outfielders

Honorable Mentions

These catchers received preliminary consideration but fell short of earning a spot in the Top 25:

Miguel Amaya, CHC
Victor Caratini, HOU
Adrian Del Castillo, ARI
Elias Díaz, COL/SD
Freddy Fermin, KC
Nick Fortes, MIA
Yasmani Grandal, PIT
Jonah Heim, TEX
Danny Jansen, TOR/BOS
Carson Kelly, DET/TEX
Sean Murphy, ATL
Bo Naylor, CLE
Ben Rortvedt, TB
Jose Trevino, NYY

Nos. 25-21

25. Jake Rogers, Detroit Tigers

Rogers seized the Tigers starting catcher job in 2023 with a 21-homer season, and while he did not put up the same power numbers this year, he did a terrific job anchoring the staff while being named a Gold Glove finalist. The 29-year-old is the last player standing in Detroit from the Justin Verlander trade with the Astros.

24. Keibert Ruiz, Washington Nationals

Ruiz looked like a potential breakout candidate after a strong second half to the 2023 season, and while he did not take a major step forward, he remains a core piece of the Nationals' rebuilding efforts. The 26-year-old hit .229/.260/.359 with 21 doubles, 13 home runs and 57 RBI in 127 games.

23. Jacob Stallings, Colorado Rockies

The 2021 NL Gold Glove winner with the Pirates, Stallings struggled through a pair of negative-WAR seasons with the Marlins before landing on his feet with the Rockies in 2024. The 34-year-old hit .263/.357/.453 for a 118 OPS+ with 27 extra-base hits in 281 plate appearances, and the Rockies re-signed him to a one-year, $2.5 million deal on Wednesday to serve as a platoon partner and mentor to Drew Romo.

22. Iván Herrera, St. Louis Cardinals

In his first extended MLB action, Herrera hit .301/.372/.428 with 18 extra-base hits in 259 plate appearances, though he nabbed just 4-of-59 base stealers behind the plate. With Willson Contreras set to shift to first base to replace the departing Paul Goldschmidt, Herrera will be the primary catcher in 2025.

21. Kyle Higashioka, San Diego Padres

A throw-in of sorts in the blockbuster deal that sent Juan Soto to the Yankees last offseason, Higashioka ended up having a career year with the Padres. He posted a 101 OPS+ with 10 doubles, 17 home runs and 45 RBI in 263 plate appearances, and now he hits free agency as one of the top catchers on the market. A reunion with the Padres makes sense for both sides this winter.

Nos. 20-16

20. Travis d'Arnaud, Atlanta Braves

With Sean Murphy limited by injuries, d'Arnaud was Atlanta's most productive catcher in 2024, hitting .238/.302/.436 with 16 doubles, 15 home runs and 48 RBI in 341 plate appearances. The 35-year-old had his club option declined at the start of the offseason to clear a path for top prospect Drake Baldwin, and he landed with the Angels on a two-year, $12 million deal.

19. Connor Wong, Boston Red Sox

Wong looked like little more than a place-holder starter behind the plate for the Red Sox going into the 2024 season, but he ended up being one of the team's most consistent offensive players. The 28-year-old hit .280/.333/.425 for a 110 OPS+ with 24 doubles, 13 home runs and 52 RBI, and with club control through 2028, he will bridge the gap to top prospect Kyle Teel.

18. Joey Bart, San Francisco Giants/Pittsburgh Pirates

The catcher of the future for the Giants from the moment he was taken No. 2 overall in the 2018 draft, Bart never lived up to expectations in San Francisco and was designated for assignment shortly after Opening Day and traded to Pittsburgh. The 27-year-old thrived with the change of scenery, posting a 120 OPS+ with 11 doubles, 13 home runs and 45 RBI in 80 games, and now the Pirates have an answer behind the plate through 2027.

17. Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays

Kirk has not matched the offensive production that won him 2022 AL Silver Slugger honors, but he has developed into a well-rounded overall catcher. The 26-year-old hit .253/.319/.359 with 25 extra-base hits in 386 plate appearances, and he nabbed 31.0 percent of base stealers while also ranking among the best pitch-framers in baseball.

16. Francisco Alvarez, New York Mets

The numbers for Alvarez don't jump off the page, as he hit .237/.307/.403 for a 101 OPS+ with 14 doubles, 11 home runs and 47 RBI in 100 games, but that doesn't tell the entire story of his value to the Mets. The team went 65-35 (.650) when he was in the lineup, compared to 24-38 (.387) when he was injured or on the bench. That is more than just an interesting coincidence.

Nos. 15-11

15. Gabriel Moreno, Arizona Diamondbacks

Moreno had a 4.3-WAR season in 2023 and won NL Gold Glove honors while helping the D-backs reach the World Series. An adductor injury limited him to just 97 games this year and seemingly sapped some of his power, but he still posted a 105 OPS+ in 351 plate appearances while providing quality defense in a 2.6-WAR campaign.

14. Ryan Jeffers, Minnesota Twins

Jeffers had a breakout offensive season in 2023 when he posted a 133 OPS+ with 14 home runs and 3.3 WAR in 96 games. The 27-year-old did not quite maintain that level of production in an expanded role, but he still finished with a 103 OPS+ while tallying 22 doubles, 21 home runs and 64 RBI in a career-high 465 plate appearances.

13. Logan O'Hoppe, Los Angeles Angels

O'Hoppe showed flashes during an injury-plagued rookie season, launching 14 home runs in 59 games, and he solidified his status as the catcher of the present and future for the Angels with a strong 2024 campaign. The 24-year-old hit .244/.303/.409 with 17 doubles, 20 home runs and 56 RBI in 136 games, and he also caught 26.3 percent of base stealers in a 2.7-WAR season.

12. J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies

One of the best catchers of his era, Realmuto is still going strong at 33 years old, and he hit .266/.322/.429 for a 109 OPS+ with 18 doubles, 14 home runs and 47 RBI in 99 games in 2024. Despite missing time to knee surgery, he still logged his seventh straight season—excluding the shortened 2020 campaign—with at least 3.0 WAR.

11. Willson Contreras, St. Louis Cardinals

Contreras was as productive as any catcher in baseball when healthy, hitting .262/.380/.468 for a 136 OPS+ with 17 doubles, 15 home runs and 36 RBI. However, it's tough to rank him any higher when he only played 84 games, as a fractured forearm cost him 40 games during the first half and a fractured finger ended his season prematurely on Aug. 24. The 32-year-old is set to shift to first base in 2025.

10. Patrick Bailey, San Francisco Giants

Stats: 84 OPS+, .234/.298/.339, 25 XBH (8 HR), 46 RBI, 27.1 CS%, 1.8 WAR

Watching Joey Bart thrive in Pittsburgh after he was cut loose by the San Francisco Giants was a bit easier to swallow when Patrick Bailey took home the first of what could be many NL Gold Gloves.

The 25-year-old has been an elite defensive catcher from the moment he debuted in the big leagues, and his 20 Defensive Runs Saved led all backstops, including AL Platinum Glove winner Cal Raleigh.

He is good enough defensively that anything he produces in the batter's box is icing on the cake.

9. Shea Langeliers, Oakland Athletics

Stats: 111 OPS+, .224/.288/.450, 49 XBH (29 HR), 80 RBI, 26.9 CS%, 2.9 WAR

Shea Langeliers was the prospect centerpiece of the trade that sent Matt Olson to the Atlanta Braves for a reason, and after flashing some playable power in 2023, he showed a more complete offensive game this year.

• 2023: 135 G, 490 PA, 89 OPS+, 45 XBH, 22 HR, 29.2 K%
• 2024: 137 G, 534 PA, 111 OPS+, 49 XBH, 29 HR, 27.2 K%

He ranked second among all catchers in home runs (29) and defensive innings behind the plate (1,108.2), as he started 123 games at the catcher position for an Oakland team building toward the future.

8. Austin Wells, New York Yankees

Stats: 103 OPS+, .229/.322/.395, 32 XBH (13 HR), 55 RBI, 25.6 CS%, 2.5 WAR

After hitting .216 with a .687 OPS and only 15 extra-base hits during the first half of the season, Austin Wells found his stroke at the plate during the second half of the season, eventually playing his way into the cleanup spot in the Yankees lineup.

In July and August, he hit a combined .303/.389/.549 with 16 extra-base hits, nine home runs and 29 RBI in 168 plate appearances over 44 games, giving a glimpse of the type of production he is capable of once he reaches his prime.

The 25-year-old was also better than expected defensively behind the plate, and he trailed only Patrick Bailey and Cal Raleigh in terms of overall pitch-framing value. Even after slumping in September and going 6-for-50 with 22 strikeouts in the playoffs, his future looks incredibly bright.

7. Tyler Stephenson, Cincinnati Reds

Stats: 112 OPS+, .258/.338/.444, 46 XBH (19 HR), 66 RBI, 18.2 CS%, 2.4 WAR

In his fourth full season in the majors, Tyler Stephenson put together a career year offensively, posting personal best marks in hits (118), extra-base hits (46), doubles (26), home runs (19), RBI (66), runs scored (69), total bases (203) and WAR (2.4).

The 28-year-old has shown flashes of that production in years past but had never put it together for a full, healthy season until 2024 when he was one of the most productive players in the Reds lineup.

He is a solid overall defender, and was one of only six catchers to tally at least 1,000 innings behind the plate defensively.

6. Yainer Diaz, Houston Astros

Stats: 118 OPS+, .299/.325/.441, 48 XBH (16 HR), 84 RBI, 22.9 CS%, 3.2 WAR

After splitting his time between catcher, first base and designated hitter, Yainer Diaz took over as the Houston Astros primary backstop in 2024 following the departure of veteran Martín Maldonado in free agency.

Despite his time behind the plate more than doubling from 339 to 882 innings, he was again a standout offensive player, ranking second on the Houston roster with 84 RBI on the strength of a gaudy .346/.353/.509 line over 173 plate appearances with runners in scoring position.

The 26-year-old still has work to do refining his defensive game, and his 3.9 percent walk rate is severely limiting his on-base value, but it's hard to argue with his production the last two years.

5. Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles

Stats: 107 OPS+, .250/.318/.391, 41 XBH (19 HR), 79 RBI, 18.8 CS%, 3.4 WAR

Few players dealt with a more dramatic dip in production after the All-Star break than Adley Rutschman, but he was so good during the first half of the season that it's difficult to figure out where to slot him in the overall rankings.

• 1st Half: 90 G, 404 PA, .780 OPS, 28 XBH (16 HR), 59 RBI
• 2nd Half: 58 G, 234 PA, .585 OPS, 13 XBH (3 HR), 20 RBI

With top prospect Samuel Basallo knocking on the door, the Orioles might benefit from finding a way to give Rutschman a day or two per week to serve as designated hitter and get some needed rest so he doesn't run out of gas.

The 26-year-old is No. 5 in these rankings, but he still might be the first catcher taken in a hypothetical expansion draft.

4. Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers

Stats: 116 OPS+, .248/.327/.433, 46 XBH (20 HR), 75 RBI, 33.3 CS%, 3.5 WAR

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Will Smith to a 10-year, $140 million extension in March, and while he cooled off down the stretch, he still put together another strong all-around season of middle-of-the-order run production and strong defense.

The 29-year-old has averaged 23 doubles, 22 home runs, 79 RBI and 3.8 WAR over the past four seasons, posting a 121 OPS during that stretch while also earning back-to-back All-Star selections and earning a nod as a Gold Glove finalist.

When everything is clicking, Smith is as good as any catcher in baseball, but a .626 OPS after the All-Star break was enough to keep him from climbing any higher in these rankings.

3. Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals

Stats: 119 OPS+, .271/.330/.456, 55 XBH (27 HR), 104 RBI, 22.9 CS%, 2.6 WAR

Salvador Perez has been one of the best offensive catchers in baseball for the past decade, and he logged the eighth 20-homer season of his career in 2024 while also reaching the 100-RBI mark for the second time.

He now ranks 10th on the all-time home run list among catchers with 273 long balls, and Jorge Posada (275) and Brian McCann (282) are both in his sights heading into the 2025 season.

The 34-year-old also quietly logged a career-high 6.7 percent walk rate in 2024 after years of hovering around a .300 on-base percentage, and he remains a key run producer in the middle of a Kansas City lineup on the rise.

2. William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers

Stats: 129 OPS+, .281/.365/.466, 62 XBH (23 HR), 92 RBI, 22.6 CS%, 4.9 WAR

An All-Star starter, Silver Slugger winner and First Team All-MLB selection, William Contreras was one of baseball's most productive catchers during the 2024 season.

The 26-year-old led the Milwaukee Brewers in OPS+ (129), hits (167) and WAR (4.9) while posting career-high marks in home runs (23) and RBI (92) hitting in the middle of the Milwaukee lineup.

He also threw out 22.6 percent of base stealers, graded out as an average pitch-framer and hit .310/.417/.532 over 192 plate appearances with runners in scoring position, and he could be an early extension candidate this winter even with free agency still three years away.

1. Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners

Stats: 119 OPS+, .220/.312/.436, 50 XBH (34 HR), 100 RBI, 28.3 CS%, 4.6 WAR

Cal Raleigh became the first catcher with back-to-back 30-homer seasons since Mike Piazza when he led all catchers with 34 long balls in 2024, and that production was hugely important to a Seattle Mariners offense lacking in pop.

On offensive production alone, Raleigh would be a top-10 player at the position, but he also took home Gold Glove and Platinum Glove honors as an elite defensive backstop who was also tasked with receiving the best starting rotation in baseball.

The 27-year-old was a third-round pick and the seventh catcher off the board in the 2018 draft, and he is well on his way to becoming the greatest catcher in Mariners franchise history.