List of Major League Baseball career assists as a catcher leaders
In baseball, an assist (denoted by A) is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is credited to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball (after it has been hit by the batter) prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional. For example, if a ball strikes a player's leg and bounces off him to another fielder, who tags the baserunner, the first player is credited with an assist. A fielder can receive a maximum of one assist per out recorded. An assist is also credited if a putout would have occurred, had another fielder not committed an error. For example, a shortstop might field a ground ball cleanly, but the first baseman might drop his throw. In this case, an error would be charged to the first baseman, and the shortstop would be credited with an assist.
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his/her turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to these primary duties, the catcher is also called upon to master many other skills in order to field the position well. The role of the catcher is similar to that of the wicket-keeper in cricket.
Deacon McGuire[1][2] is the all-time leader with 1,860 career assists. Only 48 catchers have recorded 1,000 or more career assists, with Yadier Molina[3] being the only one active.
Key[]
Rank | Rank amongst leaders in career assists. A blank field indicates a tie. |
Player (2021 As) | Number of recorded assists during the 2021 Major League Baseball season. |
A | Total career assists. |
* | Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame. |
---|---|
Bold | Denotes active player.[a] |
List[]
- Stats updated as of the 2021 season
Rank | Player (2021 As) | A |
---|---|---|
1 | Deacon McGuire | 1,860 |
2 | Ray Schalk * | 1,811 |
3 | Steve O'Neill | 1,698 |
4 | Red Dooin | 1,590 |
5 | Charles Zimmer | 1,580 |
6 | Johnny Kling | 1,554 |
7 | Ivey Wingo | 1,487 |
8 | Wilbert Robinson * | 1,454 |
9 | Bill Bergen | 1,444 |
Pop Snyder | 1,444 | |
11 | Wally Schang | 1,420 |
12 | Duke Farrell | 1,418 |
13 | George Gibson | 1,386 |
14 | Oscar Stanage | 1,381 |
15 | Malachi Kittridge | 1,363 |
16 | Lou Criger | 1,342 |
17 | Frank Snyder | 1,332 |
18 | Bill Killefer | 1,319 |
19 | Billy Sullivan | 1,314 |
20 | Jack Warner | 1,309 |
21 | Gabby Hartnett * | 1,254 |
22 | Bill Rariden | 1,231 |
23 | Iván Rodríguez * | 1,227 |
24 | Gary Carter * | 1,203 |
25 | Roger Bresnahan * | 1,195 |
26 | Bob Boone | 1,174 |
27 | Muddy Ruel | 1,136 |
28 | Rick Ferrell * | 1,127 |
29 | Al López * | 1,115 |
30 | Hank Severeid | 1,112 |
31 | Heinie Peitz | 1,095 |
32 | Eddie Ainsmith | 1,088 |
33 | Luke Sewell | 1,084 |
34 | Jack Clements | 1,082 |
35 | Frank Bowerman | 1,077 |
36 | Silver Flint | 1,071 |
37 | Otto Miller | 1,053 |
38 | Charlie Bennett | 1,048 |
Carlton Fisk * | 1,048 | |
40 | Tony Peña | 1,045 |
41 | Yadier Molina (49) | 1,037 |
Cy Perkins | 1,037 | |
43 | Ed McFarland | 1,024 |
44 | Buck Ewing * | 1,017 |
45 | Bill Holbert | 1,013 |
46 | Jim Sundberg | 1,007 |
47 | Doc Bushong | 1,001 |
48 | Hank Gowdy | 1,000 |
49 | Chief Meyers | 996 |
50 | Pat Moran | 990 |
Rank | Player (2021 As) | A |
---|---|---|
51 | Jason Kendall | 989 |
52 | Jack O'Connor | 987 |
53 | Bob O'Farrell | 980 |
Lance Parrish | 980 | |
55 | Jimmy Archer | 979 |
56 | Ossee Schrecongost | 969 |
57 | Benito Santiago | 960 |
58 | Brad Ausmus | 956 |
59 | Bill Dickey * | 954 |
60 | Russell Martin | 941 |
61 | Jimmie Wilson | 931 |
62 | Ted Simmons * | 915 |
63 | Larry McLean | 905 |
64 | Rollie Hemsley | 897 |
65 | Connie Mack * | 864 |
66 | Joe Sugden | 861 |
67 | Walter Schmidt | 858 |
68 | King Kelly * | 857 |
69 | Bill Carrigan | 854 |
70 | Ed Sweeney | 852 |
71 | Johnny Bench * | 850 |
72 | Ernie Lombardi * | 845 |
73 | Mickey Cochrane * | 840 |
74 | Mike González | 838 |
75 | John Henry | 826 |
76 | Jocko Milligan | 825 |
77 | A. J. Pierzynski | 823 |
78 | Boileryard Clarke | 806 |
79 | Gus Mancuso | 803 |
80 | Yogi Berra * | 798 |
81 | Art Wilson | 796 |
82 | Admiral Schlei | 792 |
83 | Sam Agnew | 773 |
84 | Rick Dempsey | 768 |
85 | Pop Schriver | 764 |
86 | Del Crandall | 759 |
87 | Darrell Porter | 754 |
88 | Zack Taylor | 752 |
89 | Les Nunamaker | 745 |
90 | Gabby Street | 744 |
91 | Thurman Munson | 742 |
92 | Mike Scioscia | 737 |
93 | Mike Piazza * | 733 |
94 | Val Picinich | 732 |
95 | Brian McCann | 729 |
96 | Doc Powers | 724 |
97 | Bill Freehan | 721 |
98 | Johnny Bassler | 708 |
99 | Johnny Edwards | 703 |
100 | John Grim | 696 |
Jorge Posada | 696 |
Notes[]
- ^ A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or not played for a full season.
References[]
- ^ "Deacon McGuire Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- ^ Bigelow, Robert W. "Deacon Mcguire Bio". Society For American Baseball Research. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- ^ "Yadier Molina Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
External links[]
- "Career Leaders & Records for Assists as C". Baseball-Reference.com.
- Major League Baseball statistics
- Major League Baseball lists