List of Major League Baseball career games played as a catcher leaders

Last updated April 25, 2024

Games played (most often abbreviated as G or GP) is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated (in any capacity); the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested. In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game, are included on a starting lineup card or are announced as ex ante substitutes, whether or not they play;^[1] however, in Major League Baseball, the application of this statistic does not extend to consecutive games played streaks. A starting pitcher, then, may be credited with a game played even if he is not credited with a game started or an inning pitched. The 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. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the catcher is assigned the number 2.

Because catching is generally regarded as the most grueling position in baseball, catchers have historically played fewer games than any other non-pitching position; it is still unusual for a player to catch all of their team's games for even a month. Only eight players in history have caught in all of their team's games over the course of a season; five of those achieved the feat in the 19th century, when the seasons were generally much shorter, and the other three did so during World War II, when player availability was sharply limited.^[2] Prior to 1944, only seven players caught 145 games in a season, none more than once. When Bob Boone became the first player to catch 2,000 major league games in 1988, it was over a quarter century after every other non-pitching position had seen a player reach that milestone. But in recent decades, the workload of top major league catchers has gradually increased, and the top ten career leaders all made their major league debuts after 1968.

Iván Rodríguez ^[3]^[4]^[5] is the all-time leader in games played as a catcher, playing 2,427 games at the position.^[6] Carlton Fisk ^[7] (2,226), Bob Boone^[8] (2,225), Yadier Molina ^[9] (2,184), Gary Carter ^[10] (2,056) and Jason Kendall ^[11] (2,025) are the only other players to play 2,000 or more games as a catcher. Molina, of the St. Louis Cardinals, is the only player to catch 2,000 games with one team.^[12]^[13]^[14]

Key

Rank	Rank amongst leaders in career games caught. A blank field indicates a tie.
Player (2024 Gs)	Number of games played during the 2024 Major League Baseball season
MLB	Total career games played as a catcher in Major League Baseball
*	Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame
Bold	Denotes active player^{[lower-alpha 1]}

List

Salvador Perez, the active leader in career games played as a catcher and 75th all-time. SalvadorPerezkccaptain2023.jpg — Salvador Pérez, the active leader in career games played as a catcher and 75th all-time.

Stats updated as of April 23, 2024.

Rank	Player (2024 Gs)	Games as catcher			Other leagues, notes
Rank	Player (2024 Gs)	MLB	American League	National League	Other leagues, notes
1	Iván Rodríguez*	2,427	2,060	367
2	Carlton Fisk*	2,226	2,226	0	Held major league record, 1993-2009
3	Bob Boone	2,225	1,130	1,095	Held major league record, 1987-1993
4	Yadier Molina	2,184	0	2,184
5	Gary Carter*	2,056	0	2,056	Held National League record, 1990-2021
6	Jason Kendall	2,025	486	1,539
7	Tony Peña	1,950	767	1,183
8	Brad Ausmus	1,938	350	1,588
9	A. J. Pierzynski	1,936	1,624	312
10	Jim Sundberg	1,927	1,850	77	Holds AL single-season record of 155 (tied record in 1975)
11	Al López*	1,918	57	1,861	Held major league record, 1945-1987; held NL record, 1945-1990
12	Benito Santiago	1,917	159	1,758
13	Lance Parrish	1,818	1,536	282
14	Rick Ferrell*	1,806	1,806	0	Held American League record, 1945-1988
15	Gabby Hartnett*	1,793	0	1,793	Held major league record, 1939-1945; held NL record, 1934-1945
16	Ted Simmons*	1,771	297	1,474
17	Johnny Bench*	1,742	0	1,742
18	Ray Schalk*	1,727	1,722	5	Held major league record, 1925-1939; held AL record, 1920-1945; held single-season record, 1920-1944
19	Bill Dickey*	1,708	1,708	0
20	Yogi Berra*	1,699	1,697	2
21	Rick Dempsey	1,633	1,444	189
22	Mike Piazza*	1,630	0	1,630
23	Jim Hegan	1,629	1,536	93
24	Brian McCann	1,612	483	1,129
	Deacon McGuire	1,612	359	1,026	Includes 227 in American Association; held major league record, 1900-1925; held the single-season record, 1895-1908
26	Bill Freehan	1,581	1,581	0
27	Russell Martin	1,579	651	928
28	Jorge Posada	1,574	1,574	0
29	Sherm Lollar	1,571	1,571	0
30	Luke Sewell	1,562	1,562	0
31	Ernie Lombardi*	1,544	0	1,544
32	Kurt Suzuki	1,540	1,145	395
33	Steve O'Neill	1,532	1,532	0
34	Darrell Porter	1,506	1,006	500
35	Jason Varitek	1,488	1,488	0
36	Rollie Hemsley	1,482	1,024	458
37	Del Crandall	1,479	49	1,430
38	John Roseboro	1,476	258	1,218
39	Mickey Cochrane*	1,451	1,451	0
40	Ramón Hernández	1,447	957	490
41	Wally Schang	1,435	1,435	0
42	Muddy Ruel	1,410	1,410	0
43	Mike Scioscia	1,395	0	1,395
44	Johnny Edwards	1,392	0	1,392
45	Tim McCarver	1,387	15	1,372
46	Terry Steinbach	1,381	1,381	0
47	Terry Kennedy	1,378	221	1,157
48	Gus Mancuso	1,360	0	1,360
49	Javy López	1,351	245	1,106
	Jimmie Wilson	1,351	0	1,351
51	Roy Campanella*	1,349	0	1,183	Includes 166 in Negro National League (incomplete)
52	Jerry Grote	1,348	22	1,326
53	Bob O'Farrell	1,338	0	1,338	Held National League record, 1933-1934
54	Sandy Alomar Jr.	1,324	1,256	68
55	Wilbert Robinson*	1,316	154	715	Includes 447 in American Association; held major league record, 1899-1900
56	Frankie Hayes	1,311	1,311	0	Held single-season record, 1944-1968; holds AL single-season record of 155 (set in 1944)
57	Alan Ashby	1,299	398	901
58	Mike Matheny	1,285	389	896
	Bengie Molina	1,285	839	446
60	Spud Davis	1,282	0	1,282
61	Dan Wilson	1,281	1,237	44
62	Rick Cerone	1,279	1,079	200
63	Thurman Munson	1,278	1,278	0
64	Del Rice	1,249	31	1,218
65	Joe Girardi	1,247	374	873
	Frank Snyder	1,247	0	1,247	Held National League record, 1927-1933
	Butch Wynegar	1,247	1,247	0
68	Ernie Whitt	1,246	1,187	59
69	Chief Zimmer	1,239	0	1,162	Includes 77 in American Association; held the single-season record, 1890-1895
70	Don Slaught	1,237	793	444
71	Ivey Wingo	1,233	0	1,233
72	Steve Yeager	1,230	49	1,181
73	Hank Severeid	1,225	1,181	44
74	Walker Cooper	1,223	0	1,223
75	Salvador Pérez (15)	1,215	1,215	0
76	Andy Seminick	1,213	0	1,213
77	Tom Haller	1,199	36	1,163
78	Malachi Kittridge	1,197	242	955
79	Red Dooin	1,195	0	1,195	Held National League record, 1915-1927
80	George Gibson	1,194	0	1,194	Held single-season record, 1908-1920; held NL single-season record, 1908-1944
81	Mickey Owen	1,175	30	1,145
82	Mike Lieberthal	1,170	0	1,170
83	Johnny Kling	1,169	0	1,169	Held National League record, 1913-1915
84	Charles Johnson	1,160	280	880
85	Darrin Fletcher	1,143	516	627
	Brent Mayne	1,143	703	440
87	Smoky Burgess	1,139	7	1,132
88	Elston Howard	1,138	1,138	0
89	Chris Iannetta	1,122	473	649
	Billy Sullivan	1,122	1,034	88	Held AL single-season record, 1906-1911
91	Manny Sanguillén	1,114	77	1,037
92	Cy Perkins	1,111	1,111	0
93	Birdie Tebbetts	1,108	1,108	0
94	Phil Masi	1,101	217	884
95	Jonathan Lucroy	1,098	303	795
96	Todd Hundley	1,096	0	1,096
97	Buster Posey	1,093	0	1,093
98	Earl Battey	1,087	1,087	0
99	Carlos Ruiz	1,085	47	1,038
100	Mike Heath	1,083	975	108

Other Hall of Famers

Player	Games as catcher			Other leagues, notes
Player	MLB	American League	National League	Other leagues, notes
Roger Bresnahan*	974	91	883
Joe Mauer*	921	921	0
Joe Torre*	903	0	903
Buck Ewing*	636	0	555	Includes 81 in Players' League; held NL single-season record, 1889-1890
Biz Mackey*	617	0	0	Includes 242 in Negro National League (second), 209 in Eastern Colored League, 116 in Negro National League (first), 50 in American Negro League (incomplete)
Connie Mack*	610	0	498	Includes 112 in Players' League
King Kelly*	584	0	457	Includes 70 in American Association, 57 in Players' League
Josh Gibson*	513	0	0	Includes 512 in Negro National League (second), 1 in Negro National League (first) (incomplete)
Deacon White*	458	0	226	Includes 232 in National Association; held major league record, 1874-1881; held single-season record, 1873-1879
Craig Biggio*	428	0	428
Jim O'Rourke*	231	0	209	Includes 22 in National Association
Jimmie Foxx*	108	106	2
Louis Santop*	91	0	0	Includes 91 in Eastern Colored League (incomplete)

Notes

↑ A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or not played for a full season.

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References

↑ Section 20 of the official scorer guidelines
↑ "Iron Man Catchers". Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
↑ "Iván Rodríguez Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
↑ "Iván Rodríguez Hall of Fame Profile". National Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
↑ West, Steve. "Ivan Rodriguez Bio". Society For American Baseball Research. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
↑ "Rodriguez's records won't be easy to catch". ESPN. April 18, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
↑ "Carlton Fisk Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
↑ "Bob Boone Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
↑ "Yadier Molina Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
↑ "Gary Carter Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
↑ "Jason Kendall Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
↑ Axisa, Mike (April 14, 2021). "Cardinals' Yadier Molina becomes first MLB player to catch 2,000 games with one team". CBS Sports. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
↑ Silver, Zachary (April 14, 2021). "Yadier Molina Catches 2,000th Game". MLB.com. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
↑ Rivera, Joe (April 14, 2021). "Yadier Molina enters MLB record books with 2,000th game caught with Cardinals". Sporting News. Retrieved April 15, 2021.

External links

"Career Leaders & Records for Def. Games as C". Baseball-Reference.com.

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[15] A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or not played for a full season.

[1] Section 20 of the official scorer guidelines

[2] "Iron Man Catchers". Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers. Retrieved September 7, 2022.

[3] "Iván Rodríguez Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved August 6, 2019.

[4] "Iván Rodríguez Hall of Fame Profile". National Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 6, 2019.

[5] West, Steve. "Ivan Rodriguez Bio". Society For American Baseball Research. Retrieved August 2, 2021.

[6] "Rodriguez's records won't be easy to catch". ESPN. April 18, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2019.

[7] "Carlton Fisk Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved August 6, 2019.

[8] "Bob Boone Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved August 6, 2019.

[9] "Yadier Molina Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved April 15, 2021.

[10] "Gary Carter Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved August 6, 2019.

[11] "Jason Kendall Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved August 6, 2019.

[12] Axisa, Mike (April 14, 2021). "Cardinals' Yadier Molina becomes first MLB player to catch 2,000 games with one team". CBS Sports. Retrieved April 15, 2021.

[13] Silver, Zachary (April 14, 2021). "Yadier Molina Catches 2,000th Game". MLB.com. Retrieved April 15, 2021.

[14] Rivera, Joe (April 14, 2021). "Yadier Molina enters MLB record books with 2,000th game caught with Cardinals". Sporting News. Retrieved April 15, 2021.

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