Yankees Catcher Brian McCann Listed on Top 10 Catchers List

New York Yankees veteran catcher Brian McCann was ranked by MLB Network as one of the top 10 catchers in the league for the second straight season.

Prior to the 2015 season, MLB Network ranked Brian McCann as the eighth best catcher in the league. After slashing .232/.320/.437 with a .756 OPS last season, MLB Network decided to bump him up to number six on their top 10 list prior to this coming season.

It’s safe to say McCann more than deserved the promotion.

After a mediocre Yankees debut in 2014, the veteran catcher really turned things around during his sophomore campaign in 2015. Despite posting an identical .232 batting average for the second season in a row, McCann upped his on-base percentage from .286 in 2014 to .320 in 2015. Thanks to a career-high 26 homers and 94 RBI, McCann also upped his slugging percentage from .406 to .437.

On the defensive side of the diamond, McCann really stepped up his game as well.

In 2015 he improved his dWAR to a 0.8, allowing just one passed ball compared to 10 in 2014. He also ranked top 10 in fielding percentage (.993) and catchers earned run average (3.99) as well as top five in caught stealing percentage (.344) and range factor (9.06).

Compared to other catchers in the American League in 2015, only Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals posted a higher dWAR (1.5) than Brian McCann.

The only other Yankees ranked top 10 in their position by MLB Network coming into the 2016 season aside from Brian McCann are shortstop Didi Gregorius (10th),left fielder Brett Gardner (10th) and relievers Dellin Betances (2nd), Aroldis Chapman (3rd) and Andrew Miller (4th).

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