:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66636838/download.0.jpeg)
Roy Campanella, 1955
Stats: .318/.395/.583/.978, 32 HR, 107 RBI, 152 OPS+, 150 wRC+
Awards: All-Star, Most Valuable Player
Baseball Reference WAR: 5.2
FanGraphs WAR: 5.7
Combined WAR: 5.45
Kicking off our list is the greatest catcher in Dodgers history, Roy Campanella. For 10 years, Campanella was the catcher for Brooklyn. He’s an eight-time All-Star, three-time MVP, World Series champion and a Hall of Famer.
Campy had a lot of great seasons with the Dodgers, but the one we are highlighting today is his 1955 campaign, the year in which he took home his third MVP award of his career, and third during a five-year stretch.
He played in only 121 games that season, hence why his WAR on the year wasn’t higher. Campanella didn’t finish top seven in the National League in home runs, hits, runs or RBI. He didn’t even have the highest OPS on the team, Duke Snider took home those honors. However, he was by far the best catcher in the game, and was a difference maker in every game he suited up.
The MVP was nearly won by his teammate, Snider. Campanella received 226 voting points, with Snider coming in at a close second with 221 points.
Campanella is one of six catchers in major-league history to finish a season with at least 32 home runs, 107 RBI and an OPS of at least .978.