Hunter Goodman Matches Mike Piazza’s NL Catcher Record
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The Colorado Rockies catcher joined Hall of Famer Mike Piazza with his sixth multi-homer game of 2026 — and the lesson for every young catcher is hiding in plain sight.
Hunter Goodman went 4-for-4 against the Kansas City Royals on August 2. He hit two home runs and drove in five. It was his sixth multi-homer game of 2026.
Ten days ago we covered how Goodman’s back-to-back 30-homer seasons put him in some of the rarest NL catcher company in history. Still, he did not stop there.
No National League catcher had recorded six multi-homer games in a single season since Mike Piazza in 1995. That is 31 years.
Goodman is the starting catcher in Colorado and a two-time NL All-Star. He also won the 2025 Silver Slugger at catcher — the award given each year to the best offensive player at the position in each league. He entered August 10 with 33 home runs, tied for the NL lead among catchers.
Piazza is a Hall of Famer and a 12-time All-Star. He is, in short, the measuring stick for NL catcher offense. When you match something Piazza did, the number means something specific. It means you belong to a very short list.
The Rockies chose to keep Goodman through the July 31 trade deadline. Colorado decided he was the foundation, not a trade chip. Two days later came the Aug 2 game.
What a catcher can learn from this
Six multi-homer games does not happen by accident. It requires bat speed, pitch recognition, and the ability to attack rather than protect when the moment calls for it. Youth catchers hear constantly that their value is behind the plate. But Goodman is the counter-argument: elite defense and elite offense are not two separate careers. They are, in fact, one catcher doing both.
The catchers who reach that fraternity — the Piazza tier — are the ones who never let the position talk them out of their swing. They take ground balls and call games. They also work the same hitting drills as the first baseman, because the swing is not something you put on hold while you learn to block.
Goodman entered 2026 already carrying Silver Slugger credentials and two All-Star appearances. The defense has continued to grow. Meanwhile the swing never stopped.
That is the path. Sweat the gear and never fear.
Try this at your next practice
- Two-way rep block. After blocking drills, take five live swings from a partner toss without removing your gear. The goal is not to crush the ball — it is to find your swing while your body is in catcher mode. Goodman never separates the two; neither should you.
- Attack-count hitting. In BP, designate certain pitches as “attack counts” — 1-0, 2-0, 3-1. When you get one, go after it with full intent. Six multi-homer games comes from recognizing the pitch to drive and not talking yourself out of it. Practice making that decision in BP so it happens automatically in games.
- Pitch recognition drill. Have a coach or partner call “drive it” or “take it” the moment a pitch is released. This trains the read-and-react loop that separates a catcher who hits for contact from one who hits for power. Goodman’s six multi-homer games are built on that split-second decision, made right.
Sources: Colorado Rockies Slugger First Catcher to Do This in 31 Years (Sports Illustrated) · Colorado Rockies Slugger First Catcher to Do This in 31 Years (Yahoo Sports) · Hunter Goodman’s second homer of the night (MLB.com) · With Goodman, Rockies are MLB’s most powerful catching team (Purple Row)
