Getting 1,000 or more Runs Batted In, or RBI, requires a lot of things to go right.

It requires longevity in the big leagues, which is a challenge in itself. Along with that, it requires many years of being free from major injuries.

And of course it requires talent: you've got to be able to consistently hit big league pitching 

Another thing you need are teammates that consistently get on base and put themselves in position to score.

Those are just a few of the things that must go right to be an MLB player that makes it to 1,000 or more RBIs. 

With these challenges in mind, it shouldn't be a surprise that a relatively small number of big leaguers have ever reached that mark.

Catchers in particular, with their difficult and injury prone job, represent a small portion of those that have reached this career RBI milestone.

In the article that follows, we break down all of the catchers who have collected 1,000 or more RBIs in their career. 

Please keep reading to learn more about this select group of backstops.

How Many Catchers Have 1,000 RBIs?

Approximately 15 catchers have collected 1,000 RBIs in their major league career.

Each of these legendary catchers is showcased below, with brief details about their accomplishments as well.

Please note: individuals who played at least 800 career MLB games as a catcher qualify for the below list. This explains why some players are included who spent time in their careers playing other positions besides catcher.

All Catchers With 1,000 RBI

1. Yogi Berra – 1,430 RBIs

Arguably the greatest catcher of all time, Yogi Berra has the most career RBIs of any big league catcher.

A 10 time World Series winner and three time league MVP, Berra played his entire Hall of Fame career (except for nine at bats as a Met) with the New York Yankees.

2. Ted Simmons – 1,389 RBIs

2020 Hall of Fame inductee Ted Simmons is second on our list of catchers with the most career RBIs. 

Simmons, an phenomenal switch hitter, made eight all star teams over the course of his 21 year MLB career spent with the Cardinals, Brewers and Braves.

3. Johnny Bench – 1,376 RBIs

Johnny Bench’s 1,376 RBIs is third on our list of catchers with the most career RBIs. 

The Hall of Famer spent his entire career with the Cincinnati Reds, claiming two NL MVP awards, 10 gold gloves and winning two World Series titles along the way.

4. Mike Piazza – 1,335 RBIs

One of the top catchers in recent baseball history, Mike Piazza was phenomenal at the plate. 

He has the most career home runs of any catcher, earned 10 silver slugger awards and was named to 12 all star teams.

5. Ivan Rodriguez – 1,332 RBIs

Like Piazza, Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez was an excellent catcher in the 90s and 2000s. 

He has the most hits of any catcher, was the 1999 AL MVP, won seven silver sluggers and made 14 all star teams over his 21 year career.

6. Carlton Fisk – 1,330 RBIs

A rare catcher that played in four different decades, Carlton Fisk collected 1,330 RBIs over his 24 year MLB career.

The 11 time all star and three time silver slugger award winner spent his career with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox.

7. Gary Carter – 1,225 RBIs

Hall of Famer and 11 time all star Gary Carter played 19 years in the big leagues, the bulk of that time being with the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets.

Carter’s career accolades include winning three gold glove awards, five silver sluggers, and winning a World Series title with the 1986 Mets.

8. Bill Dickey – 1,209 RBIs

Bill Dickey spent the entirety of his 17 year career with the New York Yankees, where he was a member of eight World Series winning teams and represented the Yanks at 11 all star games. 

9. Joe Torre – 1,185 RBIs

Joe Torre had an excellent career as both a player and manager. 

He appeared in 898 games as a catcher, and during his 18 year career Torre collected 2,342 hits and made nine all star teams.

10. Gabby Hartnett – 1,179 RBIs

Former Chicago Cubs and New York Giants catcher Gabby Hartnett spent two decades in the big leagues. 

In that time, he earned an MVP award, made six NL all star squads and compiled 1,912 hits and 236 home runs.

11. Victor Martinez – 1,178 RBIs

Like Joe Torre, Victor Martinez spent part of his career as a catcher before shifting to different positions on the lineup card.

A switch hitter, Martinez was incredibly consistent in his offensive output and ended his 16 year career with a .295 batting average and 2,153 hits.

12. Lance Parrish – 1,070 RBIs

Lance Parrish had a productive 19 year career in the major leagues, 15 seasons (1978 - 1992) of which he collected home run totals in the double digits. 

During the course of his career, Parrish won a World Series title with the Detroit Tigers and earned six silver sluggers and eight all star game nods.

13. Jorge Posada – 1,065 RBIs

The Yankees' primary catcher during the late 90s and early 2000s, Jorge Posada was one of many bright spots on loaded Yankees teams during this span of time.

He was a part of four World Series winning teams and he earned five silver sluggers during his career. 

14. Yadier Molina  – 1,022 RBIs

The most recent catcher to reach 1,000 RBIs is St. Louis Cardinals great Yadier Molina. 

Yadi is a 10 time all star, a two time World Series winner and a nine time gold glove award recipient. He hung up his cleats after the 2022 season.

15. Brian McCann – 1,018 RBIs

Brian McCann collected 1,018 RBIs during his 15 year MLB career, the majority of which was spent with the Atlanta Braves.

Other career achievements include six silver sluggers, making seven all star teams, and winning a World Series with the 2017 Houston Astros.

One Caveat to Mention

Legendary Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella is one of the best to ever play behind the plate. 

Campy spent eight seasons in the Negro Leagues prior to the integration of the major leagues. In 1948, he joined the Dodgers and went on to spend 10 seasons in Brooklyn, winning three NL MVPs and a World Series title in the process.

During his 10 years in the MLB, Campanella collected 856 RBIs - an average of 85+ RBIs per season. 

His Negro Leagues records show that Campy collected 159 RBIs during his time as a member of the Washington Elite Giants, Baltimore Elite Giants and Philadelphia Stars.

When you add up his MLB and Negro League RBI totals, Campy exceeds the 1,000 career RBI milestone (1,015 in total).

Do Any Catchers Have 1,000 RBIs and 2,000 Hits?

Only 13 catchers have ever collected 2,000 or more MLB hits, as detailed in our article on the topic.

Of those 13 catchers with 2,000 or more hits, 10 of them also have 1,000 or more RBIs. 

So in short, yes, there are catchers who have 2,000 hits and 1,000 RBIs.

Those elite catchers in the 2,000/1,000 club are listed below (in alphabetical order by first name):

• Carlton Fisk
• Gary Carter
• Ivan Rodriguez
• Joe Torre
• Johnny Bench
• Mike Piazza
• Ted Simmons
• Victor Martinez
• Yadier Molina
• Yogi Berra

 

With the exception of Victor Martinez and Yadier Molina, all the catchers on this list are in the Baseball Hall of Fame. 

For what it’s worth, we fully expect to see Yadi join the men on this list in Cooperstown one day.

Thanks for Reading

We hope you enjoyed this article. If you have questions or comments, please feel free to get in touch with us.

Thanks for stopping by Catchers Home.