MLB fans vote on the league's top catchers entering 2023

With another few weeks to go before spring training begins, MLB fans are at that stage of the year. The stage where every offseason transaction is dissected, every roster is broken down and every team is given a grade. Fans love to evaluate players. It's one of the things that makes baseball great.

In a recent poll, fans were asked who they thought was the best catcher in baseball. Alejandro Kirk and Willson Contreras were both All-Stars in 2022, yet neither was able to break into the top half of the list. All-Star Jose Trevino is one of the game's best at framing. He too missed out on the top five.

The voting results were released by MLB Network in a recent tweet. The top half of the list has created some controversy. MLB fans took to the comments section to question the order of the list and why certain names were left out.

Many fans were unhappy about Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk dropping down to No. 7 on the list. Kirk was selected to his first All-Star game in 2022 and finished the regular season with an impressive .285/.372/.415 slash line.

Jose Trevino's name appearing at No. 6 created an uproar among fans, with some believing he does not even warrant a spot in the top 10. Trevino finished the season with 11 home runs, 43 RBIs and a .285 batting average. He was selected to the All-Star Game and won the Platinum Glove Award in 2022.

Seattle Mariners fans were furious despite Cal Raleigh breaking into the top three. Mariners fans believe their guy is one of the top two candidates.

MLB fans voted Philadelphia Phillies J.T. Realmuto the top catcher in the league

J.T. Realmuto of the Philadelphia Phillies looks to throw out Yuli Gurriel at Citizens Bank Park

Adley Rutschman's rise to the top has been meteoric. He moved up to the majors early last season and was exceptional over 113 games. The 24-year-old is quickly developing into one of the league's stars.

J.T. Realmuto was the clear choice among most fans. The three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner was instrumental in the Philadelphia Phillies' World Series run last year. He has proven himself to be one of MLB's most consistent performers on both the offensive and defensive front.

It will be interesting to see which of these top catchers lives up to the hype in 2023. There will be high expectations for Adley Rutschman and Will Smith. Cal Raleigh will hope to emulate last season. J.T. Realmuto is still the man to catch when it comes to MLB's top catchers.