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With the 2026 season having concluded, MassLive is taking a position-by-position look at some of the seasons top high school baseball players in the state.
Our second list focuses on the states best catchers.
Earlier: Pitchers In the final weeks of the season, we contacted MIAA schools across the state and asked them to have their baseball coach fill out a survey requesting information about their team.
These lists were compiled based on the information provided by the coaches who chose to respond.
Think you belong on this list? Encourage your coach to fill out our survey! If you are an MIAA high school baseball coach who believes you did not receive a survey, email [email protected].
We will continue to add to these lists as appropriate.
Most statistics are as of mid-May.
Check back soon for the poll in which well ask fans to cast their vote to help us determine which of these catchers is the best of the best! BEST CATCHERS IN MASSACHUSETTS BASEBALL Jackson Almeida, Pittsfield, senior Almeida was the heart and soul of the Generals, posting a .433 batting average with a .553 on-base percentage and a 1.119 on-base plus slugging.
The senior added two doubles, one triple and eight RBIs, striking out once all season.
Leads our team from behind the plate, having a great offensive year, Generals coach Drew Pearce said in May.
Cyrus Arwade, Amherst-Pelham, freshman The ninth-grader seamlessly stepped into the starting catcher role for the Hurricanes, handling the pitching staff with poise and throwing out 26 percent of runners attempting to steal.
Arwade also earned two saves on the mound in two opportunities, striking out 10 batters in seven innings.
At the plate, hes a reliable contact hitter who can execute situational baseball whether laying down a bunt, driving in a run with a sacrifice fly or moving runners with a ground ball to the right side.
He may be the smartest baseball player in our program and is humble to boot, Amherst-Pelham coach Jordan McCarthy said.
Multiple coaches have come up to me after games and told me how impressed they are with him.
They are baffled when I tell them hes a freshman.
Austin Barcomb, Smith Vocational, freshman Barcomb impressed with his blocking ability behind the plate, keeping nearly everything in front of him as a first-year varsity player.
While still developing arm strength, the ninth-grader earned a starting role and the trust of his coaching staff.
Great kid to coach, Smith Vocational coach Luis Bonilla said.
Great attitude.
Robbie Bazinet, Lenox, junior Bazinet excelled on both sides of the ball for the Millionaires.
He was batting .500 with a .600 on-base percentage, 13 hits, 11 RBIs and five stolen bases through eight games.
Defensively, his ability to call and control games was crucial for Lenox.
His big role is being one of our captains, Lenox coach Bryan Maloy said.
He is one of our more vocal captains and has been the voice for the players this season.
Cole Bonner, Duxbury, senior A four-year varsity starter and captain, Bonner is the top student in his class and plans to continue his academic and baseball journey at MIT.
The senior was batting .409 with a .509 on-base percentage, six doubles, 10 RBIs and 11 runs.
He commands the respect of his teammates, Duxbury coach Brandon Josselyn said.
Chet Bouchard, Longmeadow, senior Bouchard was one of the states top defensive catchers, committing just one error through 10 games and throwing out five runners.
The Nichols College commit also contributed offensively with three extra-base hits and a .463 on-base percentage.
Kyle Brown, Grafton, senior The captain and Maryland commit who will not play baseball in college was the backbone of the Gators.
Brown missed time this season because of illness but was batting .269 with six RBIs and three doubles in limited action.
The best defensive catcher weve had in 10 years, Grafton coach Brian Andersen said.
Chase Cann, Hamilton-Wenham Regional, senior The Boston University-bound captain was a model of consistency for the Generals.
Cann was batting .382 with 21 hits, 15 RBIs and 23 runs this season and showcasing a strong arm, quick release and excellent baseball IQ behind the plate.
The left-handed hitter can spray the ball to all fields and leads by example on the field and in the classroom.
In 2025, he batted .367 with 22 hits, 18 RBIs, 19 walks and just three strikeouts.
Sam Clark, Reading Memorial, senior A three-year starter and returning Middlesex League all-star, Clark was the anchor of the Rockets defense.
Through 13 games, he was batting .459 with a .563 on-base percentage and an .838 slugging percentage.
The senior had 17 hits, five doubles, three triples, one home run, 10 walks, nine RBIs and three stolen bases and a 1.000 fielding percentage with 52 putouts and nine assists.
Caleb Coyne, Clinton, senior Coyne delivered in the clutch during Clintons Division 4 first-round playoff win over Amesbury, lining a two-run double and a two-run triple in the Gaels 8-5 victory on June 1.
Caleb Coyne is our four-year starter and a captain, Clinton coach Tom Santasania said.
Henry Drinker, Frontier Regional, sophomore After transitioning from the outfield to catcher, Drinker has become a brick wall behind the plate for the Red Hawks.
The returning starter throws out baserunners with authority and is a strong hitter.
Very impressed with his transition from the outfield where he played last year to our starting catcher this year, Frontier Regional coach Chris Williams said.
Lucas Greene, Greater New Bedford RVT, junior A New Bedford native who plays catcher and first base, Greene was enjoying his first completely healthy season since his freshman year, when he suffered a broken leg in an accident.
Lucas has been the ideal teammate for this roster, Greater New Bedford RVT coach Kyle Alfonso said.
Xavier Higgins, Oxford, sophomore Higgins caught 45 innings and threw out 5 of 17 attempted base-stealers.
He added two pickoffs.
His presence behind the plate deterred opponents from running.
Offensively, he was batting .372 with a .502 on-base percentage, a .997 on-base plus slugging, 19 runs and 12 stolen bases.
Adriel Irizarry, New Mission, freshman The ninth-grader quickly established himself as a smart game-caller who works well with pitchers and coaches.
Irizarry caught four runners stealing and picked off one runner at third base, showcasing impressive pop time and arm strength.
Hes also a solid hitter with great vision and an understanding of situational baseball.
He is a player with extreme confidence in his game, and it shows when he steps onto the field, New Mission coach Joe Bartolomeo said.
Alex Jacques, Natick, senior The Haverford College commit and captain was batting .385 with 14 hits, four doubles, two triples and 17 RBIs while batting cleanup for the Redhawks.
Jacques was a standout player in the MetroWest region throughout high school.
Casey Joseph, Hingham, junior Casey has caught every game since his freshman year, Hingham coach Nick DeVito said.
He has been a great leader for us.
Excellent defensively.
Throws runners out and helps to make our pitchers that much better.
His bat is really coming into its own this year as well.
He has been a catalyst at the top of the order.
Devin Kelsch, Weymouth, senior The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Salem State commit was a three-year starter, captain and vocal leader for the Wildcats.
Kelsch has a strong throwing arm and works effectively with the entire pitching staff.
Lucas Lachapelle, East Longmeadow, senior A 2026 PVIAC all-league selection, Lachapelle excels defensively and offensively.
He hit in the middle of the order and was near the team lead in RBIs and on-base percentage while maintaining a strong presence behind the plate.
Our pitchers feel completely comfortable throwing to him, East Longmeadow coach Craig DiFranco said.
Ryan Lemieux, Southwick Regional, seventh grade Lemieux began the season on the JV roster but was quickly promoted to varsity following an injury.
The seventh-grader took over starting catching duties, showcasing outstanding blocking skills and working confidently with every pitcher on the staff.
We are excited to have him in the program for years to come and look forward to his continued growth both as a player and as an individual, Southwick Regional coach Bobby Reyome said.
Cam Lynch, Wellesley, senior A three-year starter who has been accepted to Harvard, Lynch is a competitive and an intellectual player who leads on and off the field.
The senior hit in the two or three hole and was a reliable presence in the Raiders lineup.
Josh McDonald, Westfield Technical Academy, sophomore McDonald has shown tremendous physical toughness and blocking ability.
The sophomore has a strong arm and quick release behind the plate.
The effort he puts forth blocking the ball gives our entire pitching staff confidence when they are on the mound, Westfield Technical Academy coach Matt Boulanger said.
Owen Miller, Saint Johns, senior The Salve Regina University commit and captain was batting .216 with eight hits, one home run, six RBIs, five runs and eight caught stealings.
Miller was the Pioneers starting catcher for three seasons and earned the ultimate trust of the pitching and coaching staff.
He will go down as one of the best catchers our program has had, Saint Johns coach Casey Cummins said.
Emmett Moynihan, Waltham, senior Playing in his fourth consecutive varsity season, Moynihan was unequivocally the best catcher in the DCL, according to his coach.
The captain has ridiculous arm strength and works hard on his craft while learning from any mistakes.
He will be sorely missed when he leaves, Waltham coach Larry Scafidi said.
Daniel Murphy, Barnstable, senior Murphy was exceptional behind the plate, taking big steps with his blocking and arm while helping curb opponents running games.
The vocal leader was slashing .348/.464/.478 and was second on the Red Raiders in RBIs with 12.
A lot of our success is attributed to his growth and commitment, Barnstable coach Rob Toffolon said.
He is one of our vocal leaders as well, consistently rallying the team when needed most.
Charlie Niemiec, Greater New Bedford RVT, junior The 5-foot-11, 190-pound backstop went 3 for 3 with an RBI in a win over Old Rochester Regional in May, setting a varsity personal high for hits in a game.
Charlie Niemiec is a junior and our leader when he is catching, Greater New Bedford RVT coach Kyle Alfonso said.
James Niemiec, Sandwich, senior The most valuable player of the Blue Knights drove in two runs as Sandwich started its Division 4 state tournament run with a 16-1 win over Quabbin Regional on May 31.
Niemiec started every game behind the dish the past two years.
Ronan OConnell, Winchester, senior A captain and four-year starter, OConnell has a pop time of 1.9 and is getting looks from local Division II and Division III schools.
The standout quarterback for Winchesters state semifinalist football team plans to attend Pomfret School (Conn.) for a postgraduate year.
Juniel Olivo, Sci-Tech, junior The 11th-grader stepped into the catcher role this year after serving primarily as an outfielder the previous two seasons.
Olivo has a strong arm and is learning quickly in his new position.
He combines speed on the basepaths with a clutch bat at the plate.
Denzel Perez, Ruth Batson Academy, junior Perez played every position throughout the season but especially excelled behind the plate.
The junior was batting .324 with 12 walks and 24 stolen bases, serving as the glue that keeps the team together.
He has been one of the most versatile and valuable players on our team this season, Ruth Batson Academy coach John Matthews said.
Jake Ramsey, Shepherd Hill, senior The 5-foot-10, 175-pound dual-threat pitcher and catcher has a catching velocity of 77 miles per hour and throws his fastball up to 87 mph with a consistent velocity of 84 mph.
Ramsey runs a 7.3-second 60-yard dash and has very good instincts behind the plate.
Colin Rau, Rockland, junior In his second season as the full-time starting catcher, Rau was batting .400 with a .551 on-base percentage to pace the Bulldogs offense.
The South Shore League all-star as a sophomore batted .328 with 21 hits and 15 RBIs, striking out just twice in 72 plate appearances.
Defensively, he controls the game and has been instrumental in the pitchers success.
Colin puts in an impressive amount of work in the offseason in the weight room as well in the batting cage, Rockland coach Mike Doyle said.
He calls the games and has shown tremendous growth with his calls this season.
Dom Rezoni, West Boylston, senior The captain and Mid-Wach D MVP was batting over .400 with five doubles, two triples, four home runs, 12 RBIs, 10 runs and 15 stolen bases through nine games.
Rezoni is unbelievable defensively and also contributes on the mound.
Dom is special, West Boylston coach Tyler Forbes said.
He can do it all, whether its fielding, hitting, running the base paths or pitching.
Not only is he, in my eyes, the best athlete across Massachusetts, but hes extremely intelligent in the classroom and is a natural-born leader.
Dom is a generational leader and one of the best youll meet.
Jean Rodriguez, Fairhaven, senior Rodriguez was batting .375 with four doubles and nine hits in nine games while maintaining a .976 fielding percentage.
The senior was solid defensively with a strong arm and hits for power while going hard on every play.
Alex Savlick, Minnechaug, senior The co-captain caught six runners stealing, posted a .432 on-base percentage, drew 14 walks and pitched six innings with a 1.33 WHIP.
Savlick handles the pitching staff well, limits opponents running games and puts together strong at-bats at the top of the lineup.
Kainen Stevens, Turners Falls, senior A captain since his sophomore year during the Thunders league title season, Stevens has been on varsity since seventh grade.
The right-handed pitcher had a 7-5 record the past two seasons and controlled games as a catcher while helping instruct younger catchers.
He has been an absolute pleasure to coach and will be hard to replace, Turners Falls coach Scott Minckler said.
Matt Vassallo, Hopkins Academy, senior Through eight games, Vassallo was batting .333 with 13 runs, nine walks and six RBIs.
The senior is a great game manager who keeps runners from stealing both by throwing them out and scaring them with strong throws during warmups, Hopkins Academy coach Daniel Vreeland said.
Eathen Vecchione, Falmouth, junior The 6-foot-2 backstop is as good behind the plate as he is on the mound.
Vecchione calls a great game, has an elite arm and pop time, and keeps the ball in front of him at all times.
Batting third in the lineup, he was hitting .367 with 13 RBIs, 10 runs and five stolen bases.
Joe Benevides, senior; Marcelo Cirino, junior; Jack Benevides, freshman, Bristol Plymouth The Craftsmen feature a trio of catchers at different stages of development.
Senior captain Joe Benevides was the primary backstop and played shortstop, serving as a team leader on and off the field.
Freshman Jack Benevides is an up-and-coming catcher who plays hard and embodies team-first values.
Junior Marcelo Cirino adds versatility as a promising player who can handle multiple positions.
Joe stands out as a true team player and team leader, Bristol Plymouth coach Keith Powers said.
Earlier: Pitchers For complete coverage of Massachusetts high school sports, visit MassLives high school sports section throughout the year.