Rookie Catchers (Bo Diaz/Dale Murphy/Lance Parrish/Ernie Whitt)

Dale Bryan Murphy (March 12, 1956-) became the youngest National League player to win back-to-back Most Valuable Player Awards after leading the NL in RBI in 1982 and 1983. He also earned his first of four Silver Sluggers Awards and first of five NL Gold Gloves. The Atlanta Braves took Dale with the fifth overall pick of the 1975 MLB June Amateur Draft and he debuted as a catcher two seasons later. After being moved to the outfield in 1980, Murphy developed into one of the premier outfielders with an exceptional glove and above average bat. Extremely durable, Dale missed only 27 games from 1982 to 1990. He led the NL in games played four times, home runs, RBI and slugging percentage twice and once in plate appearances, runs, walks and on-base percentage. Murphy played 18 years in the Majors with the Braves (1976-1990), the Philadelphia Phillies (1990-1992) and the Colorado Rockies (1993). The seven-time All-Star earned the 1985 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award as “the player who best exemplifies the character and integrity (of Gehrig) both on and off the field” and then was named the 1988 Roberto Clemente Award as “the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and individual’s contribution to the team.” Dale Murphy finished his career with a .265 career batting average, 2,111 hits including 350 doubles and 398 home runs, 1,197 runs scored, 161 stolen bases and 1,266 RBI. He also posted a .982 fielding percentage over his 18-year career.

Leo Ernest “Ernie” Whitt (June 13, 1952-) is a retired Major League Baseball catcher who spent the majority of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays (1977-1978, 1980-1989). Whitt is perhaps best known as being the last original Blue Jay to retire. The Boston Red Sox selected Whitt in the 15th round of the 1972 amateur draft, but he would spend only eight games with the team in 1976 before selected by Toronto in the expansion draft. In 1980 (after being demoted to the minor leagues for the 1979 season) Whitt became the Blue Jays starting catcher. He appeared in 106 games that year, hitting .237 with six HR and 34 RBI. He broke out offensively in 1982, and in 105 games hit .261 with 11 HR and 42 RBI. Whitt hit .245 with 19 homers and 64 RBI in 1985, playing in his one-and-only All-Star Game and helping the Blue Jays make the playoffs for the first time in team history. After disappointing seasons with the Atlanta Braves (1990) and Baltimore Orioles (1991), Whitt retired with a .249 batting average and recording 938 hits, 134 home runs, and 534 RBI.

Lance Michael Parrish (June 15, 1956- ), nicknamed "Big Wheel", is former catcher for the detroit Tigers (1977-1986), Philadelphia Phillies (1987-1988), California Angels (1989-1992), Seattle Mariners (1992), Cleveland Indians (1993), Pittsburgh Pirates (1994) and Toronto Blue Jays (1995). Parrish was an exceptional catcher through the 1980s, succeeeding both behind the plate and at-bat. He was an eight-time All-Star and winner of three Gold Glove Awards and five Silver Slugger Awards. He also won a World Series championship with the Tigers in 1984. Parrish retired after the 1995 season with a .252 career batting average, 324 home runs and 1,070 RBI.