(Updated May 11, 2014)
The Cardinals' Yadier Molina has a 2014 salary of $15 million.
The Giants' Buster Posey is being paid $12.5 million this season.
But Posey's nine-year, $167 million contract, which entered 2014 as the 13th-largest in MLB history, is $70.5 million ahead of Molina's 10-year, $96.5 million deal (a contract that runs from 2008-17).
Which player is the best in baseball at his position?
Who is the better value?
Let's break it down by looking at the 10 best catchers in MLB (all stats are prior to the 2014 season):
1. Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals
- Age: 31
- 2014 salary: $15 million
- Skinny: From 2011-13, Molina batted .313 with season averages of 16 homers and 74 RBI. That is a stark contrast from his 2004-10 numbers -- a span in which his season highs were eight homers, 62 RBI and a .749 OPS. Molina has had an OPS of .814 or better in each of the last three seasons, and he hit .305 or better in each campaign. Even more impressive: He's won the last six Gold Gloves in the National League.
2. Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
- Age: 27
- 2014 salary: $12.5 million
- Skinny: Posey has recovered nicely from his horrific 2011 leg injury. He was the 2012 NL MVP, and last season, he batted .294 with 15 homers, 72 RBI and an .821 OPS. He entered the 2014 season with a career average of .308. He has a slight edge on Molina at the plate, but the latter gets the call at No. 1 because of his superior all-around game. Posey ranked 16th in Fangraphs' 2013 fielding rankings at catcher -- five spots below Molina.
3. Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals
- Age: 24 (on May 10)
- 2014 salary: $1.5 million
- Skinny: In 2013, his first full big-league season, Perez was an All-Star and the AL Gold Glove winner. He hit .292 with 13 homers and 79 RBI last season. From 2011-13, he batted .301. He ranked 12th among catchers in Fangraphs' 2013 fielding rankings.
4. Matt Wieters, Baltimore Orioles
- Age: 28 (on May 21)
- 2014 salary: $7.7 million
- Skinny: Wieters, a .255 career hitter, has never quite lived up to expectations, but he's more than adequate behind the plate (he ranked seventh at catcher in Fangraphs' 2013 fielding rankings) and he's been a quality source of power for the O's. Wieters hit at least 22 homers each year from 2011-13, a span in which he averaged 22 homers and 77 RBI per season.
5. Wilin Rosario, Colorado Rockies
- Age: 25
- 2014 salary: $502,000
- Skinny: Rosario is one of the best bargains in baseball. In 2012 and '13, his first two full seasons, he had 49 homers and 150 RBI in 845 at-bats. Last season, he batted .292 with an .801 OPS. He was ranked in the middle of the pack behind the plate by Fangraphs (No. 14).
6. Jonathan Lucroy, Milwaukee Brewers
- Age: 27
- 2014 salary: $2 million
- Skinny: Lucroy was having a huge 2012 before his season was halted because of a bizarre hotel room mishap. Before he fractured his right hand, Lucroy batted .320 with 12 homers, 58 RBI and an .881 OPS in 316 at-bats. Lucroy wasn't as productive at the plate last season, but he was still pretty darn good (.280, 18 homers, 82 RBI and a .795 OPS). He was ranked 13th by Fangraphs in 2013.
7. Brian McCann, New York Yankees
- Age: 30
- 2014 salary: $17 million
- Skinny: Prior to the 2014 season, the Yankees gave the former Braves standout a whopping $85 million for five years. McCann can certainly mash. His 162-game career averages are 26 homers, 97 RBI and an .823 OPS. From 2006-13, he hit at least 20 homers seven times. He didn't crack Fangraphs' top 16 for his 2013 work behind the plate.
8. A.J. Pierzynski, Boston Red Sox
- Age: 37
- 2014 salary: $8.25 million
- Skinny: Pierzynski might not be the most-liked player at his position, but he's a very good fielder (the No. 2 catcher in 2013, according to Fangraphs) and he's gotten better at the plate with age. In 2012 and '13, Pierzynski averaged 22 homers and 74 RBI for the White Sox and Rangers. This season, he took over at catcher for the World Series champion Red Sox, who selected Pierzynski over 2013 starter Jarrod Saltalamacchia in free agency.
9. Wilson Ramos, Washington Nationals
- Age: 26
- 2014 salary: $2.095 million
- Skinny: Ramos hasn't had more than 389 at-bats in a season, and his 2013 and 2012 seasons were hampered by hamstring and knee injuries, respectively. Last season, he had 16 homers and 59 RBI in only 287 at-bats. Considering his recent inability to stay healthy, Ramos is a borderline top-10 choice.
10. Miguel Montero, Arizona Diamondbacks
- Age: 30
- 2014 salary: $10 million
- Skinny: From 2011-12, Montero was very good, averaging 17 homers and 87 RBI with batting averages of .282 and .286, respectively. In that span, he posted an OPS of .820 and .829, and he was a 2011 All-Star selection. In 2013, Montero was limited to 116 games by a back injury, and he struggled mightily, hitting .230 with a .662 OPS. He was very good behind the dish, however. Montero was ranked fifth by Fangraphs.
Honorable mention
- Jason Castro, Houston Astros
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Miami Marlins
- Yan Gomes, Cleveland Indians
?Click here for all of our 2014 player rankings.
2014 rankings by position