Jim Sundberg

Sundberg became the Rangers’ regular catcher after a single season of AA ball, batting .298 and demonstrating great defensive skills. For a decade he averaged 140 games per season behind the plate. In his second big league season, he tied the AL record for games caught with 155. Seven times he led AL receivers in fielding average, and he led in putouts and assists six times each. He was also deadly at gunning down would-be basestealers, nailing as many as 50% in a season. Sundberg was the only catcher to be awarded six Gold Gloves, and on his retirement in 1989 was in third place for career games caught.

Offensively, Sundberg tried to pull everything early in his career but eventually developed into a productive .270 hitter for a number of years.