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David Schoenfield
It has been the 12 months of the house run theft, the 12 months of spectacular heart subject protection … and possibly now, the 12 months of Denzel Clarke.
Wait, who’s Denzel Clarke? The 24-year-old Canadian by means of Cal State Northridge has performed simply 16 video games within the majors for the Athletics however has already made two legendary catches, together with one on Monday that, with its cinematic brilliance, shall be lengthy remembered alongside a few of the greatest robberies of all time.
However we’ve many candidates for catch of the 12 months on this 12 months of protection. This is a rundown of the highest 12 catches up to now in 2025 — and, belief us, it was not simple to trim the record (and we undoubtedly missed another sturdy candidates). Oh, and sorry infielders, we’re sticking to solely outfielders for this record.
1. Denzel Clarke, Athletics (June 9)
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Catch of the 12 months! Denzel Clarke scales wall for absurd HR theft
Denzel Clarke defies gravity to make a sensational residence run theft for the Athletics vs. the Angels.
As A’s announcer Dallas Braden exclaimed, “Oh my god!”
There’s a photograph that captures the catch in its full glory, with Clarke a number of ft off the bottom, his again to residence plate, his proper hand balancing his physique on prime of the wall, his gloved left hand reaching means above and past the highest of the fence. The stretch and attain put this catch into official ridiculous territory.
“That play was fairly phenomenal,” A’s supervisor Mark Kotsay mentioned after the sport. “I requested our bench coach Darren Bush, ‘If he had fallen over the fence, how would they’ve dominated that?’ That is about as far over a fence you will get with out going over and making a play. We discuss his vary. The package deal is intuition, response and velocity. He is acquired all of it.”
How spectacular has Clarke been in heart subject for the A’s? He ranks tied for fourth amongst heart fielders in Statcast’s fielding run worth and likewise tied for fourth amongst heart fielders in defensive runs saved. However keep in mind: He has performed solely 16 video games. In simply a few weeks within the majors, Clarke has already established himself as a doubtlessly historic defensive heart fielder.
He has been overmatched on the plate — he has 29 strikeouts and only one stroll — so it stays to be seen whether or not Clarke will hit sufficient to stay an everyday, however his protection is so good that it won’t matter.
2. Denzel Clarke, Athletics (June 6)
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Denzel Clarke crashes into wall for unbelievable seize
A’s heart fielder Denzel Clarke collides with the wall at full velocity to make a spectacular catch.
We give attention to residence run robberies, however Clarke sacrificed his physique to make this play.
“I at all times have a gauge of the place the wall is at, how briskly I am going and what I’ll have to do,” Clarke mentioned after the 5-4 win over the Orioles. “I do know we’ve a giant warning monitor right here, in order I am approaching the wall, I am like, ‘I’ve one further step right here. I can both go take it or play this off the wall.’ I made a decision to go make the play. I put my physique on the road, and I am completely satisfied it held up for the win in the present day.”
Pitcher J.P. Sears watched in amazement.
“Simply the most effective catch anyone has ever made after I’m pitching,” Sears mentioned. “It is simply unreal. Positively among the best performs, possibly the most effective play I’ve ever seen in individual.”
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Daulton Varsho stumbles and falls earlier than unbelievable backhand catch
Daulton Varsho does acrobatics and falls over earlier than finishing an unbelievable catch for the Blue Jays vs. the Purple Sox.
Varsho’s catch prompted comparisons to some of the best catches of all time. Now it won’t even be the most effective catch of the season. The argument in opposition to it’s he made an inconceivable play solely by falling down within the first place. Nonetheless, it was a one-of-a-kind catch.
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Mets placed on a defensive masterclass within the 4th inning
Francisco Lindor and Tyrone Taylor placed on a jaw-dropping defensive show on all three outs for the Mets.
Taylor’s catch acquired misplaced because it occurred the identical evening as Varsho’s catch, but it surely may be essentially the most spectacular diving catch up to now, a full-speed dash into deep left-center.
“A factor of magnificence,” exclaimed Mets announcer Gary Cohen, whereas one Mets fan wrote: “Tyrone Taylor simply grew to become a perpetually Met.”
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Michael Harris II makes unbelievable snag in heart
Michael Harris II tracks the ball for a good distance, lastly making a Willie Mays-style over-the-shoulder catch for the out.
Harris is all around the highlights, however this one evokes recollections of the well-known Jim Edmonds catch.
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Dane Myers lays out for run-saving seize for Marlins
Marlins heart fielder Dane Myers makes a clutch catch within the outfield to stop the San Francisco Giants from scoring within the seventh inning.
Myers has made a number of highlight-reel catches, however this one was in all probability the most effective as he hangs on to the ball after crashing into the wall.
VICTOR SCOTT II WITH ONE OF THE BEST CATCHES EVER! pic.twitter.com/jgX1R96qgy
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) May 4, 2025
One other spectacular younger heart fielder, Scott robbed Juan Soto of a house run with this leaping seize.
JACKSON CHOURIO BRINGS IT BACK 🤯 pic.twitter.com/g1VuHei4wt
— MLB (@MLB) May 18, 2025
The Brewers’ younger outfielder is likely one of the budding stars of the game. Anticipate to see many extra performs like this one, when he turned a possible game-tying residence run from Minnesota’s Royce Lewis into an out.
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Purple Sox outfielders staff up for unbelievable HR theft
Wilyer Abreu goes as much as rob the house run, however the ball bounces off his glove into Ceddanne Rafaela’s glove for one of many wildest catches you will ever see.
Carpenter acquired robbed right here when Abreu saved a house run, tag-teaming with Rafaela for the maybe never-before-seen 9-8 putout.
Pete Crow-Armstrong lays out for the SPECTACULAR catch 🤩 pic.twitter.com/RNtyd6QASV
— MLB (@MLB) May 31, 2025
We won’t have an inventory of the most effective catches of 2025 with out together with Crow-Armstrong. This one had only a 10% catch chance and he made it look simple. Crow-Armstrong already looks like a lock for his first Gold Glove, rating within the one hundredth percentile in outs above common and simply behind J-Rod and Rafaela in DRS.
11. Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston Purple Sox (Might 8)
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Ceddanne Rafaela crashes into the wall for jaw-dropping seize
Ceddanne Rafaela denies Rangers as he lays out in opposition to the wall to make a sensational snag.
What number of nice younger heart fielders do we’ve now? Rafaela’s catch may have occurred solely at Fenway Park, as he raced deep into the triangle and crashed into the wall.
12. Derek Hill, Miami Marlins (April 8)
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Derek Hill goes full extension for unbelievable catch on warning monitor
Derek Hill lays out at full stretch to make an amazing diving catch to go away three Mets stranded and finish the sixth inning for the Marlins.
Tyrone Taylor was on the opposite finish of this play from Hill, who needed to battle a 19-mph wind to make this catch.
Honorable mentions
Ian Happ (April 5): Happ is a three-time Gold Glove winner, and he confirmed why.
Jacob Melton (June 6): Astros rookie Melton not too long ago acquired referred to as up and confirmed off his vary with this play.
Riley Greene (June 2): Greene with an analogous play to Melton’s, solely within the left-field nook.