Javy Lopez

Lore & Background

López was signed by the Atlanta Braves in 1987 as an amateur free agent and made his debut on September 18, 1992. After sharing duties for four seasons, he became the Braves' regular catcher in 1996, leading the team to win the National League Championship Series and earning series MVP honors. He made the National League All-Star team from 1997–98 and again in 2003. In 2003, he hit .328 with 43 home runs and 109 RBI, breaking Todd Hundley's record for most home runs by a catcher in a season (42), winning the Silver Slugger Award, and finishing fifth in NL MVP voting. While with the Braves, he caught Kent Mercker's no-hitter on April 8, 1994. He rarely caught Greg Maddux, who had a personal catcher among the Braves' backups.

In Their Own Story

The late summer sun beat down on the Atlanta dugout, the air thick with humidity and anticipation. Javy Lopez sat quietly, methodically taping his wrists, his eyes scanning the mound where Tom Glavine was warming up. There was no need for shouting; a simple nod between the catcher and pitcher spoke volumes about the pitch coming next. As the crowd roared in Turner Field, Lopez stepped into the batter's box, the crack of his bat echoing like thunder against the Georgia night, sending another drive deep into the outfield to seal another chapter of Braves history.

Reader's Guide

López signed with the Baltimore Orioles before the 2004 season, hitting .316 with 23 HR and 86 RBI. In 2005, he suffered a broken hand on a foul tip, finishing with .278, 15 HR, and 49 RBI in 103 games. In mid-2006, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox for minor league outfielder Adam Stern and cash, debuting the same day after Doug Mirabelli left with an ankle injury. The Red Sox released him on September 8, 2006, due to Jason Varitek's return. He agreed to a $750,000 contract with the Colorado Rockies in January 2007 but did not play for them. He signed a minor league deal with the Braves in 2008 but retired after being told he would not make the opening day lineup. In 15 seasons, he posted a .287 average with 260 home runs and 864 RBI in 1,503 games. His 243 home runs as a catcher rank eighth all-time. He recorded a .992 fielding percentage. In 60 postseason games, he batted .278 with 10 home runs and 28 RBI. His final game was September 2, 2006.

Did You Know?

• López was named Ponce, Puerto Rico's Athlete of the Year from 1984 to 1987.
• He broke Todd Hundley's record for most home runs by a catcher in a season (42) in 2003; the record stood until Cal Raleigh broke it in 2025.
• López caught Kent Mercker's no-hitter on April 8, 1994.