Baseball's Top 10 Catches of 2024 Will Make You Believe

Sometimes athletes do things that make you forget what's physically possible, and baseball's best defenders spent 2024 reminding us why we love the game.

MLB Network recently released their rankings of the top 50 defensive plays from last season. The countdown features center fielders scaling walls like superheroes, players making catches after literally tripping over themselves, and one unforgettable moment involving a hacky sack move that saved an out.

Topping the list is Angels rookie Denzel Clarke's June 9 robbery at Angel Stadium. Nolan Schanuel crushed a ball destined for the bleachers, but Clarke sprinted back, planted his right foot on the wall padding, and reached across his body with full extension while half his body hung over the fence. He snagged the ball, then held his own body weight with his bare hand to pull himself back to safety.

The play instantly became one of the greatest home run robberies in baseball history. Clarke appears twice in the top 10, proving the rookie has serious staying power.

At number two, the Mets' Jacob Young created a moment no one saw coming on September 21. When Brett Baty's drive sent Young crashing into the Citi Field wall, the ball popped loose from his glove. Before it could hit the warning track, Young kicked it back into the air and caught it. The hacky sack catch became the play everyone was talking about the next day.

Blue Jays center fielder Daulton Varsho showed that even falling down can't stop great defense. Racing back on a deep drive from Jarren Duran, Varsho tripped on the warning track, rolled over, and still managed to sit up and make a backhanded catch. Sometimes the best plays happen when everything goes wrong.

Why This Inspires

These moments remind us that excellence often means refusing to accept defeat even when physics seems against you. Each player on this list faced a split second where giving up would have been the easier choice. Instead, they pushed their bodies beyond normal limits and created memories that will last decades.

Young players watching these highlights learn that great defense requires both preparation and the courage to try the impossible. Veterans like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jurickson Profar showed that elite athleticism combined with experience creates art. And rookies like Clarke proved that confidence and instinct can make you an instant legend.

The season included a World Series saving catch from Andy Pages that kept the Dodgers alive in Game 7. When the stakes were highest and the pressure unbearable, these athletes delivered moments of pure excellence that transcended the game itself.

Baseball continues giving us reasons to believe in the extraordinary.