Today’s new addition to The Collection is Benito Santiago, one of the best catchers of the 1990s.
Santiago was a journeyman. He played in the MLB from 1986-2005, spanning 20 total seasons with 10 different teams. Santiago was a good clubhouse leader and was a productive player behind the dish. In 2002 at age 37, Santiago was the MVP of the National League Championship Series with the San Francisco Giants, helping lead the team past the Cardinals and into the World Series.
Santiago had a 30-home run season in 1996 with the Phillies, but his best years came in the early 1990s with the Padres. He won Rookie of the Year in 1987, and made 4-straight All-Star teams from 1989-1992. He had a late-career resurgence, making the All-Star game again in 2002 with the Giants, finishing 20th in MVP voting in that year.
Santiago finished with 1,830 career hits.
