Who was the first catcher to win MLB's Rookie of the Year Award?

Johnny Bench was the first catcher to win MLB’s Rookie of the Year Award. He earned the National League honor with the Cincinnati Reds in 1968, making history as the first player at his position to receive it.

Bench was only 20 years old during that award-winning season. He hit .275 with 15 home runs and 82 runs batted in, while also establishing himself as an exceptional defensive catcher. His performance was unusual because catchers must manage pitchers, block difficult balls and absorb constant physical punishment while still contributing offensively.

That season began one of the greatest careers in baseball history. Bench played his entire 17-year MLB career with Cincinnati, became a 14-time All-Star and won two National League Most Valuable Player Awards. He also collected 10 consecutive Gold Glove Awards from 1968 through 1977.

Bench later became the cornerstone catcher of Cincinnati’s “Big Red Machine,” which won four National League pennants and two World Series titles in the 1970s. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989, his first year of eligibility. The award’s modern name is the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award.