In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control, and, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a runner on base advances. A runner who advances due to a passed ball is not credited with a stolen base unless he breaks for the base before the pitcher begins his delivery. A passed ball may be scored when a runner on first, second, or third base reaches the next base on a bobble or missed catch by the catcher, or when the batter-runner reaches first base on an uncaught third strike (see also Strikeout).
The list of career leaders is dominated by players from the 19th century, when fielding equipment was very rudimentary; baseball gloves only began to steadily gain acceptance in the 1880s, and were not uniformly worn until the mid-1890s, resulting in a much lower frequency of defensive miscues. Other protective equipment for catchers was also gradually introduced; the first masks were developed in the late 1870s, with improvements in the 1890s, but shin guards were not introduced to the major leagues until 1907. The top 47 players in career passed balls all played primarily in the 19th century, with two-thirds playing their entire careers prior to 1894; only eight were active after 1900, and none were active after 1912.
Pop Snyder, who retired in 1891 with a record 877 games as a catcher, is the all-time leader in passed balls with 763, nearly four times as many as any catcher who began their career after 1915. Silver Flint, who ended his career in 1889, is second with 639, and holds the National League record of 602. Lance Parrish has the most passed balls (192) of any catcher after 1915, and holds the American League record of 158.
Key Rank Rank amongst leaders in career passed balls allowed. A blank field indicates a tie.PlayerName of the playerPBTotal career passed balls allowed*Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame
List
Stats updated as of June 23, 2026. RankPlayer PB1Pop Snyder7632Silver Flint6393Doc Bushong5534Deacon White*5055Deacon McGuire5006Wilbert Robinson*4917King Kelly*4208Jack Clements4179Jocko Milligan40610Bill Holbert40311John Clapp39312Barney Gilligan37713Fred Carroll36914Buck Ewing*36015Chief Zimmer35516Charlie Bennett35217Doggie Miller34618Kid Baldwin33119Connie Mack*31020Jack Boyle30321Jack O'Connor28822Duke Farrell28623Jack O'Brien27924Jim Keenan27825Pat Deasley27426Rudy Kemmler27327Paul Cook257Emil Gross257Bill Traffley25730George Myers25631Con Daily25432Sam Trott24933Charlie Reipschlager24534Chris Fulmer24435Fatty Briody24336Jack Rowe24037Lew Brown236Mert Hackett236Ed Whiting23640Dan Sullivan22541Scott Hastings22442Jackie Hayes21843Farmer Vaughn20744Jim O'Rourke*20345Malachi Kittridge20246John Kelly19847Pop Schriver19448Lance Parrish19249Tom Dolan19050Bob Clark183 RankPlayer PB51Jack Ryan182Ted Simmons*18253Charlie Ganzel180John Kerins18055Ed McFarland17656Jim Donahue17357Nat Hicks16958Jimmy Peoples16859Doug Allison166Frank Bowerman16661Heinie Peitz16362Lave Cross157Mike Hines157Benito Santiago15765Tom Daly15566Dick Higham152Ernie Lombardi*152Sleeper Sullivan15269John Grim15170Jack Warner14771Steve O'Neill14572Bill Harbridge14473Rick Ferrell*142Jorge Posada142Sy Sutcliffe14276Billy Sullivan14077Dick Buckley139Red Dooin139Frankie Hayes13980Gus Triandos13881Frank Ringo13682Phil Powers13583Tom Gunning13384Tim McCarver132Darrell Porter13286Tom Kinslow131Wally Schang13188Jim Sundberg13089Roger Bresnahan*129Carlton Fisk*12991Boileryard Clarke128Pop Tate12893Johnny Kling127Iván Rodríguez*12795Gabby Hartnett*12696Ed Herrmann125Fergy Malone12598Joe Crotty12399Tom Haller121J. C. Martin121
Other Hall of Famers Player PBOther leagues, notes MLB American League National LeagueMike Piazza*1020102Ray Schalk*97970Johnny Bench*94094Mickey Cochrane*88880Joe Torre*87087Gary Carter*84084Yogi Berra*76760Bill Dickey*76760Al López*66066Roy Campanella*64056Includes 8 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete)
Sources
Baseball-Reference.com