There’s a difference between having power and delivering it when it matters. Hunter Goodman is doing both, and that combination is starting to place him in rare company.
Hunter Goodman’s Power Surge Has Him Among the Game’s Elite—And Closing in on Rockies History
His 31st home run of the season came in a familiar spot—late, decisive, and consequential. The eighth-inning swing not only gave Colorado a lead, but it also allowed Goodman to match the franchise record for home runs by a catcher in a single season, a mark he established himself in 2025.
For a player still early in his career, the pace is notable. For a catcher, it’s something more.
Production That Stands Up Historically
Offense from the catching position has always been measured differently. Durability, game-calling, and defensive consistency tend to define value as much as anything at the plate. Sustained power, especially across multiple seasons, is far less common.
That’s where Goodman’s profile begins to separate.
With back-to-back 30-home run seasons, he has become just the 14th catcher in Major League history to reach that mark multiple times. Within the National League, the list narrows further. Only four catchers—Todd Hundley, Mike Piazza, Roy Campanella, and now Goodman—have produced consecutive 30-homer seasons.
Those are not casual comparisons. Piazza remains the benchmark for offensive production at the position. Campanella’s résumé is Hall of Fame caliber. Hundley, at his peak, redefined what power from a catcher could look like in his era.
Goodman has not yet built that kind of career, but the trajectory places him in that conversation.
His standing within the Rockies’ own history is already firm. With 76 career home runs, he ranks second among catchers in franchise history, four behind Chris Iannetta. Given his age and current production, that record appears well within reach.
What distinguishes Goodman is not just the volume of his power, but its consistency from year to year—something the position rarely sustains.
A Reliable Bat in Late Situations
If the home run totals establish Goodman’s value, the timing of them reinforces it.
His eighth-inning home run was his third go-ahead homer in the eighth inning or later this season, tying him with Gavin Sheets and Jazz Chisholm for the most in the majors. That places him among a small group of hitters who have consistently influenced outcomes late in games.
More broadly, Goodman leads Major League Baseball with 11 home runs in the seventh inning or later this season. It is a meaningful distinction. Late innings bring higher leverage, better relievers, and fewer opportunities. Production there tends to reflect approach as much as raw ability.
This has been a developing pattern rather than a short-term spike. Since the start of the 2025 season, Goodman has hit 25 home runs in the seventh inning or later, tied for the second-most in the majors alongside Cal Raleigh.
In practical terms, it means Colorado can rely on his at-bats deep into games, regardless of situation. That is not a common attribute, particularly for a catcher managing the physical demands of the position over a full season.
The Rockies are still working toward consistency as a club, but players who can alter games in a single plate appearance tend to shape the direction of a roster. Goodman has become that type of presence.
He is not an outlier season. The production now stretches across multiple years, supported by a track record of late-game impact and a place in both franchise and league history that continues to grow.
With more than two months remaining, he is positioned to move past his own single-season mark and, shortly after, to the top of the Rockies’ all-time list for catchers.
There will be time to assess where his career ultimately fits among the position’s best. For now, the more immediate reality is clear. Hunter Goodman is producing at a level few catchers have sustained—and he is doing it in moments that matter.
