Dioner Navarro, Shawn Riggans, Gregg Zaun, and Michel Hernandez teamed up in 2009 to provide the Rays with a .275 On-Base-Percentage from the catcher position. Thank goodness an early season injury to Kelly Shoppach allowed for John Jaso to provide an individual OBP of of .376 year-to-date, a full .101 above the team number last year. What Jaso has done in terms of plate discipline is remarkable for a rookie, albeit a 26 year old.

Consider this since 1960 (50 years) only 19 times has an American League catcher had 350 plate appearances, with a BB% of 13% or greater and had more walks than strikeouts. We talk about being patient at the plate, and then we talk about being disciplined. To walk 14.5% of the time and maintain a BB/K of 1.47 is about as disciplined as one can be. Of those 19 season, Jaso's 14.5% BB% currently has him placed 7th.

In terms of BB/K, Jaso's season puts him 9th:

Jaso is the 5th youngest player to join this club behind Jim Sundberg, Darrell Porter, Joe Mauer, and Brian Downing. Finally we will look at each of the 13 players career BB%, K/BB%  OBP, and earliest age when this feat was accomplished.

With the exception of Sundberg, all other catchers who achieved this feat in their 20's maintained a career BB/K north of .9. John Jaso: the next Brian Downing, Butch Wynegar, or Darrell Porter? That works for me and with a full plate of cost-control left you can be sure the Rays are pleased as well.