#ASGWorthy: Yadi, Buster again in NL mix behind plate

The 2016 Esurance MLB All-Star Ballot has been released, and while the season is still young, it’s never too early to start evaluating candidates. Many have already begun to stand out, while others are sure to hit their stride in the coming months leading up to the 2016 All-Star Game presented by MasterCard on July 12 at San Diego’s Petco Park.

As fans cast their votes for who they deem worthy of 2016 All-Star status, MLB.com is going to look position by position through each league, continuing today with the National League catchers.

• Cast your Esurance All-Star ballot #ASGWorthy players

The stalwarts St. Louis’ Yadier Molina and San Francisco’s Buster Posey have been the class of NL backstops for the past several years, with one of the two starting five of the seven All-Star Games since 2009. Molina, who backed up Posey in the Midsummer Classic last year, has returned from offseason left thumb surgery with relative ease and is hitting .333 with 10 RBIs.

Posey, a three-time All-Star, is hitting .294 with four homers for the first-place Giants.

Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy, the 2014 NL starter behind the plate, is hitting .309 with eight RBIs after dealing with a broken left big toe last season.

The fast starters Philadelphia’s Carlos Ruiz has a .341/.413/.634 slash line with three home runs at 37 years old after hitting just .211 a season ago. The 2012 All-Star is a key contributor for the surprising …

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