Minor leagues (2011–2014) in 2012 The Tigers selected McCann in the second round, with the 76th overall selection, of the
2011 MLB draft. He was Detroit's first selection of the draft, and the first of four catchers the team selected. The Tigers invited McCann to
spring training in 2012. He began the 2012 season with the
Lakeland Flying Tigers of the
High-A Florida State League, and received a promotion to the
Erie SeaWolves of the
Double-A Eastern League on June 6, though be batted only .200 for Erie. After adjusting his offensive approach, McCann responded with a .283 average through July 14 of the 2013 season, and appeared in the
All-Star Futures Game. He ended the season with a .277 average, eight home runs, 30 doubles, 54 RBI, and an
on-base plus slugging (OPS) of .731. McCann began the 2014 season with the
Toledo Mud Hens of the
Triple-A International League. McCann finished the season with the Mud Hens batting .295 with seven home runs, 54 RBI, and a .770 OPS.
Detroit Tigers (2014–2018) 2014–2015 On September 1, 2014, McCann was called up by the Detroit Tigers. He made his MLB debut that day in the bottom of the ninth inning, replacing catcher
Alex Avila. McCann got his first MLB start on September 19, 2014, catching for
Justin Verlander against the
Kansas City Royals. McCann had two hits (both to center field), a stolen base, and scored twice. In spring training in 2015, McCann won the job as the team's backup catcher to Avila. He hit his first major league home run, an
inside-the-park home run, on April 29, 2015. On May 21, 2015, he hit his first conventional home run, a walk-off in the 11th inning to give the Tigers a 6–5 victory over the
Houston Astros. McCann became the first MLB player to hit an inside-the-park home run and a walk-off home run for his first two career home runs since
Tim Raines in
1981. On June 28, 2015, McCann hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Tigers a 5–4 victory over the
Chicago White Sox. McCann became the first MLB player to hit an inside-the-park home run and two walk-off home runs for his first three career home runs since
Tony Piet in 1932. McCann set the modern major league record for the number of consecutive games played at catcher to start a career without an error, surpassing the previous record of 93 set by
Frankie Pytlak from 1932 to 1934. McCann finished the 2015 season with no errors in 112 games played at catcher to lead all MLB catchers in fielding percentage. He became the sixth catcher in major league history to catch at least 100 games in a season without committing an error, following
Chris Iannetta and
Chris Snyder in
2008,
Mike Matheny in
2003,
Charles Johnson in
1997 and
Buddy Rosar in
1946. He also threw out 41 percent of would-be base stealers (versus a league average of 32 percent), helping him earn the nickname "McCannon" among Detroit fans. McCann was named the 2015 Detroit Tigers/Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association Rookie of the Year. He finished the 2015 season with a .264 average (106-for-401), 18 doubles, five triples, seven home runs and 41 RBIs, while throwing out 41 percent of potential base stealers. His 29 multi-hit games ranked fourth among American League rookies.
2016–2018 On April 11, 2016, McCann suffered a Grade 2 right
ankle sprain and was placed on the
disabled list. On May 31, 2016, McCann's Major League record of 139 games to start a career at catcher without committing an
error ended. For the 2016 season, McCann batted .221 with 12 home runs and 48 RBIs in 105 games. Following the season, McCann was named a
Gold Glove Award finalist for catcher, along with
Carlos Pérez and
Salvador Pérez. McCann threw out 45 percent of would-be base stealers, second-highest among AL catchers, and led his position with nine double plays. His nine
Defensive Runs Saved rating also ranked second in the AL. On May 26, 2017, McCann was put on the 10 day DL because of a left hand laceration. He returned to the Tigers on June 9 against the
Boston Red Sox. McCann struggled at the plate through June, finishing the month with a .194 batting average and .268 on-base percentage. However, a hot July including a ten-game hitting streak to finish off the month and four multi-hit games pushed McCann's average to the .246 mark with a .321 on-base percentage. For all of July, McCann batted .396 (19-for-48) with a .473 OBP, seven extra-base hits and 11 runs batted in. His hitting streak would extend to 14 games before ending on August 5. McCann finished the 2017 season with a .253 batting average, while hitting 13 home runs in 352 at-bats. On January 11, 2018, the Tigers signed McCann to a one-year deal worth $2.375 million, avoiding arbitration. McCann played in a career-high 118 games during the 2018 season, posting a .220 batting average with 8 home runs and 39 RBIs. He threw out 36% of potential base stealers, versus a league average of 28%. On November 30, 2018, the Tigers non-tendered McCann and he became a free agent.
Chicago White Sox (2019–2020) On December 19, 2018, McCann signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the
Chicago White Sox. McCann had his best start to a major league season in 2019, batting .319 (67-for-210) with 9 home runs by the end of June. He was invited to his first
All-Star Game, where he hit a single in his only plate appearance. He finished the year hitting .273 with 18 home runs and 60 RBIs, all career highs. The White Sox retained McCann for the 2020 season, tendering a $5.4 million one-year contract. On August 25, 2020, McCann was the catcher when
Lucas Giolito threw the 19th no-hitter in White Sox history. Overall with the White Sox, McCann batted .289 with seven home runs and 15 RBIs in 31 games. He appeared in 112 games for the Mets during the 2021 season, batting .232 with 10 home runs and 46 RBIs. In May 2022, McCann had surgery to repair a broken
hamate bone in his left wrist, missing six weeks, and returned to the injured list in July with a strained oblique muscle. He batted .195 in 61 games in the 2022 season.
Baltimore Orioles (2023–2024) The Mets traded McCann with cash considerations to the
Baltimore Orioles on December 21, 2022. On January 13, 2023, minor league outfielder Luis De La Cruz was sent to the Mets to complete the trade. In March 2023, McCann was place on the injured list with a left oblique strain, missing a week, and returned to the injured list in June with a sprained left ankle. The other was a 10–3 victory over the Mets at
Camden Yards on August 4 when he also drove in a season-high five RBI in his first match against his previous team. In 69 games for Baltimore, McCann slashed .222/.269/.377 with six home runs, 26 RBI, and three stolen bases. McCann pitched in an MLB game twice, both with the Orioles. His first was a scoreless eighth inning in a 10–3 loss to the
San Diego Padres at
Petco Park on August 15, 2023, when he got three ground-ball outs around a pair of one-out hits. The second was another eighth-inning outing the following year in a 19–8 away defeat to the
Oakland Athletics on July 6, 2024, when he surrendered a two-out, two-run homer to
Kyle McCann who was
pinch-hitting for
Brent Rooker. McCann played the entirety of an 11–5 home victory over the
Toronto Blue Jays in game 1 of a
doubleheader on July 29, 2024, despite being hit in the nose by a
Yariel Rodríguez fastball in the first inning. Instead of going on the injured list, he played an entire game as starting catcher in a 10–4 win over the same opponent two days later on July 31, wearing a protective face mask while batting. He was named the Orioles' nominee for the 2024
Roberto Clemente Award. McCann made 64 appearances for the Orioles during the 2024 campaign, batting .234/.279/.388 with eight home runs and 31 RBI.
Atlanta Braves On March 17, 2025, McCann signed a minor league contract with the
Atlanta Braves. In 42 appearances split between the Double-A
Columbus Clingstones and Triple-A
Gwinnett Stripers, he batted a combined .305/.341/.510 with six home runs, 32 RBI, and one stolen base. McCann was released by the Braves organization on June 22.
Arizona Diamondbacks On June 23, 2025, McCann signed a major league contract with the
Arizona Diamondbacks. He made his team debut on June 25 against the
Chicago White Sox. In 42 appearances for the Diamondbacks, McCann batted .260/.324/.431 with five home runs and 17 RBI. On November 21, 2025, McCann re-signed with the Diamondbacks on a one-year, $2.75 million contract. ==Personal life==