Is William Contreras related to Willson Contreras? Family and early life explored

The MLB appears set for a new golden age for catchers, with William and Willson Contreras being at the heart of it. The hard-hitting catchers are among the best in the business, slugging their way to starting roles in the majors.

As two of the hardest-hitting catchers in the MLB, their talent is undeniable. However, there is one question that baseball fans find themselves asking: Are William and Willson Contreras related?

They are related. Willson and William are brothers. The pair grew up in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, playing baseball in the street as children using a crumpled piece of paper as a ball. They have a third brother, Willmer, who does not play professional baseball.

The two brothers have become the best family of catchers since the legendary Molina family, which was comprised of three brothers: Bengie, Jose and Yadier.

Coincidentally, Willson is filling the shoes of Yadier Molina with the St. Louis Cardinals as the iconic catcher retired at the end of last season. After 19 seasons of Molina catching for the St. Louis Cardinals, Willson is the starter for the club.

"Yadier Molina “Respect4” tribute on cleats Willson Contreras will wear for #stlcards #openingday. 'To me, he owns the city. This is his city.' Contreras designed the look with arch and other symbols for Molina," St. Louis Post-Dispatch sportswriter Derrick Goold tweeted.

After spending the majority of his career with the Chicago Cubs, the main rival of the St. Louis Cardinals, Contreras seemed like an odd choice to replace the club legend. However, the 30-year-old Venezuelan catcher has already gained the approval of the fans.

A look at Willson Contreras' 2022 season

Willson finished the 2022 season with the Chicago Cubs at the top of many statistical categories, even while missing time due to injury. Among qualified catchers, Contreras finished fourth in home runs (22), fifth in stolen bases (four) and sixth in walks (45). He also finished the regular season with 65 runs and 55 RBIs.

He should continue to produce this season with his new club in St. Louis. So far this season, Willson Contreras has recorded four hits in two games, while also scoring three times.

William Contreras has earned himself a starting role with the Milwaukee Brewers

After emerging with the Atlanta Braves last season, William Contreras found himself behind the likes of Travis D'Arnaud on the depth chart. However, following a blockbuster trade that involved the Oakland Athletics and Milwaukee Brewers, Contreras is Milwaukee's starting catcher, giving him a shot to prove himself in a top role.

After batting .278 with 20 home runs in 97 games with the Braves last season, William has a legitimate opportunity to surpass his brother in the MLB's catcher rankings.