Division III baseball alum (McDaniel College) and founder of Joker Mag. He will begin this season as the clubs everyday second baseman. Third . Copyright 2023 The Modest Man (Registered Trademark), 46 Famous Short Male Athletes Who Reached the Top, Lionel Messi Height, Net Worth, and Red Cards (Everything You Want to Know), How to Dress Well In Your 40s and 50s (and Beyond), Where to Buy Clothes for Short Men (2022 Guide), 31 Great Watches For Small Wrists (Updated for 2023), Top 8 Best Business Casual Shoes for Men (2023 Guide), The Complete Guide to Business Casual Style for Men. 100 Greatest Third Basemen of All-Time. The 25-year-old hit a modest .244/.314/.345 for an 87 OPS+ in 136 games, but he racked up 4.3 WAR thanks to his stellar glove work at the hot corner. Before starting tee ball at 3-years-old, Harrison would use a fork as a bat and a balled-up piece of paper to play ball in his kitchen. We rewarded offensive prowess but gave an extra bump to well-above-average defense. And with so much going in favor of taller players, is there even any room for the little guys in baseball? We have accounted for defensive and offensive production since 2019, with an emphasis on 2021. Since 2017, Escobar has hit the 10th-most home runs of any third baseman with 111. His Statcast metrics dont pop out at you, but Ramrez puts up steady, high-level production because he leans into his pull-side power and hits a ton of fly balls. Moncada had a 97 wRC+ and a league-leading 217 strikeouts. Outs above average among third baseman: Matt Chapman leads, KeBryan Hayes follows, then Ryan McMahon, Nolan Arenado, and Jose Ramirez. Vintage Bubble Gum (@vintage_bubble_gum). But whats even more surprising than the fact that Shantz got a chance to pitch at all considering his height was the fact that he kept doing it year after year. Rounding out the list is ol Pudge Rodriguez, who deserves a mention for being one of the best defensive players in MLB history despite standing a few inches shorter than most of his counterparts. Veteran third-baseman and acknowledged clubhouse leader Justin Tuner also opted for free agency and is in Boston. But Gaedels plate appearance was just a publicity stunt. For the purposes of getting to know the different baseball positions, let's go in numerical order based on the scorebook. Ramirez ended up with 90 runs, 126 RBI, and slashed .280/.355/.514 while . However, following the signing of Evan Longoria, there may not be 500-plus plate appearances available for Rojas like there were in 2021 and 22. from the Minnesota Twins and in When it comes to the shortest players in the history of baseball, the list includes Eddie Gaedel (3'7), Stubby Magner (5'3), Pompeyo "Yo-Yo" Davalillo (5'3), Bob Emmerich (5'3), and Mike McCormack (5'3). MLB pitchers are some of the tallest pro athletes on the planet. You might want to read this one next: The 15 Shortest Soccer Players of All Time. But unlike Schwarber and many other marquee power hitters, Ramrez piles up the run production without a boatload of strikeouts. Answer (1 of 12): Most credit Moonlight Graham or Eddie Gaedel with having the the shortest Major League career. All types of analysis went into these rankings. For those who think he belongs higher, it's tough to justify slotting him further up this list. Listing the top salaries, cap hits, cash, earnings, contracts, and bonuses, for all active MLB players. We will use some advanced baseball jargon in this article. Who did we leave out? Baseball Glove Length Guide: The Right-Sized Glove for Infielders (2022) Kyle O'Connor. Still, it is hard to understand exactly who is going to be moving forward after a down year in 2021. Sports Bet Gazette is reporting that the player, who hails from Osaka, Japan, is without a doubt the shortest first baseman to ever play in the major leagues. He'll move into a super-utility role after Minnesota traded him to the Los Angeles Angels last week. He hit 26 home runs in 135 games played last year and he also posted a 1 OAA, as he is still a slightly above-average defender at third base. The first Hall of Famer on our list, and he stood at only 54 one of the shortest Hall of Famers in any professional sport! Rounding out the list is ol' Pudge Rodriguez, who deserves a mention for being one of the best defensive players in MLB history despite standing a few inches shorter than most of his counterparts. Most second basemen use an 11 to an 11.5-inch mitt, while shortstops will usually use an 11.5 to an 11.75-inch mitt. Donaldson ranked in 99th percentile in average hard hit% last season, which means he is still hitting the ball harder than almost every other hitter in the game. An elite bat, great defense, and championship mentality is what you get from Rendon, we just hope he can rebound. He spent 6 years in the minors before finally getting his chance with the major league club where he got his first hit on the first pitch he saw. After years as a speculative trade candidate, he signed a seven-year, $141 million extension in April, the largest contract given out in Cleveland franchise history. The age youll see next to each name reflects what they will be on Opening Day. Ever. Last season, Escobar hit .253/.314/.472, with 27 home runs and 90 RBIs. . He was the top prospect in all of baseball! Jung, a top-40 prospect, displayed his 60-grade power when he homered in his first MLB at-bat. The franchise second baseman has been with Houston since the days of back-to-back 100-loss seasons, and now that they . Despite being the shortest player on this list, it would be quite misleading to call Wilson "diminutive." Weighing in at a robust 190 pounds, Wilson, nicknamed "Hack" due to his resemblance to wrestler . However, that obscures his hot streak over the seasons final two months. He exploded onto the major league scene in 2016, playing right field for the Boston Red Sox, and has quite literally taken the league by storm. McMahon was a productive two-way player once again for the Rockies, hitting .246/.327/.414 with 23 doubles, 20 home runs and 67 RBI while posting stellar defensive metrics (11 DRS, 3.3 UZR/150) to earn a place among the NL Gold Glove finalists. Selected 532nd overall in 2009, hes built quite an impressive resume in his long career. Go ahead and impress someone today with your newfound random baseball knowledge. A foot injury slowed him during the second half, and he hit just .228/.308/.327 after the All-Star break, but he still finished with a 111 OPS+ and 3.8 WAR in 125 games. Rank Player Signed Age Yrs Value AAV . The man is practically an institution. The 27-year-old entered the league in 2016 with otherworldly expectations. Angels third baseman Yunel Escobar wields a 36-inch, 34-ounce slab of wood cut . A post shared by For this guide, I took an average of the heights and weights of the 66 third basemen across the league. Let's discuss each fielding position in . He is an outstanding defender worth 26 outs above average as a second baseman . Muncy is an American-born professional baseball infielder playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the MLB. The San Diego Padres and third baseman Manny Machado have agreed to an 11-year, $350 million contract extension, the team announced Tuesday. Willie Mays 1 prospect in MLB also has eligibility at shortstop, further enhancing his fantasy value. Baseball is beautiful because it doesnt discriminate you can either hit a fastball or you cant. Chicago White Sox. From 58 to 65 and 140 pounds to 250 pounds, it appears that there is definitely not a one-size-fits-all for playing third base. Bregman is someone well be watching closely this year. CEDRIC HAS DONE IT!30/30 club, meet your newest member. Once those stars are off the board within the first few rounds, there is a clear step down into the next tier of players. Though he stood only 56 and weighed around 190 pounds, he was an incredible power hitter throughout his 12 year career. Uras was one of the most underrated players in baseball during the 2022 season. Who would have guessed Eugenio Surez would be a top-10 third baseman after Cincinnati dealt him to the Seattle Mariners in what amounted to a salary dump as part of the Jesse Winker trade? Being a little guy in high school not highly recruited, guys looking over him I think he saw the value of hard work., Nick Madrigal is really good. .317 career batting average .299 batting average with 2-strikes () 7.4 K % Looks great in Cubbie Blue pic.twitter.com/RAXFV6vw9n. the Hall of Fame . ALL-TIME TOP 100 LISTS. Dinty Gearin, who was the shortest MLB pitcher to play baseball standing at 5'4, won 2 games and lost 4 in his career. A post shared by Then theres Pompeyo Yo-Yo Davalillo, a 53 shortstop who batted .293 through 19 games for the 1953 Washington Senators. . Basically looked like a big league third baseman on those two plays. THIS PIECE IS FACTUALLY NOT AT ALL INFORMATIVE AS YOU LEFT OUT AS MANY AS YOU LISTED Jeimer Candelario has gone a bit unnoticed playing for the bottom-dweller Detroit Tigers, but his star is about to rise if this team starts to contend this year. He hit just .207 and struck out 183 times, but his power production and on-base ability helped offset those shortcomings. The No. Riley broke out in the biggest way. Who tops the list? Jose Altuve is 56 tall, making him the shortest active MLB player. As a team there are Great!!! He didnt carve out a role in the league just stealing bases or playing great defense. Unremarkable. Height: 5'10''-6'3'' Weight: 180-220 lbs. Are you enjoying this article? He has hit at least 32 home runs in five-straight seasons, and in 2021, he hit 28 home runs and swiped 12 bags. With two years remaining on the five-year, $100 million extension he signed before the 2019 season, he has plenty of time to return to top-tier form before he hits free agency. Theres no other way of putting in Mookie Betts is a rare phenom. Arenado hit .293/.358/.533 for a similar 154 OPS+, tallying 42 doubles, 30 home runs and 103 RBI for the seventh 30-homer, 100-RBI season of his impressive career. Join our freeUnderdog Newsletterto keep up with the best sports stories that you wont see on ESPN. That, plus his defensive excellence at third base, has allowed him to accumulate 17.6 . In the playoffs! Plus, even though his 24.9% whiff rate was a career-high, Machado has markedly better plate discipline than Devers or Riley. He slowly worked his way up to Major League Baseball playing every position except first base and catcher. On the bright side, his baserunning 20 steals last season makes him a valuable fantasy commodity, even if tops out at 10 homers. Since 2000, Altuve, Kemp, Alexi Amarista, Danny Herrera, David Eckstein, and Donnie Sadler are the only MLB players to suit up in a game at 5-foot-6. Best Season: 1964 - .313/.398/.564 with 30 home runs, 114 RBIs, 86 walks, .962 OPS, 8.5 offensive WAR, 0.8 defensive WAR and 8.7 fWAR Santo had one of the greatest peaks that a third baseman has ever had, as his WAR7 - a metric that measures your seven peak years - is fourth in baseball history among players at the position.The Chicago icon packed a ton into 15 seasons, as he made nine All . Another serious trailblazer at the position, Magner stood head and shoulders above the likes of Gaedel, but was only 53. Hes still just 29 and has racked up 40.4 fWAR for his career. A post shared by Muncy dealt with nagging injuries all season while also adjusting to being pushed off his natural position of first base. During his two year career with the New York Giants in 1923 +1924, he had an ERA of 3.74, and 52 innings pitched. Tim Collins 57. Last, but not least, hes earned his way into the exclusive 30-30 club (for players with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a single season). Alex Bregman still checks in at number 10, but he runs the risk of falling out of the top 10 entirely based on some of the trends of the last few seasons. Before making the full-time move to first base in 2015, Ryan Zimmerman was one of the best third basemen in baseball. Tier 4: Max Muncy, Eugenio Surez, Matt Chapman, Ke'Bryan Hayes, Alec Bohm, Josh Rojas, Josh Jung, Brandon Drury, Ryan . Last season, Escobar hit .253/.314/.472, with 27 home runs and 90 RBIs. The 30-year-old hit .298/.366/.531 for a 159 OPS+ with 37 doubles, 32 home runs and 102 RBI in a 6.8-WAR season. Yandy Daz and the #Rays are closing in on a three-year, $24 million contract extension, sources tell me and @Feinsand. Fuchi Yokomama, who only stands 5-foot-4, is . His .284 OBP over his past 2000 MLB plate appearances, however, hinders his value. Who are the best short or undersized MLB players of all time? 12. The defensive stats will reflect their time solely at second base. Outfield. Peter is the Co-Founder and Director of Content Strategy of Justbaseball.com and the Co-Host of the Just Baseball Show. Scratch that, a lot of people (including the folks in Cooperstown) think Joe Morgan is one of the best MLB players of all time, period. Deadball Era Stars (@deadball_era_baseball). (via @NBCSAthletics)pic.twitter.com/QjqxxOc1gX. Previously, Peter worked for the New York, Myles Naylor Ranks on the Top 100 2023 Draft List. Some of them are quick and crafty base stealers. Hes played nine years of Major League Baseball and has nine Gold Gloves. As a bonus, we included some recommended start times. 1926, '27, '28, '30. Most: 3 (Jimmie Foxx, Albert Pujols) Highest bWAR in MVP season: 11.8 (Lou Gehrig, 1927) Jimmie Foxx was the first player in Major League history to win three MVP Awards, earning two with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1932-33 and another with the Red Sox in '38. Forty homers are possible for Riley, whose fantasy floor will remain high for as long as hes in the middle of Atlantas loaded lineup. 2021 Stats: 152 G, .266/.355/.538, .893 OPS, 137 wRC+, 36 HR, 111 RBI, 27 SB, 11.3% BB, 13.7% K, 6.3 fWAR, 10 DRS, 7 OAA.