List of Major League Baseball career assists as a shortstop leaders
In baseball, an assist (denoted by A) is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is credited to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball (after it has been hit by the batter) prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional. For example, if a ball strikes a player's leg and bounces off him to another fielder, who tags the baserunner, the first player is credited with an assist. A fielder can receive a maximum of one assist per out recorded. An assist is also credited if a putout would have occurred, had another fielder not committed an error. For example, a second baseman might field a ground ball cleanly, but the first baseman might drop his throw. In this case, an error would be charged to the first baseman, and the second baseman would be credited with an assist. Unlike putouts, exactly one of which is awarded for every defensive out, an out can result in no assists being credited (as in strikeouts, fly outs and line drives), or in assists being credited to multiple players (as in relay throws and rundown plays). Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is a baseball or softball fielding position in the infield, commonly stationed between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. The position is mostly filled by defensive specialists, so shortstops are generally relatively poor batters who typically hit lower in the batting order. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the shortstop is assigned the number 6.
Shortstops are most commonly credited with an assist when they field a ground ball and throw the ball either to the first baseman to retire the batter/runner, or to the second baseman or third baseman to force out a runner, perhaps beginning a double play. Other common ways in which shortstops gain an assist are by throwing out a runner attempting to score, perhaps on a relay throw from the left fielder, rundown plays in which a runner is stranded between bases, throwing out a runner attempting to steal third base on a pickoff throw, and throwing to second or third base after catching a line drive in order to retire a runner before they can tag up. Second basemen and shortstops typically accumulate far more assists than players at other positions due to the frequency of ground balls to the middle infielders; the top six major league players in career assists were all primarily shortstops, and 7,354 of Rabbit Maranville's record 8,967 career assists were earned as a shortstop.
As strikeout totals have risen in baseball, the frequency of other defensive outs including ground outs has declined; as a result, assist totals for shortstops have likewise declined, and only two of the top seven career leaders have been active since 1973. Through 2022, none of the top 21 single-season totals have been recorded since 1988, and only five of the top 120 since 1993. Ozzie Smith is the all-time leader in career assists as a shortstop with 8,375,[1][2][3] the most by any player in major league history at any single position. Luis Aparicio (8,016) is the only other shortstop to record more than 8,000 career assists.
Key
[edit]| Rank | Rank amongst leaders in career assists. A blank field indicates a tie. |
| Player (2024 As) | Number of recorded assists during the 2024 Major League Baseball season |
| MLB | Total career assists as a shortstop in Major League Baseball |
| * | Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame |
|---|---|
| Bold | Denotes active player[a] |
List
[edit]
- Stats updated as of July 11, 2024.
| Rank | Player (2024 As) | Assists as a shortstop | Other leagues, notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | American League | National League | |||
| 1 | Ozzie Smith* | 8,375 | 0 | 8,375 | Holds the single-season record of 621 (set in 1980) |
| 2 | Luis Aparicio* | 8,016 | 8,016 | 0 | Held major league record, 1972-1994 |
| 3 | Omar Vizquel | 7,676 | 6,237 | 1,439 | |
| 4 | Bill Dahlen | 7,505 | 0 | 7,505 | Held major league record, 1908-1972; held National League record, 1905-1993 |
| 5 | Rabbit Maranville* | 7,354 | 0 | 7,354 | Held single-season record, 1914-1920 |
| 6 | Luke Appling* | 7,218 | 7,218 | 0 | Held American League record, 1947-1971 |
| 7 | Tommy Corcoran | 7,123 | 0 | 6,245 | Includes 444 in Players' League, 434 in American Association; held major league record, 1904-1908; held single-season record, 1898-1906 (tie) |
| 8 | Cal Ripken Jr.* | 6,977 | 6,977 | 0 | Holds the American League single-season record (583 in 1984) |
| 9 | Larry Bowa | 6,857 | 0 | 6,857 | |
| 10 | Derek Jeter* | 6,605 | 6,605 | 0 | |
| 11 | Dave Concepción | 6,594 | 0 | 6,594 | |
| 12 | Dave Bancroft* | 6,561 | 0 | 6,561 | Held single-season record, 1920-1924 |
| 13 | Roger Peckinpaugh | 6,337 | 6,337 | 0 | Held American League record, 1926-1947 |
| 14 | Bobby Wallace* | 6,303 | 4,895 | 1,408 | Held American League record, 1908-1909, 1910-1918 |
| 15 | Don Kessinger | 6,212 | 462 | 5,750 | |
| 16 | Roy McMillan | 6,191 | 0 | 6,191 | |
| 17 | Alan Trammell* | 6,172 | 6,172 | 0 | |
| 18 | Germany Smith | 6,166 | 0 | 4,086 | Includes 1,992 in American Association, 88 in Union Association; held major league record, 1897-1904; held single-season record, 1885-1886, 1892-1906; held NL single-season record, 1891-1908 |
| 19 | Bert Campaneris | 6,160 | 6,160 | 0 | |
| 20 | Jimmy Rollins | 6,139 | 86 | 6,053 | |
| 21 | Herman Long | 6,137 | 167 | 5,491 | Includes 479 in American Association |
| 22 | Donie Bush | 6,119 | 6,119 | 0 | Held American League record, 1918-1926 |
| 23 | Garry Templeton | 6,041 | 0 | 6,041 | |
| Honus Wagner* | 6,041 | 0 | 6,041 | ||
| 25 | Royce Clayton | 5,902 | 1,807 | 4,095 | |
| 26 | Pee Wee Reese* | 5,891 | 0 | 5,891 | |
| 27 | Barry Larkin* | 5,858 | 0 | 5,858 | |
| 28 | Joe Tinker* | 5,856 | 0 | 5,411 | Includes 445 in Federal League; held single-season record, 1908-1914 (tie) |
| 29 | Joe Cronin* | 5,814 | 5,799 | 15 | |
| 30 | Dick Groat | 5,811 | 0 | 5,811 | |
| 31 | Miguel Tejada | 5,804 | 4,615 | 1,189 | |
| 32 | Mark Belanger | 5,786 | 5,724 | 62 | |
| 33 | Chris Speier | 5,781 | 28 | 5,753 | |
| 34 | Édgar Rentería | 5,701 | 763 | 4,938 | |
| 35 | Jack Glasscock | 5,632 | 0 | 5,525 | Includes 107 in Union Association; held major league record, 1887-1897; held National League record, 1885-1905; held single-season record, 1887-1889; held NL single-season record, 1885-1890 |
| 36 | Dick Bartell | 5,590 | 405 | 5,185 | |
| 37 | Bill Russell | 5,546 | 0 | 5,546 | |
| 38 | Ed Brinkman | 5,466 | 5,397 | 69 | |
| 39 | Monte Cross | 5,375 | 2,118 | 3,257 | |
| 40 | Ozzie Guillén | 5,335 | 5,038 | 297 | |
| 41 | Leo Cárdenas | 5,303 | 2,153 | 3,150 | Held American League single-season record, 1969-1979 (tie) |
| 42 | Mickey Doolin | 5,290 | 0 | 4,333 | Includes 957 in Federal League |
| 43 | Elvis Andrus (0) | 5,276 | 5,276 | 0 | |
| 44 | George McBride | 5,274 | 4,671 | 603 | |
| 45 | Alfredo Griffin | 5,186 | 3,858 | 1,328 | |
| 46 | Art Fletcher | 5,134 | 0 | 5,134 | |
| 47 | Orlando Cabrera | 5,097 | 2,190 | 2,907 | |
| 48 | Everett Scott | 5,053 | 5,047 | 6 | |
| 49 | Billy Jurges | 4,959 | 0 | 4,959 | |
| 50 | Greg Gagne | 4,930 | 4,168 | 762 | |
| 51 | Ed McKean | 4,854 | 0 | 4,263 | Includes 591 in American Association |
| 52 | Marty Marion | 4,829 | 138 | 4,691 | |
| 53 | Tim Foli | 4,804 | 765 | 4,039 | |
| Maury Wills | 4,804 | 0 | 4,804 | ||
| 55 | George Davis* | 4,794 | 2,467 | 2,327 | Held American League single-season record, 1904-1905 |
| Robin Yount* | 4,794 | 4,794 | 0 | ||
| 57 | Freddie Patek | 4,786 | 4,011 | 775 | |
| 58 | Arky Vaughan* | 4,780 | 0 | 4,780 | |
| 59 | Lou Boudreau* | 4,760 | 4,760 | 0 | |
| 60 | Rafael Furcal | 4,678 | 0 | 4,678 | |
| 61 | Phil Rizzuto* | 4,666 | 4,666 | 0 | |
| 62 | Travis Jackson* | 4,636 | 0 | 4,636 | |
| 63 | Jay Bell | 4,595 | 706 | 3,889 | |
| 64 | Tony Fernández | 4,511 | 3,499 | 1,012 | |
| 65 | Eddie Miller | 4,500 | 0 | 4,500 | |
| 66 | Frankie Crosetti | 4,484 | 4,484 | 0 | |
| 67 | Leo Durocher* | 4,431 | 395 | 4,036 | |
| 68 | Mike Bordick | 4,410 | 4,270 | 140 | |
| 69 | Brandon Crawford (37) | 4,403 | 0 | 4,403 | |
| 70 | Johnny Logan | 4,397 | 0 | 4,397 | |
| 71 | José Reyes | 4,363 | 788 | 3,575 | |
| 72 | J. J. Hardy | 4,340 | 2,845 | 1,495 | |
| 73 | Bucky Dent | 4,332 | 4,332 | 0 | |
| 74 | Bones Ely | 4,328 | 506 | 3,699 | Includes 123 in American Association |
| 75 | Wally Gerber | 4,319 | 4,199 | 120 | |
| 76 | Álex González | 4,271 | 705 | 3,566 | |
| 77 | Jim Fregosi | 4,169 | 4,114 | 55 | |
| 78 | Alvin Dark | 4,168 | 0 | 4,168 | |
| 79 | Vern Stephens | 4,150 | 4,150 | 0 | |
| 80 | Jhonny Peralta | 4,123 | 3,267 | 856 | |
| 81 | Jack Wilson | 4,059 | 310 | 3,749 | |
| 82 | Iván DeJesús | 4,036 | 21 | 4,015 | |
| 83 | Walt Weiss | 4,007 | 1,398 | 2,609 | |
| 84 | Rafael Ramírez | 3,978 | 0 | 3,978 | |
| 85 | Bud Harrelson | 3,975 | 220 | 3,755 | |
| 86 | Joe Sewell* | 3,933 | 3,933 | 0 | |
| 87 | Alcides Escobar | 3,919 | 3,256 | 663 | |
| 88 | Troy Tulowitzki | 3,889 | 681 | 3,208 | |
| 89 | Billy Rogell | 3,886 | 3,875 | 11 | |
| 90 | Dick Schofield | 3,873 | 3,473 | 400 | |
| 91 | Rick Burleson | 3,871 | 3,871 | 0 | |
| 92 | Eddie Joost | 3,844 | 2,781 | 1,063 | |
| 93 | Spike Owen | 3,814 | 2,410 | 1,404 | |
| 94 | Freddy Parent | 3,788 | 3,788 | 0 | Held American League record, 1902-1908, 1909-1910; held AL single-season record, 1902-1904 |
| 95 | Shawon Dunston | 3,731 | 21 | 3,710 | |
| 96 | Zoilo Versalles | 3,645 | 3,205 | 440 | |
| 97 | Doc Lavan | 3,628 | 1,899 | 1,729 | |
| 98 | Chico Carrasquel | 3,619 | 3,619 | 0 | |
| 99 | Alex Rodriguez | 3,605 | 3,605 | 0 | |
| 100 | José Valentín | 3,565 | 2,979 | 586 | |
Other Hall of Famers
[edit]| Player | Assists as shortstop | Other leagues, notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | American League | National League | ||
| Ernie Banks* | 3,441 | 0 | 3,441 | |
| Hughie Jennings* | 3,143 | 1 | 2,921 | Includes 221 in American Association |
| John Montgomery Ward* | 2,641 | 0 | 2,191 | Includes 450 in Players' League |
| George Wright* | 1,881 | 0 | 930 | Includes 951 in National Association; held major league record, 1873-1875, 1876-1884; held National League record, 1876-1877; held single-season record, 1872-1875, 1879-1880; held NL single-season record, 1876-1880 |
| Willie Wells* | 1,665 | 0 | 0 | Includes 847 in Negro National League (first), 701 in Negro National League (second), 111 in East–West League, 6 in Negro American League (incomplete) |
| Rogers Hornsby* | 1,262 | 0 | 1,262 | |
| John McGraw* | 540 | 0 | 499 | Includes 41 in American Association |
| John Henry Lloyd* | 390 | 0 | 0 | Includes 252 in Negro National League (first), 138 in Eastern Colored League (incomplete) |
| Ed Delahanty* | 287 | 0 | 43 | Includes 244 in Players' League |
| Martín Dihigo* | 249 | 0 | 0 | Includes 147 in Eastern Colored League, 96 in American Negro League, 6 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete) |
| King Kelly* | 243 | 0 | 162 | Includes 75 in Players' League, 6 in American Association |
| Tony Lazzeri* | 236 | 182 | 54 | |
| Jackie Robinson* | 97 | 0 | 3 | Includes 94 in Negro American League (incomplete) |
| Ray Dandridge* | 58 | 0 | 0 | Includes 58 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete) |
| Adrián Beltré* | 5 | 0 | 5 | |
Notes
[edit]- ^ A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or has not played for a full season.
References
[edit]- ^ "Ozzie Smith Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
- ^ Faber, Charles F. "Ozzie Smith Bio". Society For American Baseball Research. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
- ^ "Ozzie Smith Hall of Fame Profile". National Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
External links
[edit]- "Career Leaders & Records for Assists as SS". Baseball-Reference.com.