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List of Major League Baseball career double plays as a shortstop leaders

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Omar Vizquel, the all-time leader in double plays by a shortstop

In baseball statistics, a double play (denoted as DP) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. One double play is recorded for every defensive player who participates in the play, regardless of how many of the outs in which they were directly involved, and is counted in addition to whatever putouts and assists might also apply. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs.[1] 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 typically record a double play by fielding a ground ball and then either throwing to the second baseman to force out the runner advancing to second base, or stepping on the base themselves before throwing to first base to retire the batter/runner, or by receiving a throw from another player to force a runner at second base before the throw to first base is made. Shortstops generally benefit in this respect from playing alongside an excellent second baseman with great range and quickness; strong middle infields are regarded as crucial to a team's defensive play, and double play totals are regarded as a strong indicator of their defensive skill. Double plays are also recorded when the shortstop catches a line drive, then throws to a base before the runner can tag up, or another infielder or the pitcher catches the line drive and then throws to the shortstop in the same situation; on occasion, the throw might come from an outfielder after an unexpected catch of a fly ball. Other double plays occur when the shortstop records an out at second base, then throws out a runner attempting to advance on the basepaths, or on a double steal attempt in which the catcher throws out a runner attempting to steal second base, and the shortstop throws back to the catcher to retire a runner trying to steal home. Double plays are also occasionally recorded when a rundown play is involved, almost always as the second out. Because of the high number of ground outs, shortstops and second basemen typically record far more double plays than players at any other position except first base.

Most of the career leaders are relatively recent players who have benefitted from improved infield defense, with equipment of better quality; nine of the top twelve players made their major league debut after 1969, and only one was active before 1951. Five of the top nine players spent their entire careers with one team. Longer careers have compensated for the fact that as strikeout totals have risen in baseball, the frequency of other defensive outs including ground outs has declined, with double play totals for shortstops likewise declining; 18 of the top 25 single-season totals were recorded between 1944 and 1988, and none of the top 478 were recorded before 1920.[2] Omar Vizquel holds the record for the most career double plays by a shortstop with 1,734.[3] Only three other shortstops have recorded 1,500 career double plays.

Key

[edit]
Rank Rank among leaders in career double plays. A blank field indicates a tie.
Player (2024 DPs) Recorded double plays in 2024
MLB Total career double plays as a shortstop in Major League Baseball
* Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame
Bold Denotes active player[a]

List

[edit]
Elvis Andrus, the active leader and 18th all-time in double plays by a shortstop
Ozzie Smith holds the National League record.
Cal Ripken Jr. holds the American League record, and led the AL in double plays a record eight times.
Luis Aparicio held the major league record for 24 years.
Luke Appling held the major league record for 24 years.
Rick Burleson's 147 double plays in 1980 remain the record for shortstops.
  • Stats updated as of August 2, 2024.
Rank Player (2024 DPs) Double plays as a shortstop Other leagues, notes
MLB American League National League
1 Omar Vizquel 1,734 1,433 301
2 Ozzie Smith* 1,590 0 1,590 Held major league record, 1995-2007
3 Cal Ripken Jr.* 1,565 1,565 0
4 Luis Aparicio* 1,553 1,553 0 Held major league record, 1971-1995; held American League record, 1971-1996
5 Luke Appling* 1,424 1,424 0 Held major league record, 1947-1971; held American League record, 1946-1971; held AL single-season record, 1936-1938
6 Derek Jeter* 1,408 1,408 0
7 Alan Trammell* 1,307 1,307 0
8 Roy McMillan 1,304 0 1,304 Held National League record, 1965-1992; held NL single-season record, 1954-1970
9 Dave Concepción 1,290 0 1,290
10 Miguel Tejada 1,274 1,020 254
11 Larry Bowa 1,265 0 1,265
12 Jimmy Rollins 1,249 18 1,231
13 Pee Wee Reese* 1,246 0 1,246 Held National League record, 1956-1965
14 Dick Groat 1,237 0 1,237
15 Royce Clayton 1,224 387 837
16 Édgar Rentería 1,218 181 1,037
17 Phil Rizzuto* 1,217 1,217 0
18 Elvis Andrus (0) 1,209 1,209 0
19 Rabbit Maranville* 1,188 0 1,188 Held major league record, 1930-1947; held National League record, 1930-1956; held single-season record, 1914-1920
20 Bert Campaneris 1,186 1,186 0
21 Lou Boudreau* 1,180 1,180 0 Held single-season record, 1944-1970; held American League single-season record, 1943-1979
22 Don Kessinger 1,170 89 1,081
23 Joe Cronin* 1,165 1,164 1 Held American League record, 1939-1946
24 Garry Templeton 1,164 0 1,164
25 Orlando Cabrera 1,123 507 616
26 Ozzie Guillén 1,094 1,040 54
27 Barry Larkin* 1,092 0 1,092
28 Dick Bartell 1,072 76 996
29 Mike Bordick 1,055 1,031 24
30 Mark Belanger 1,054 1,050 4
31 Alfredo Griffin 1,053 832 221
32 Chris Speier 1,043 6 1,037
33 Leo Cárdenas 1,036 426 610
34 Tim Foli 1,028 155 873
35 Álex González
(b.1977) 		1,025 157 868
36 Dave Bancroft* 1,021 0 1,021 Held major league record, 1928-1930; held National League record, 1927-1930; held single-season record, 1920-1925
37 Rafael Furcal 1,020 0 1,020
38 Ed Brinkman 1,005 990 15
39 Freddie Patek 1,004 858 146
40 Marty Marion 978 41 937
41 Greg Gagne 967 826 141
42 Roger Peckinpaugh 966 966 0 Held major league record, 1925-1928; held American League record, 1921-1939; held single-season record, 1923-1925 (tie); held AL single-season record, 1917-1921, 1923-1933
43 J. J. Hardy 953 646 307
44 Eddie Miller 946 0 946
45 Frankie Crosetti 944 944 0 Held American League single-season record, 1938-1943
46 Tony Fernández 943 770 173
47 Robin Yount* 941 941 0
48 Alvin Dark 933 0 933
49 Brandon Crawford (10) 932 0 932
50 Billy Jurges 929 0 929
51 Eddie Joost 928 709 219
52 Jhonny Peralta 920 728 192
53 Jack Wilson 913 60 853
54 José Reyes 911 164 747
55 Bill Russell 909 0 909
56 Dick Schofield 900 819 81
57 Leo Durocher* 895 70 825
58 Johnny Logan 894 0 894
59 Bill Dahlen 881 0 881 Held major league record, 1908-1925; held National League record, 1906-1927; held single-season record, 1898-1914
60 Jay Bell 877 161 716
61 Troy Tulowitzki 871 139 732
62 Maury Wills 859 0 859
63 Walt Weiss 854 286 568
64 Alex Rodriguez 853 853 0
Vern Stephens 853 853 0
66 Tommy Corcoran 851 0 759 Includes 56 in American Association, 36 in Players' League; held major league record, 1905-1908
67 Arky Vaughan* 850 0 850
68 Rafael Ramírez 842 0 842
69 Bucky Dent 839 839 0
70 Jim Fregosi 836 820 16
71 José Valentín 830 722 108
72 Alex Gonzalez
(b.1973) 		829 604 225
73 Rick Burleson 827 827 0 Holds the single-season record of 147 (set in 1980)
74 Travis Jackson* 826 0 826
75 Alcides Escobar 825 696 129
76 Alexei Ramírez 807 731 76
77 Billy Rogell 805 803 2 Held American League single-season record, 1933-1936
78 Neifi Pérez 796 159 637
79 Andrelton Simmons 783 428 355
80 Chico Carrasquel 770 770 0
81 Honus Wagner* 766 0 766
82 Herman Long 765 18 692 Includes 55 in American Association; held major league record, 1900-1905; held National League record, 1901-1906
83 Wally Gerber 764 748 16
84 Cristian Guzmán 762 490 272
85 Erick Aybar 758 649 109
86 Bud Harrelson 751 57 694
87 Deivi Cruz 738 581 157
88 Zoilo Versalles 727 654 73
89 Everett Scott 726 726 0 Held American League single-season record, 1921-1923
90 Ernie Banks* 724 0 724
Francisco Lindor (52) 724 434 290
92 Spike Owen 723 498 225
93 Ron Hansen 722 722 0
94 Gene Alley 709 0 709
95 Rich Aurilia 708 39 669
Shawon Dunston 708 3 705
97 Roy Smalley 702 702 0 Held single-season record, 1979-1980
98 Iván DeJesús 700 4 696
99 Bobby Wine 698 0 698 Holds the National League single-season record of 137 (set in 1970), was major league record until 1979
100 Glenn Wright 695 0 695 Held single-season record, 1925-1928

Other Hall of Famers

[edit]
Player Double plays as a shortstop Other leagues, notes
MLB American League National League
Joe Sewell* 673 673 0
Joe Tinker* 671 0 621 Includes 50 in Federal League
Bobby Wallace* 640 499 141
George Davis* 590 293 297
Hughie Jennings* 411 0 383 Includes 28 in American Association
John Montgomery Ward* 294 0 235 Includes 59 in Players' League
Willie Wells* 272 0 0 Includes 147 in Negro National League (first), 110 in Negro National League (second),
15 in East–West League (incomplete)
Rogers Hornsby* 189 0 189
George Wright* 170 0 77 Includes 93 in National Association
John McGraw* 61 0 55 Includes 6 in American Association
John Henry Lloyd* 59 0 0 Includes 32 in Negro National League (first), 27 in Eastern Colored League (incomplete)
Martín Dihigo* 51 0 0 Includes 26 in American Negro League, 23 in Eastern Colored League,
2 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete)
Tony Lazzeri* 40 29 11
Ed Delahanty* 39 0 6 Includes 33 in Players' League
King Kelly* 19 0 13 Includes 6 in Players' League
Jackie Robinson* 18 0 0 Includes 18 in Negro American League (incomplete)
Ray Dandridge* 13 0 0 Includes 13 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete)
Adrián Beltré* 0 0 0

Notes

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  1. ^ A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or has not played for a full season.

References

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  1. ^ "Official Baseball Rules (2022 Edition): Rule 9.11" (PDF). Major League Baseball. Retrieved 23 Dec 2022.
  2. ^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Double Plays Turned as SS". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  3. ^ "Omar Vizquel Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
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