There are numerous instances in sports where a player’s size, height, speed, strength, and athleticism significantly matter.
In fact, the first information that is typically acquired or provided when many clubs scout across sports, in general, is the player’s height and weight. This gives a broad idea of what the player would appear to be.
People enjoy baseball because it is a unique sport with many great attributes and components. But, the height of players is not one of them.
Nevertheless, we decided to do a little research and come up with a height of an average MLB player today and compare it with historical numbers.
In short, MLB players are typically 6′ 1.5″ tall or just below 6′ 2″. Since the 1870s, Major League players’ average height has risen from 68.9 inches to 73.7 inches, an increase of over 7%.
Be aware that this is far taller than the 5′ 9″ average male height in America nowadays.
Without further ado, shall we?
How Tall is the Average MLB Player?
Although the average height in Major League Baseball is 6′ 2″, many excellent players stand beneath that height and contribute significantly to the league.
Due to the movement and range required to play such a demanding defensive position, many middle infielders were under 6 feet for years.
Even the shorter player can build strength and become a force at the plate as both a quality average hitter and a power hitter with the growth in strength training over the high school and minor league years.
A player’s general strength can be increased, which will aid them with some of the crucial aspects of the game.
Baseball players’ heights vary depending on the position they play:
1. To increase their ability to reach balls thrown to them and create a sizable target for other infielders to aim at, managers frequently favor tall first basemen.
2. Considering all the squatting and close-to-the-ground activity, catchers are rarely particularly tall.
3. Pitchers are typically taller these days, especially in modern times.
4. Before Cal Ripken and Ryne Sandberg in the 1980s and Alex Rodriguez and Jeff Kent in the 1990s, middle infielders were typically quite tiny and slender.
Today’s middle infielders are expected to be more than only defensive specialists like Mark Belanger of the Baltimore Orioles in the late 1960s to early 1970s, but also to swing the bat with authority.
The three players with the highest average heights in Major League Baseball are pitchers, first basemen, and right fielders.
The typical MLB player heights, broken down by position:
- Pitcher: 6′ 2.5″
- Catcher: around 6″
- First baseman: 6′ 2.5″, the same height as the pitcher and right fielder.
- Second-baseman: 5′ 11″
- Third baseman stats: 6′ 1″
- Shortstop: Just over six feet
- Left Fielder: Approximately 6′
- Center Fielder Height: 6′ 1.5″
- Right Fielder: 6′ 2.5″, the same height as the pitcher and first baseman.
Just think about the position a designated hitter played before switching to that position.
Few, if any, players advance through the minor levels solely as designated hitters, and many still roam the field occasionally, like J.D. Martinez of the Boston Red Sox today, who was occasionally spotted in the outfield or even at first base. Martinez stands at 6′ 3″.
How the Average Height in MLB Changed Over the Years
I was interested in how the size of players varied over time last week when I was putting together my post on creatine for baseball players.
Adult males in the US have generally become larger over time. But whether MLB players have developed more, less, or similar to the general population was the question that emerged.
Sadly, I do not have access to complete data on the average height and weight of US males dating back to the 1870s, but I was able to get some information from the 1960s that I used.
As I said in the introduction, since the 1870s, MLB’s average height has risen from 68.9 inches to 73.7 inches, an increase of over 7%.
Since 1960, major league players have consistently possessed a 5-6% height advantage over other US males.
It’s noteworthy to note that since 1960, the weight differential between the typical big league player and a US male has significantly decreased, going from a whopping 12% difference to just a hair over 2%.
Given that humans cannot intentionally change their height and that any natural change in height should take longer than a decade to appear, the consistent difference in height makes it plausible.
How Important is Height in Baseball?
Height is not particularly important, as baseball players in MLB have heights ranging from 5′ 6″ to well over 6″ 5″.
Being taller typically has an advantage for pitchers, but it doesn’t matter all that much as a regular player in the field.
There are currently Major League Baseball players of every height and weight playing at the all-star level. Jose Ramirez and Jose Altuve are the first two players that come to mind when thinking about the shorter end.
Jose Rameriz is 5′ 9″, while Jose Altuve is 5′ 6″. Both players have a high average, a ton of RBIs, and a lot of power for home runs. Additionally, they excel on the field and support their teams in a variety of ways.
There are pitchers who are all-stars and have a big impact on their teams who are under 6 feet tall. Baseball’s top teams frequently have players of diverse heights and abilities.
Due to the fact that corner and middle infield positions have differing demands, the outfield has a wide range of heights as well since general arm strength, speed and the ability to read the ball off the bat are really the three most important factors.
Who’s the Shortest Player in MLB?
Jose Altuve, who stands 5’6”, is the MLB player with the smallest stature.
He was signed as a free agent by the Astros in 2007 and is currently continuing playing in Major League Baseball. In 2017, he received the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award.
Additionally, he has made seven appearances in baseball’s All-Star game.
In baseball history, there have been shorter MLB players as well.
For instance, Edward Carl Gaedel, better known by his stage name Eddie Gaedel, holds the record for being the shortest MLB player in history (3’7”.)
Gaedel only made one plate appearance with a perfect on-base percentage of 1.000. Hence he wasn’t a current baseball player.
Stubby Magner, who stands 5 feet 3 inches tall, is another MLB player who played extensively and achieved notable success despite being significantly shorter than Jose Altuve.
He participated in 13 professional MLB games as the shortstop and second baseman for the Yankees (formerly the New York Highlanders).
Pompeyo Davalillo, who his colleagues sensationally knew as “Yo-yo,” stood 5 feet, 3 inches tall.
Yo-Yo earned himself a berth as one of the shortest MLB players who has ever had a batting average of.293 and 2 RBIs by being the only fourth Venezuelan to play in the league.
Due to his mastery at bunting, Willie Keeler, who stood 5 feet 4 inches tall, is known as the bunter pioneer.
He is also credited with coming up with the regulations that helped stop hitters from bunting too frequently and fouling off too many pitches.
Despite retiring after the 1910 season, he still holds the lowest strikeout rate in baseball to this day.
Why is Second Base Favorable for Shorter Players?
There aren’t many tall players at this position since it needs a lot of defensive agility.
Additionally, because it has traditionally been a “defense first” position, athletes that play there are more likely to be known for their defense than for their power striking.
I believe it’s a combination of the normal demands of the middle infield (quickness, good hands, and agility), but mostly because 2B is the position that calls for the least amount of arm power.
A skilled but undersized baseball player will inevitably end up at the second base.
The impact of a smaller athlete’s strengths will be maximized, while their potential weaknesses will be downplayed when they play second base.
It just seems strange to me that a taller person couldn’t do it when taller people also thrive at quick defensive positions, as shown by the data.
Can a Tall Batter Manipulate the Strike Zone by Exaggerated Crouching?
Yes and no. The batting stance of a player as he or she prepares to swing at a pitched ball establishes the strike zone.
This is crucial because a batter may initially have an inflated stance before rising naturally when he is ready to swing. An umpire establishes the strike zone throughout this final portion of the swing.
Therefore, lowering oneself substantially before a pitch or swing is ineffective. However, it might give the umpire the impression that the strike zone is smaller and cause a hitter to swing while still sort of crouching.
The actual strike zone has undergone numerous adjustments. The upper part of it is now situated in the middle of the player’s body, between the top of the shoulders and the bottom of the knees.
Over the years, there have been a number of top-bottom modifications, but in each instance, the ball must also cross a section of home plate in order for it to be deemed a strike.
