Dave Concepcion
The first great Venezuelan shortstop set the template for modern defense at the position. Concepcion's nine All-Star selections weren't charity picks — he genuinely revolutionized shortstop play with his range and arm strength, earning five Gold Gloves anchoring Cincinnati's Big Red Machine infield.
That .267 career average tells only half the story. His 1981 season showed what happened when everything clicked: a .306 average with his career-high OPS+ of 111. The two Silver Sluggers weren't just defensive player participation trophies — Concepcion could hit when it mattered.
More importantly, he opened doors. As the first Venezuelan position player to achieve sustained MLB stardom, Concepcion paved the way for generations of Latin American shortstops who followed. His defensive innovations influenced how the position is played today.
Career · Batting
19 seasons| Year | Team | G | AB | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | CIN | 101 | 265 | 1 | 19 | .260 | .641 | 90 |
| 1971 | CIN | 130 | 327 | 1 | 20 | .205 | .496 | 73 |
| 1972 | CIN | 119 | 378 | 2 | 29 | .209 | .541 | 81 |
| 1973 | CIN | 89 | 328 | 8 | 46 | .287 | .760 | 108 |
| 1974 | CIN | 160 | 594 | 14 | 82 | .281 | .732 | 106 |
| 1975 | CIN | 140 | 507 | 5 | 49 | .274 | .679 | 97 |
| 1976 | CIN | 152 | 576 | 9 | 69 | .281 | .736 | 108 |
| 1977 | CIN | 156 | 572 | 8 | 64 | .271 | .691 | 95 |
| 1978 | CIN | 153 | 565 | 6 | 67 | .301 | .763 | 109 |
| 1979 | CIN | 149 | 590 | 16 | 84 | .281 | .764 | 105 |
| 1980 | CIN | 156 | 622 | 5 | 77 | .260 | .660 | 92 |
| 1981 | CIN | 106 | 421 | 5 | 67 | .306 | .767 | 111 |
| 1982 | CIN | 147 | 572 | 5 | 53 | .287 | .707 | 99 |
| 1983 | CIN | 143 | 528 | 1 | 47 | .233 | .583 | 82 |
| 1984 | CIN | 154 | 531 | 4 | 58 | .245 | .628 | 89 |
| 1985 | CIN | 155 | 560 | 7 | 48 | .252 | .645 | 90 |
| 1986 | CIN | 90 | 311 | 3 | 30 | .260 | .658 | 91 |
| 1987 | CIN | 104 | 279 | 1 | 33 | .319 | .761 | 102 |
| 1988 | CIN | 84 | 197 | 0 | 8 | .198 | .509 | 73 |
| Career | 2488 | 8723 | 101 | 950 | .267 | — | — | |
Matchups, projections, comps — grounded in Lahman, Retrosheet, and Statcast.