1967–1988 · 3B

Graig Nettles

6' 0", 180 lbs·Lived to 82·Bats L / Throws R

2×Gold GloveAll-Star

The Almanac's Take

Nettles carved out a 22-year career by being the rare third baseman who could make spectacular plays while launching 30 home runs. His 390 career homers ranked him among the top power hitters at the hot corner during his era, while those two Gold Gloves only hint at his defensive wizardry — he routinely made diving stops and bare-handed plays that left crowds gasping.

The numbers tell the story of a perfectly complementary player. That 104 career OPS+ meant he was consistently above average offensively despite a modest .248 batting average, using his power to drive in over 1,300 runs across two decades. His peak 1976 season with the Yankees showcased the complete package: 32 homers, 93 RBIs, and an .802 OPS that ranked 18 percent above league average.

Six All-Star selections spanning from 1975 to 1985 proved his sustained excellence wasn't a fluke. Nettles understood his role perfectly — anchor third base defensively and provide enough pop to justify the batting average.

Career Highs

.829

Best OPS · 1977

Most HR · 1977

107

Most RBI · 1977

.276

Best AVG · 1978

Career Arc · OPS

22 seasons

Statistical Comps

Aaron Judge

98%

2025 season

ISO .357 · K% 23.6 · BB% 18.3 · HR% 7.8

Shohei Ohtani

98%

2025 season

ISO .340 · K% 25.8 · BB% 15.0 · HR% 7.6

Career · Batting

22 seasons

Year	Team	G	AB	HR	RBI	AVG	OPS	OPS+
1967	MIN	3	3	0	0	.333	1.000	—
1968	MIN	22	76	5	8	.224	.771	—
1969	MIN	96	225	7	26	.222	.693	—
1970	CLE	157	549	26	62	.235	.741	104
1971	CLE	158	598	28	86	.261	.785	115
1972	CLE	150	557	17	70	.253	.720	108
1973	NYY	160	552	22	81	.234	.720	102
1974	NYY	155	566	22	75	.246	.718	104
1975	NYY	157	581	21	91	.267	.753	107
1976	NYY	158	583	32	93	.254	.802	118
1977	NYY	158	589	37	107	.255	.829	114
1978	NYY	159	587	27	93	.276	.803	114
1979	NYY	145	521	20	73	.253	.726	100
1980	NYY	89	324	16	45	.244	.766	107
1981	NYY	103	349	15	46	.244	.731	106
1982	NYY	122	405	18	55	.232	.719	101
1983	NYY	129	462	20	75	.266	.787	110
1984	SD	124	395	20	65	.228	.742	105
1985	SD	137	440	15	61	.261	.784	110
1986	SD	126	354	16	55	.218	.679	94
1987	ATL	112	177	5	33	.209	.644	86
1988	MON	80	93	1	14	.172	.488	70
Career		2700	8986	390	1314	.248	—	—

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