Jim Fregosi
The Angels' first superstar was a shortstop who could actually hit, a rarity in the 1960s when the position was strictly about defense. Fregosi's 151 career home runs ranked among the highest totals ever for a shortstop when he retired, while his six All-Star selections made him the face of the expansion Angels through their first decade.
His 1970 campaign showcased peak Fregosi — 22 homers and an .812 OPS that was 14 percent better than league average. That power from the middle infield helped establish a template for the modern game, even if his .265 career average reflected the offensive environment of his era.
Fregosi's real legacy extends beyond his playing days through his managing and front office work, but as a player he proved expansion teams could develop legitimate stars. His Gold Glove and consistent production at a premium defensive position made him exactly what a young franchise needed.
Career · Batting
18 seasons| Year | Team | G | AB | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | LAA | 11 | 27 | 0 | 3 | .222 | .472 | — |
| 1962 | LAA | 58 | 175 | 3 | 23 | .291 | .761 | — |
| 1963 | LAA | 154 | 592 | 9 | 50 | .287 | .748 | — |
| 1964 | LAA | 147 | 505 | 18 | 72 | .277 | .833 | — |
| 1965 | CAL | 161 | 602 | 15 | 64 | .277 | .744 | — |
| 1966 | CAL | 162 | 611 | 13 | 67 | .252 | .716 | — |
| 1967 | CAL | 151 | 590 | 9 | 56 | .290 | .744 | — |
| 1968 | CAL | 159 | 614 | 9 | 49 | .244 | .680 | — |
| 1969 | CAL | 161 | 580 | 12 | 47 | .260 | .742 | — |
| 1970 | CAL | 158 | 601 | 22 | 82 | .278 | .812 | 114 |
| 1971 | CAL | 107 | 347 | 5 | 33 | .233 | .643 | 94 |
| 1972 | NYM | 101 | 340 | 5 | 32 | .232 | .655 | 99 |
| 1973 | TEX | 90 | 281 | 6 | 27 | .253 | .702 | 100 |
| 1974 | TEX | 78 | 230 | 12 | 34 | .261 | .763 | 110 |
| 1975 | TEX | 77 | 191 | 7 | 33 | .262 | .727 | 104 |
| 1976 | TEX | 58 | 133 | 2 | 12 | .233 | .673 | 99 |
| 1977 | PIT | 49 | 84 | 4 | 21 | .274 | .843 | 115 |
| 1978 | PIT | 20 | 20 | 0 | 1 | .200 | .635 | 90 |
| Career | 1902 | 6523 | 151 | 706 | .265 | — | — | |
Matchups, projections, comps — grounded in Lahman, Retrosheet, and Statcast.