Lance Parrish
The most underappreciated catcher of the 1980s put together a rare combination of defensive excellence and power that defined Detroit's championship run. Parrish became the first backstop to win both Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards in the same season, doing it twice during his peak years with the Tigers.
His 1982 campaign showcased everything that made him special — a .284 average with 32 homers while anchoring Detroit's defense behind the plate. That 122 OPS+ represents his ceiling as an offensive force, well above his career 103 mark. The eight All-Star selections weren't just popularity contests; they reflected consistent two-way excellence from baseball's most demanding position.
Parrish finished with 324 career home runs, impressive power numbers for a catcher in an era when the position was defined more by defense than offense. His six Silver Sluggers tell the story of sustained offensive production that separated him from his contemporaries behind the plate.
Career · Batting
19 seasons| Year | Team | G | AB | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | DET | 12 | 46 | 3 | 7 | .196 | .709 | 97 |
| 1978 | DET | 85 | 288 | 14 | 41 | .219 | .678 | 97 |
| 1979 | DET | 143 | 493 | 19 | 65 | .276 | .800 | 110 |
| 1980 | DET | 144 | 553 | 24 | 82 | .286 | .825 | 116 |
| 1981 | DET | 96 | 348 | 10 | 46 | .244 | .704 | 102 |
| 1982 | DET | 133 | 486 | 32 | 87 | .284 | .867 | 122 |
| 1983 | DET | 155 | 605 | 27 | 114 | .269 | .796 | 111 |
| 1984 | DET | 147 | 578 | 33 | 98 | .237 | .730 | 103 |
| 1985 | DET | 140 | 549 | 28 | 98 | .273 | .802 | 112 |
| 1986 | DET | 91 | 327 | 22 | 62 | .257 | .824 | 114 |
| 1987 | PHI | 130 | 466 | 17 | 67 | .245 | .712 | 95 |
| 1988 | PHI | 123 | 424 | 15 | 60 | .215 | .663 | 95 |
| 1989 | CAL | 124 | 433 | 17 | 50 | .238 | .694 | 100 |
| 1990 | CAL | 133 | 470 | 24 | 70 | .268 | .789 | 111 |
| 1991 | CAL | 119 | 402 | 19 | 51 | .216 | .673 | 95 |
| 1992 | SEA | 93 | 275 | 12 | 32 | .233 | .712 | 102 |
| 1993 | CLE | 10 | 20 | 1 | 2 | .200 | .733 | 100 |
| 1994 | PIT | 40 | 126 | 3 | 16 | .270 | .744 | 98 |
| 1995 | TOR | 70 | 178 | 4 | 22 | .202 | .586 | 78 |
| Career | 1988 | 7067 | 324 | 1070 | .252 | — | — | |
Matchups, projections, comps — grounded in Lahman, Retrosheet, and Statcast.