Mickey Mantle
The most destructive switch-hitter in baseball history played his entire career on damaged legs, making his power numbers even more staggering. Mantle's 536 home runs came from both sides of the plate with equal menace — he remains the only player to hit 500-foot bombs batting both lefty and righty.
Those MVP awards in 1956, 1957, and 1962 tell the story of sustained excellence despite chronic injuries that would have ended lesser careers. His .298 average over 18 seasons paired with that home run total created a combination of contact and power that defined the Yankees dynasty.
The Commerce Comet's tape-measure shots became legend, but the real marvel was his speed before the injuries mounted. Few players have ever combined such raw power with legitimate stolen base threat, making him the prototype for the modern five-tool superstar.
Career · Batting
18 seasons| Year | Team | G | AB | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | NYY | 96 | 341 | 13 | 65 | .267 | — | — |
| 1952 | NYY | 142 | 549 | 23 | 87 | .311 | — | — |
| 1953 | NYY | 127 | 461 | 21 | 92 | .295 | — | — |
| 1954 | NYY | 146 | 543 | 27 | 102 | .300 | .933 | — |
| 1955 | NYY | 147 | 517 | 37 | 99 | .306 | 1.042 | — |
| 1956 | NYY | 150 | 533 | 52 | 130 | .353 | 1.169 | — |
| 1957 | NYY | 144 | 474 | 34 | 94 | .365 | 1.177 | — |
| 1958 | NYY | 150 | 519 | 42 | 97 | .304 | 1.035 | — |
| 1959 | NYY | 144 | 541 | 31 | 75 | .285 | .904 | — |
| 1960 | NYY | 153 | 527 | 40 | 94 | .275 | .957 | — |
| 1961 | NYY | 153 | 514 | 54 | 128 | .317 | 1.135 | — |
| 1962 | NYY | 123 | 377 | 30 | 89 | .321 | 1.091 | — |
| 1963 | NYY | 65 | 172 | 15 | 35 | .314 | 1.063 | — |
| 1964 | NYY | 143 | 465 | 35 | 111 | .303 | 1.015 | — |
| 1965 | NYY | 122 | 361 | 19 | 46 | .255 | .831 | — |
| 1966 | NYY | 108 | 333 | 23 | 56 | .288 | .927 | — |
| 1967 | NYY | 144 | 440 | 22 | 55 | .245 | .825 | — |
| 1968 | NYY | 144 | 435 | 18 | 54 | .237 | .782 | — |
| Career | 2401 | 8102 | 536 | 1509 | .298 | — | — | |
Matchups, projections, comps — grounded in Lahman, Retrosheet, and Statcast.