1978–1996 · SS

Ozzie Smith

5' 11", 150 lbs·Lived to 72·Bats B / Throws R

Hall of Fame · 200213×Gold GloveSilver SluggerAll-Star

The Almanac's Take

The Wizard of Oz didn't just play shortstop — he redefined what the position could be. Smith's 13 Gold Gloves tell only part of the story of a defender who turned routine grounders into highlight reels and impossible plays into pure artistry. His acrobatic backflips celebrating home runs became as iconic as the defensive wizardry that earned him the nickname.

Those offensive numbers might look modest, but they miss the point entirely. Smith's .262 career average and 92 OPS+ were perfectly adequate for a player whose true value came from preventing runs, not driving them in. His 1987 NLCS homer off Dwight Gooden — a lefty pulling one out against Doc — remains one of the most shocking swings in postseason history.

The Hall of Fame enshrinement in 2002 validated what Cardinal fans knew all along: defense can be art, and Smith was baseball's Michelangelo.

Career Highs

.775

Best OPS · 1987

Most HR · 1985

Most RBI · 1987

.303

Best AVG · 1987

Career Arc · OPS

19 seasons

Statistical Comps

Tyler Freeman

95%

2025 season

ISO .080 · K% 12.0 · BB% 8.0 · HR% 0.5

Steven Kwan

95%

2025 season

ISO .102 · K% 8.7 · BB% 8.0 · HR% 1.6

Xavier Edwards

94%

2025 season

ISO .070 · K% 14.3 · BB% 8.0 · HR% 0.5

Career · Batting

19 seasons

Year	Team	G	AB	HR	RBI	AVG	OPS	OPS+
1978	SD	159	590	1	46	.258	.623	89
1979	SD	156	587	0	27	.211	.522	72
1980	SD	158	609	0	35	.230	.589	82
1981	SD	110	450	0	21	.222	.549	80
1982	STL	140	488	2	43	.248	.653	92
1983	STL	159	552	3	50	.243	.657	92
1984	STL	124	412	1	44	.257	.684	97
1985	STL	158	537	6	54	.276	.716	100
1986	STL	153	514	0	54	.280	.709	98
1987	STL	158	600	0	75	.303	.775	104
1988	STL	153	575	3	51	.270	.686	99
1989	STL	155	593	2	50	.273	.696	100
1990	STL	143	512	1	50	.254	.635	89
1991	STL	150	550	3	50	.285	.747	106
1992	STL	132	518	0	31	.295	.708	101
1993	STL	141	545	1	53	.288	.693	94
1994	STL	98	381	3	30	.262	.675	88
1995	STL	44	156	0	11	.199	.526	70
1996	STL	82	227	2	18	.282	.728	95
Career		2573	9396	28	793	.262	—	—

Ask The Almanac about Ozzie Smith.

Matchups, projections, comps — grounded in Lahman, Retrosheet, and Statcast.

Start a conversation →