Who is the shortest MLB player of all time | Top 16 list
Baseball is one of the most celebrated sports in the United States, and a player who makes it to the Major League Baseball is a great player indeed. The American sport is known to have some of the tallest athletes than any other sport, but there are also short players with incredible skills. As of 2022, Jose Altuve is the shortest active MLB athlete, while Eddie Gaedel is the shortest MLB player ever.
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Source: UGC
Does height matter in baseball? Height is advantageous for pitchers who are generally taller than other players in the game. However, there have been several pitchers less than 6 feet tall who had illustrious careers in the Major League Baseball.
Who is the shortest MLB player?
Since its formation in 1903, the Major League Baseball has grown to become one of the major sports leagues in the United States. As of 2022, there are 30 professional teams that have skilled athletes. Here are the top 16 shortest MLB athletes ever.
1. Eddie Gaedel (1925 to 1961) - 3'7''
Source: Twitter
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Eddie Carl Gaedel from Chicago is the shortest player in MLB history. He made a single plate appearance in his entire career in 1952 during the second game of a St. Louis Browns doubleheader. He had been introduced into the game as a pinch hitter by the National Hall of Famer Bill Veeck.
2. Stubby Magner (1888 to 1956) - 5'4''
Source: Twitter
Stubby Magner from Michigan was an MLB shortstop and second baseman. He played professional baseball for the New York Highlanders in 1911.
3. Willie Keeler (1872 to 1923) - 5'4''
Source: Twitter
William Henry Keeler, famously known as Wee Willie, from Brooklyn, New York, was a professional MLB right fielder. He was active from 1892 to 1910.
4. Walter James Vincent “Rabbit” Maranville (1811 to 1954) - 5'5''
Source: Twitter
Rabbit Maranville from Springfield, Massachusetts, was a professional shortstop, second baseman, and manager in the MLB. He played professional baseball between 1912 and 1934 (23 seasons).
5. Freddie Patek (Born 1944) - 5'5''
Source: Getty Images
Also called The Cricket or The Flea, Freddie Patek from Oklahoma City used to play in the MLB as a shortstop from 1968 to 1981. He played for the California Angels, Kansas City Royals, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
6. Jose Altuve (born 1990) - 5'6''
Source: Getty Images
Jose Altuve from Maracay, Venezuela, plays professional baseball for the Houston Astros of the MLB as a second baseman. The right-handed batter played as an amateur free agent for the Astros from 2007 and made his MLB debut in 2011.
How tall is Altuve for the Houston Astros? Altuve’s height is 5 feet 6 inches, making him the shortest active MLB player as of 2022.
7. David Eckstein (born 1975) - 5'6''
Source: Getty Images
David Mark Eckstein from Florida is a retired professional baseball athlete (shortstop and second baseman). He was in the MLB for 10 seasons (2001 to 2010).
8. Bobby Shantz (Born 1925) - 5'6''
Source: Getty Images
Bobby Clayton Shantz from Pennsylvania was a professional left-handed pitcher in the Major League Baseball from 1949 to 1964. He won 119 matches, lost 99 and attained an earned run average (ERA) of 3.38. Bobby is one of the shortest pitchers in MLB history.
9. Phil Rizzuto “The Scooter” (1917 to 2007) - 5'6''
Source: Getty Images
Philip Francis Rizzuto was an American professional shortstop in the MLB. He spent 13 years in the MLB playing for the New York Yankees from 1941 to 1956. The Scooter was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994.
10. Lewis Robert “Hack” Wilson (1900 to 1948) - 5'6''
Source: Getty Images
Hack Wilson is considered one of the greatest centre fielders in the Major League Baseball. The Pennsylvania native played for 12 seasons (1923 to 1934). He finished his career with a 0.307 average, 244 home runs, and 1,063 RBI.
11. Joe Sewell (1898 to 1990) - 5'6''
Source: Getty Images
Joseph Wheeler Sewell from Alabama played in the MLB from 1920 to 1933 for the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians. He holds the record for the lowest strikeout rate in MLB history (1 in 73 plate appearances).
12. Miller Huggins (1878 to 1929) - 5'6''
Source: Getty Images
Miller James Huggins from Ohio was a professional second baseman in the MLB. He played for the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals from 1904 to 1916 and later became a manager. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1964.
13. Gene Krapp (1887 to 1923) - 5'7''
Source: Twitter
Gene Krapp from Rochester, New York, was a professional pitcher in the MLB from 1911 to 1915. He played for four seasons for the Buffalo Buffeds (Blues) and Cleveland Naps.
14. Terrance Gore (Born 1991) - 5'7''
Source: Getty Images
Terrance Gore plays in the Major League Baseball as an outfielder and pinch-runner. He made his professional career debut in 2014 and has played for several teams, including Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Kansas City Royals.
15. Joe Morgan (1943 to 2020) - 5'7''
Source: Getty Images
Joe Leonard Morgan from Texas played as a second baseman in the Major League Baseball. He was active from 1963 to 1984. Joe is considered one of the best athletes in the MLB and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.
16. Marcus Stroman (Born 1991) - 5'7''
Source: Getty Images
Marcus Earl Stroman plays pitcher position in the Major League Baseball. He made his professional sports debut in 2014 and currently plays for the Chicago Cubs.
Who is the shortest player in the MLB right now?
Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros is the shortest active MLB player at 5 feet 6 inches. Other current short MLB players measuring less than 5 feet 9 inches include:
- Marcus Stroman of the Chicago Bulls - 5'7''
- Cedric Mullins of Baltimore Orioles - 5'8''
- Ozzie Albies of the Atlanta Braves - 5'8''
- Jose Harrison of the Detroit Tigers - 5'8''
The shortest MLB players have proven that height is not a major factor in the success of a baseball player. They are all great athletes who enjoyed successful careers, and some of them are in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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Source: Briefly News
