#15
of 20
Ozzie Smith
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Smith is the one guy on this list who would be much higher if defense mattered more—and that’s the point. Offensively, he was never a true impact bat, and an offense-weighted ranking has to be honest about that. He did improve at the plate, becoming a respectable on-base player and a useful table-setter for good teams. But he didn’t provide the kind of power or sustained run production that defines the top half of this list. His value came from runs created through contact, speed, and avoiding outs, not from damaging pitchers. In a power-weighted era comparison, that caps his ceiling. Longevity helps, and he had seasons where he was a solid offensive contributor, not a liability. But when you’re ranking the best ever, “solid” isn’t enough to beat the guys who hit like middle-order bats. He sits here as a nod to long-term competence rather than offensive dominance. Even so, his offensive floor rose enough that he wasn’t a black hole. In this framework, that’s the best you can do without power. Top 15 is fair: legendary player, merely good bat.
Career Numbers
.262
AVG
2,460
Hits
28
HR
793
RBI
580
SB
.666
OPS
Ozzie Smith at No. 15
On Top 20 Shortstops in MLB Baseball History, Ozzie Smith sits at number 15 of 20. The career card for Ozzie Smith shows 2,460 hits, 28 home runs and 793 RBI, with a .262 average. Add a .666 OPS and 580 steals to that line. Ozzie Smith debuted in the 1970s, and the Explore links below open that decade's page and the list of players born in USA. Carlos Correa is ranked just above at 14; Jimmy Rollins follows at 16. The order reflects the list's own criteria, set out in its introduction; the statistics are the site's standard career totals.