Alex Avila

Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (2009-2021)

Alex Avila was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 2009 to 2021 for 6 teams, including the Detroit Tigers, a span of 13 seasons. In 1,052 career games, he hit .233 with 714 hits, 105 home runs, and 397 RBI. Alex Avila was an All-Star and a Silver Slugger. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 2,888.

AVG (Batting Average):
Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
HR (Home Runs):
Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
RBI (Runs Batted In):
Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.

Data updated

AVG .233
HR 105
RBI 397
H 714
OPS .740
PIV 2,888
Position
Catcher
Bats / Throws
L / R
Height / Weight
5'11" / 228 lb
Born
1/29/1987 in Hialeah, FL, USA
MLB Debut
2009-08-06
Last Game
2021-10-03
Awards
All-Star · Silver Slugger

Full name: Alexander Thomas Avila

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Career Batting Statistics

Alex Avila — Career Batting Statistics
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1,052 3,060 352 714 155 9 105 397 8 528 1,068 .233 .348 .393 .740 2,888

Career AVG .233 vs. league average .253 across their career seasons — 7.9% below league average.

Career OBP .348 vs. league average .321 across their career seasons — +8.3% above league average.

Career SLG .393 vs. league average .409 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS .740 vs. league average .730 across their career seasons — near league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Alex Avila Stats, Bio & Career Records
Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
2009 DET AL 29 61 9 17 4 0 5 14 0 10 18 .279 .262 (+6%) .332 (+13%) .417 (+41%) .750 (+29%) 300.8
2010 DET AL 104 294 28 67 12 0 7 31 2 36 71 .228 .257 (-11%) .325 (-3%) .402 (-16%) .728 (-10%) -391.9
2011 DET AL 141 464 63 137 33 4 19 82 3 73 131 .295 .255 (+16%) .320 (+21%) .399 (+27%) .719 (+24%) 2396.5
2012 DET AL 116 367 42 89 21 2 9 48 2 61 104 .243 .254 (-5%) .318 (+10%) .405 (-5%) .724 (+2%) 301.6
2013 DET AL 102 330 39 75 14 1 11 47 0 44 112 .227 .253 (-10%) .317 (avg) .396 (-5%) .714 (-3%) -105.7
2014 DET AL 124 390 44 85 22 0 11 47 0 61 151 .218 .251 (-13%) .313 (+4%) .386 (-7%) .700 (-2%) 18.6
2015 DET AL 67 178 21 34 5 0 4 13 0 40 66 .191 .254 (-25%) .316 (+7%) .404 (-29%) .721 (-13%) -225.1
2016 CHA AL 57 169 19 36 6 0 7 11 0 38 78 .213 .255 (-17%) .321 (+12%) .417 (-11%) .738 (-1%) 103.5
2017 DET AL 77 219 30 60 11 0 11 32 0 43 80 .274 .254 (+7%) .324 (+21%) .425 (+11%) .750 (+16%) 804.7
2017 CHN NL 35 92 11 22 2 1 3 17 0 19 40 .239 .254 (-6%) .324 (+14%) .425 (-11%) .750 (avg) 804.7
2018 ARI NL 80 194 13 32 6 0 7 20 0 37 90 .165 .247 (-33%) .318 (-6%) .409 (-26%) .727 (-17%) -469.3
2019 ARI NL 63 164 22 34 8 0 9 24 1 36 68 .207 .252 (-18%) .322 (+9%) .434 (-3%) .757 (+2%) 166.9
2020 MIN AL 23 49 6 9 2 0 1 2 0 11 22 .184 — — — — -58.6
2021 WAS NL 34 89 5 17 9 1 1 9 0 19 37 .191 .243 (-22%) .317 (+9%) .410 (-15%) .727 (-5%) -18.4
Career · 14 seasons 1,052 3,060 352 714 155 9 105 397 8 528 1,068 .233 — — — — 3,628

Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.

Career Pitching Statistics

Alex Avila — Career Pitching Statistics
W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
0 0 3 0 0 0 0 4.0 3 1 0 1 1 2.25 0.0

Career ERA 2.25 vs. league average 4.33 across their career seasons — 48.0% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Pitching Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Alex Avila — Season-by-Season Pitching
Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
2018 ARI NL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2.0 1 0 0 0 0.00 — 0.0
2019 ARI NL 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2.0 2 1 1 1 4.50 — 0.0
Career · 2 seasons 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 4.0 3 1 1 1 2.25 — 0

Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

Alex Avila — Playoff Career Batting
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
36 111 6 17 2 0 3 7 11 43 .153

Playoff Batting by Year

Alex Avila — Playoff Batting by Year
Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
2020 ALWC3 MIN 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
2017 NLCS CHN 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000
2014 ALDS2 DET 3 9 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 4 .222
2013 ALCS DET 6 16 2 3 0 0 1 3 4 6 .188
2013 ALDS2 DET 5 15 1 2 0 0 0 1 4 5 .133
2012 ALCS DET 3 10 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 .200
2012 ALDS2 DET 4 12 2 3 1 0 1 1 0 6 .250
2012 WS DET 2 7 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .143
2011 ALCS DET 6 25 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 9 .080
2011 ALDS1 DET 5 16 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 7 .062

Game Log & Splits

View full game log (1055 games) →

Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).

Batting — Home / Away

Alex Avila — Batting — Home / Away
SplitGABRHHRRBIAVG
Home528150318537557227.250
Away524155716733948170.218

Pitching — Home / Away

Alex Avila — Pitching — Home / Away
SplitGIPHERBBSOERA
Home11.000010.00
Away23.031103.00

Last 10 Games — Batting

Alex Avila — Last 10 Games — Batting
DateTmOppResABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSO
2021-10-03 WASBOSL 401100201
2021-09-29 WASCOLL 100000000
2021-09-24 WASCINL 100000001
2021-09-22 WASMIAW 402100002
2021-09-20 WASMIAL 100000001
2021-09-18 WASCOLL 300000011
2021-09-12 WASPITW 411001101
2021-09-08 WASATLW 000000010
2021-09-06 WASNYNW 402100000
2021-09-04 WASNYNL 100000000

Last 3 Games — Pitching

Alex Avila — Last 3 Games — Pitching
DateTmOppDecIPHRERBBSOHR
2019-08-17 AZSFG — 1.0000010
2019-08-11 AZLAD — 1.0211100
2018-07-11 AZCOL — 2.0100000

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Alex Avila — Career Fielding Totals by Position
Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 46 24 207 12 1 24
2B 1 1 1 1 0 0
3B 1 1 0 1 1 0
C 929 867 6658 407 38 59
P 3 0 0 0 0 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Alex Avila — Season-by-Season Fielding
Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
2009 DET C 25 17 101 7 0 0
2010 DET C 98 84 556 34 4 5
2011 DET 3B 1 1 0 1 1 0
2011 DET C 133 130 940 73 5 14
2012 DET C 113 107 897 57 6 7
2013 DET C 98 96 815 29 6 4
2014 DET 1B 1 0 0 0 0 0
2014 DET C 122 116 883 52 5 9
2015 DET 1B 23 13 120 9 1 12
2015 DET C 44 43 291 18 0 3
2016 CHA C 54 52 414 21 2 3
2017 DET 1B 16 10 71 2 0 10
2017 DET C 50 46 323 18 1 4
2017 CHN 1B 3 1 8 1 0 1
2017 CHN C 28 24 210 15 2 2
2018 ARI 1B 3 0 8 0 0 1
2018 ARI C 61 57 456 39 1 2
2018 ARI P 1 0 0 0 0 0
2019 ARI C 54 49 384 29 2 2
2019 ARI P 2 0 0 0 0 0
2020 MIN C 22 19 153 6 3 1
2021 WAS 2B 1 1 1 1 0 0
2021 WAS C 27 27 235 9 1 3

Career Games by Position

Position Diamond

Circle size = games played at each position.

Alex Avila Stats, Bio & Career Records
Position Games
Pitcher 3
Catcher 929
First Base 46
Second Base 1
Third Base 1
Designated Hitter 18

Awards & Honors

Alex Avila — Awards & Honors
Year Award Notes
2011 Silver Slugger C

Salary History

Alex Avila's recorded salaries total $16,339,900 over 7 seasons, 2010 to 2016. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Avila's career ran from 2009 to 2021. His seasons after 2016 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 2009.

Alex Avila — Salary History
Year Team League Salary
2016 CHA AL $2,500,000
2015 DET AL $5,400,000
2014 DET AL $4,150,000
2013 DET AL $2,950,000
2012 DET AL $510,000
2011 DET AL $425,000
2010 DET AL $404,900
Total recorded salary (partial) $16,339,900

College History

Alex Avila — College History
School Name City State Years Attended
University of Alabama Tuscaloosa AL 2006, 2007, 2008

Award Voting History

Alex Avila — Award Voting History
Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
2011 Most Valuable Player AL 12th 13.0 392 0

Most Similar Players

Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.

Career Spans

Alex Avila (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.

  1. 98
    Chris Iannetta
    .230 avg, 141 HR
  2. 83
    Joe Ferguson
    .240 avg, 122 HR
  3. 73
    Gregg Zaun
    .252 avg, 88 HR
  4. 72
    Miguel Montero
    .256 avg, 126 HR
  5. 71
    Jason Castro
    .227 avg, 97 HR
  6. 68
    Duke Sims
    .239 avg, 100 HR

Alex Avila: the record in brief

Alex Avila's major league career runs from a debut on August 6, 2009 to a final game on October 3, 2021. Avila played for the Detroit Tigers (2009 through 2017), the Chicago White Sox (2016), the Chicago Cubs (2017), the Arizona Diamondbacks (2018 through 2019), the Minnesota Twins (2020), and the Washington Nationals (2021). Born on January 29, 1987, in Hialeah, FL, USA, Avila is listed as a catcher and hit left-handed while throwing right-handed. Size on record: 228 pounds on a 5-foot-11 frame. On the record, Alex Avila was born Alexander Thomas Avila.

Avila collected 714 hits in 3,060 at bats across 1,052 games, good for a .233 batting average, along with 105 home runs and 397 runs batted in. Reaching base at a .348 clip and slugging .393, Avila finished with a .740 OPS. Over the seasons Avila played, league hitters batted .253; the .233 career figure is 7.9% below that.

Frequently Asked Questions about Alex Avila

What years did Alex Avila play?
Alex Avila played in Major League Baseball from 2009 to 2021.
Was Alex Avila a pitcher?
No. Alex Avila was a position player (Catcher), though he did pitch in 3 career games.
How many home runs did Alex Avila hit?
Alex Avila hit 105 career home runs with 714 hits.
What teams did Alex Avila play for?
Alex Avila played for 6 teams: the Detroit Tigers (2009–2015, 2017), the Chicago White Sox (2016), the Chicago Cubs (2017), the Arizona Diamondbacks (2018–2019), the Minnesota Twins (2020), and the Washington Nationals (2021).
Did Alex Avila win an MVP award?
No. Alex Avila did not win the MVP award.
What awards did Alex Avila win?
Alex Avila won the Silver Slugger award (2011). He was selected to 1 All-Star Game.
What were Alex Avila's career stats?
In 1,052 games, Alex Avila had 714 hits, 105 home runs, 397 RBI, 352 runs, and 8 stolen bases, with a .233 batting average.
How much did Alex Avila earn in his career?
Alex Avila's recorded salaries total $16,339,900 over 7 seasons, 2010 to 2016. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Avila's career ran from 2009 to 2021. His seasons after 2016 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 2009.
What was Alex Avila's salary?
Alex Avila's last recorded salary was $2,500,000, in 2016. His highest recorded salary was $5,400,000, in 2015, and his lowest was $404,900, in 2010. The Salary History table lists each season from 2010 to 2016.
What position did Alex Avila play?
Alex Avila played primarily as a catcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
How tall was Alex Avila and how much did he weigh?
Alex Avila was listed at 5 feet 11 inches and 228 pounds.
How many home runs did Alex Avila hit each season?
Alex Avila's home runs by season: 5 in 2009, 7 in 2010, 19 in 2011, 9 in 2012, 11 in 2013, 11 in 2014, 4 in 2015, 7 in 2016, 14 in 2017, 7 in 2018, 9 in 2019, 1 in 2020, and 1 in 2021. His most in one season was 19, in 2011.
What was Alex Avila's career batting average?
Alex Avila batted .233 over his career, with 714 hits in 3,060 at bats.
How many RBI did Alex Avila have?
Alex Avila drove in 397 runs in his career.