Joe Azcue
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1960-1972)
Joe Azcue was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1960 to 1972 for 6 teams, including the Cincinnati Reds, a span of 13 seasons. In 909 career games, he hit .252 with 712 hits, 50 home runs, and 304 RBI. Joe Azcue was an All-Star.
- 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
- Position
- Catcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 190 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1960-08-03
- Last Game
- 1972-09-29
- Awards
- All-Star
Full name: Jose Joaquin Azcue
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 909 | 2,828 | 201 | 712 | 94 | 9 | 50 | 304 | 5 | 207 | 344 | .252 | .304 | .344 | .648 | -1,644 |
Career AVG .252 vs. league average .248 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .304 vs. league average .314 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .344 vs. league average .371 across their career seasons — 7.2% below league average.
Career OPS .648 vs. league average .685 across their career seasons — 5.4% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | CIN | NL | 14 | 31 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | .097 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1962 | KC1 | AL | 72 | 223 | 18 | 51 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 25 | 1 | 17 | 27 | .229 | .257 (-11%) | .326 (-12%) | .393 (-22%) | .719 (-18%) | -644.5 |
| 1963 | KC1 | AL | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1963 | CLE | AL | 94 | 320 | 26 | 91 | 16 | 0 | 14 | 46 | 1 | 15 | 46 | .284 | .246 (+15%) | .308 (+2%) | .371 (+25%) | .680 (+14%) | 0.0 |
| 1964 | CLE | AL | 83 | 271 | 20 | 74 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 34 | 0 | 16 | 38 | .273 | .250 (+9%) | .312 (avg) | .377 (-5%) | .690 (-3%) | -127.2 |
| 1965 | CLE | AL | 111 | 335 | 16 | 77 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 35 | 2 | 27 | 54 | .230 | .245 (-6%) | .310 (-7%) | .371 (-28%) | .682 (-18%) | -869.9 |
| 1966 | CLE | AL | 98 | 302 | 22 | 83 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 37 | 0 | 20 | 22 | .275 | .248 (+11%) | .309 (+3%) | .376 (+7%) | .685 (+5%) | 253.1 |
| 1967 | CLE | AL | 86 | 295 | 33 | 74 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 34 | 0 | 22 | 35 | .251 | .242 (+4%) | .306 (avg) | .357 (+22%) | .663 (+12%) | 506.7 |
| 1968 | CLE | AL | 115 | 357 | 23 | 100 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 42 | 1 | 28 | 33 | .280 | .236 (+18%) | .298 (+11%) | .340 (avg) | .638 (+5%) | 376.2 |
| 1969 | CLE | AL | 7 | 24 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | .292 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1969 | BOS | AL | 19 | 51 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 5 | .216 | .248 (-13%) | .320 (-15%) | .369 (-31%) | .689 (-23%) | 0.0 |
| 1969 | CAL | AL | 80 | 248 | 15 | 54 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 27 | 28 | .218 | .248 (-12%) | .320 (-8%) | .369 (-31%) | .689 (-20%) | 0.0 |
| 1970 | CAL | AL | 114 | 351 | 19 | 85 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 25 | 0 | 24 | 40 | .242 | .253 (-5%) | .325 (-10%) | .385 (-22%) | .711 (-16%) | -918.9 |
| 1972 | CAL | AL | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1972 | ML4 | AL | 11 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | .143 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 15 seasons | 909 | 2,828 | 201 | 712 | 94 | 9 | 50 | 304 | 5 | 207 | 344 | .252 | — | — | — | — | -1,425 | ||
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.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (909 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 454 | 1358 | 95 | 338 | 21 | 131 | .249 |
| Away | 455 | 1470 | 106 | 374 | 29 | 173 | .254 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972-09-29 | MIL | DET | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1972-09-26 | MIL | BOS | W | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972-09-14 | MIL | CLE | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972-08-27 | MIL | CHW | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972-08-13 | MIL | NYY | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972-08-09 | MIL | BAL | L | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1972-08-07 | MIL | BAL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972-08-06 | MIL | NYY | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1972-07-31 | MIL | CLE | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1972-07-31 | MIL | CLE | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | CIN | C | 14 | 6 | 66 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1962 | KC1 | C | 70 | 64 | 363 | 42 | 6 | 5 |
| 1963 | KC1 | C | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1963 | CLE | C | 91 | 84 | 564 | 42 | 5 | 13 |
| 1964 | CLE | C | 76 | 70 | 510 | 36 | 4 | 2 |
| 1965 | CLE | C | 108 | 97 | 714 | 53 | 5 | 2 |
| 1966 | CLE | C | 97 | 87 | 588 | 40 | 7 | 3 |
| 1967 | CLE | C | 86 | 80 | 636 | 57 | 1 | 4 |
| 1968 | CLE | C | 97 | 90 | 699 | 50 | 3 | 11 |
| 1969 | CLE | C | 6 | 6 | 46 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| 1969 | BOS | C | 19 | 14 | 90 | 14 | 2 | 3 |
| 1969 | CAL | C | 80 | 75 | 437 | 52 | 4 | 10 |
| 1970 | CAL | C | 112 | 98 | 587 | 51 | 6 | 10 |
| 1972 | CAL | C | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972 | ML4 | C | 9 | 2 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 867 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Joe Azcue (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Joe Azcue: the record in brief
Joe Azcue played a first major league game on August 3, 1960 and a last one on September 29, 1972. The team column moves through the Cincinnati Reds (1960), the Kansas City Athletics (1962 through 1963), the Cleveland Indians (1963 to 1969), the Boston Red Sox (1969), the California Angels (1969 through 1972), and the Milwaukee Brewers (1972). Azcue is listed as a catcher at 190 pounds on a 6-foot-0 frame. The bio says Azcue threw and hit right-handed. The recorded birth is August 18, 1939, in Cienfuegos, Cienfuegos, Cuba. Joe Azcue was the playing name; the full given name is Jose Joaquin.
In 909 games and 2,828 at bats, Azcue batted .252 with 712 hits; the totals also include 50 home runs and 304 RBI. Azcue got on base at a .304 rate and slugged .344 (.648 OPS). Azcue hit .252 while the league hit .248 over the same span, a figure close to average. By OPS the gap is 5.4% below league average (.648 against .685). The single-season home run high is 14, set in 1963.
Frequently Asked Questions about Joe Azcue
- What years did Joe Azcue play?
- Joe Azcue played in Major League Baseball from 1960 to 1972.
- Was Joe Azcue a pitcher?
- No. Joe Azcue was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Joe Azcue hit?
- Joe Azcue hit 50 career home runs with 712 hits.
- What teams did Joe Azcue play for?
- Joe Azcue played for 6 teams: the Cincinnati Reds (1960), the Kansas City Athletics (1962–1963), the Cleveland Indians (1963–1969), the Boston Red Sox (1969), the California Angels (1969–1970, 1972), and the Milwaukee Brewers (1972).
- Did Joe Azcue win an MVP award?
- No. Joe Azcue did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Joe Azcue win?
- Joe Azcue was selected to 1 All-Star Game.
- What were Joe Azcue's career stats?
- In 909 games, Joe Azcue had 712 hits, 50 home runs, 304 RBI, 201 runs, and 5 stolen bases, with a .252 batting average.
- What position did Joe Azcue play?
- Joe Azcue played primarily as a catcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Joe Azcue and how much did he weigh?
- Joe Azcue was listed at 6 feet and 190 pounds.
- How many home runs did Joe Azcue hit each season?
- Joe Azcue's home runs by season: 0 in 1960, 2 in 1962, 14 in 1963, 4 in 1964, 2 in 1965, 9 in 1966, 11 in 1967, 4 in 1968, 2 in 1969, 2 in 1970, and 0 in 1972. His most in one season was 14, in 1963.
- What was Joe Azcue's career batting average?
- Joe Azcue batted .252 over his career, with 712 hits in 2,828 at bats.
- How many RBI did Joe Azcue have?
- Joe Azcue drove in 304 runs in his career.
- Is Joe Azcue in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Joe Azcue has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- How many All-Star Games did Joe Azcue make?
- Joe Azcue was selected to 1 All-Star Game.