Brett Butler
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1981-1997)
Brett Butler was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1981 to 1997 for 5 teams, including the Atlanta Braves, a span of 17 seasons. In 2,213 career games, he hit .290 with 2,375 hits, 54 home runs, and 578 RBI. Brett Butler was an All-Star. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 12,133.
- 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
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 5'10" / 160 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1981-08-20
- Last Game
- 1997-09-28
- Awards
- All-Star
Full name: Brett Morgan Butler
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,213 | 8,180 | 1,359 | 2,375 | 277 | 131 | 54 | 578 | 558 | 1,129 | 907 | .290 | .377 | .376 | .753 | 12,133 |
Career AVG .290 vs. league average .261 across their career seasons — +11.3% above league average.
Career OBP .377 vs. league average .328 across their career seasons — +15.1% above league average.
Career SLG .376 vs. league average .396 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .753 vs. league average .724 across their career seasons — near 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | ATL | NL | 40 | 126 | 17 | 32 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 19 | 17 | .254 | .255 (-1%) | .320 (+10%) | .368 (-14%) | .688 (-3%) | 2.6 |
| 1982 | ATL | NL | 89 | 240 | 35 | 52 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 21 | 25 | 35 | .217 | .261 (-17%) | .324 (-10%) | .388 (-42%) | .712 (-28%) | -953.0 |
| 1983 | ATL | NL | 151 | 549 | 84 | 154 | 21 | 13 | 5 | 37 | 39 | 54 | 56 | .281 | .260 (+8%) | .324 (+6%) | .389 (+1%) | .714 (+3%) | 362.1 |
| 1984 | CLE | AL | 159 | 602 | 108 | 162 | 25 | 9 | 3 | 49 | 52 | 86 | 62 | .269 | .259 (+4%) | .322 (+12%) | .384 (-8%) | .707 (+1%) | 443.4 |
| 1985 | CLE | AL | 152 | 591 | 106 | 184 | 28 | 14 | 5 | 50 | 47 | 63 | 42 | .311 | .257 (+21%) | .323 (+17%) | .390 (+10%) | .714 (+13%) | 1645.9 |
| 1986 | CLE | AL | 161 | 587 | 92 | 163 | 17 | 14 | 4 | 51 | 32 | 70 | 65 | .278 | .257 (+8%) | .325 (+9%) | .395 (-5%) | .720 (+1%) | 295.7 |
| 1987 | CLE | AL | 137 | 522 | 91 | 154 | 25 | 8 | 9 | 41 | 33 | 91 | 55 | .295 | .262 (+12%) | .331 (+21%) | .415 (+2%) | .746 (+10%) | 1474.0 |
| 1988 | SFN | NL | 157 | 568 | 109 | 163 | 27 | 9 | 6 | 43 | 43 | 97 | 64 | .287 | .254 (+13%) | .317 (+24%) | .377 (+5%) | .695 (+14%) | 2016.5 |
| 1989 | SFN | NL | 154 | 594 | 100 | 168 | 22 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 31 | 59 | 69 | .283 | .254 (+11%) | .319 (+9%) | .375 (-6%) | .694 (+1%) | 304.4 |
| 1990 | SFN | NL | 160 | 622 | 108 | 192 | 20 | 9 | 3 | 44 | 51 | 90 | 62 | .309 | .257 (+20%) | .324 (+22%) | .385 (avg) | .710 (+10%) | 1701.4 |
| 1991 | LAN | NL | 161 | 615 | 112 | 182 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 38 | 38 | 108 | 79 | .296 | .255 (+16%) | .323 (+24%) | .384 (-11%) | .708 (+5%) | 1305.2 |
| 1992 | LAN | NL | 157 | 553 | 86 | 171 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 39 | 41 | 95 | 67 | .309 | .255 (+21%) | .322 (+28%) | .377 (+4%) | .699 (+15%) | 2171.8 |
| 1993 | LAN | NL | 156 | 607 | 80 | 181 | 21 | 10 | 1 | 42 | 39 | 86 | 69 | .298 | .265 (+12%) | .332 (+17%) | .403 (-8%) | .735 (+3%) | 760.6 |
| 1994 | LAN | NL | 111 | 417 | 79 | 131 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 33 | 27 | 68 | 52 | .314 | .269 (+16%) | .338 (+21%) | .424 (+5%) | .763 (+12%) | 1291.8 |
| 1995 | NYN | NL | 90 | 367 | 54 | 114 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 25 | 21 | 43 | 42 | .311 | .266 (+16%) | .337 (+13%) | .417 (-6%) | .755 (+2%) | 274.5 |
| 1995 | LAN | NL | 39 | 146 | 24 | 40 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 11 | 24 | 9 | .274 | .266 (+3%) | .337 (+9%) | .417 (-20%) | .755 (-7%) | 274.5 |
| 1996 | LAN | NL | 34 | 131 | 22 | 35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 22 | .267 | .269 (-1%) | .340 (-8%) | .426 (-32%) | .767 (-21%) | -469.8 |
| 1997 | LAN | NL | 105 | 343 | 52 | 97 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 15 | 42 | 40 | .283 | .266 (+6%) | .336 (+8%) | .419 (-23%) | .756 (-9%) | -369.8 |
| Career · 18 seasons | 2,213 | 8,180 | 1,359 | 2,375 | 277 | 131 | 54 | 578 | 558 | 1,129 | 907 | .290 | — | — | — | — | 12,532 | ||
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
Playoff Batting by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (2213 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 1102 | 3959 | 678 | 1202 | 21 | 260 | .304 |
| Away | 1111 | 4221 | 681 | 1173 | 33 | 318 | .278 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-09-28 | LAD | COL | L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997-09-24 | LAD | SDP | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997-09-21 | LAD | COL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997-09-19 | LAD | COL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997-09-16 | LAD | STL | W | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1997-09-15 | LAD | STL | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997-09-14 | LAD | HOU | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997-09-09 | LAD | ATL | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1997-09-08 | LAD | MIA | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997-09-07 | LAD | MIA | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 2159 | 2080 | 5296 | 122 | 41 | 32 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | ATL | OF | 37 | 33 | 76 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | ATL | OF | 77 | 55 | 129 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | ATL | OF | 143 | 130 | 284 | 13 | 4 | 4 |
| 1984 | CLE | OF | 156 | 149 | 448 | 13 | 4 | 3 |
| 1985 | CLE | OF | 150 | 148 | 437 | 19 | 1 | 5 |
| 1986 | CLE | OF | 159 | 151 | 434 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| 1987 | CLE | OF | 136 | 135 | 393 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 1988 | SFN | OF | 155 | 150 | 395 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 1989 | SFN | OF | 152 | 149 | 407 | 11 | 6 | 3 |
| 1990 | SFN | OF | 159 | 158 | 420 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| 1991 | LAN | OF | 161 | 160 | 372 | 8 | 0 | 3 |
| 1992 | LAN | OF | 155 | 152 | 353 | 9 | 2 | 3 |
| 1993 | LAN | OF | 155 | 154 | 369 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | LAN | OF | 111 | 108 | 260 | 8 | 2 | 2 |
| 1995 | NYN | OF | 90 | 88 | 207 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| 1995 | LAN | OF | 38 | 39 | 75 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 | LAN | OF | 34 | 34 | 74 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 | LAN | OF | 91 | 87 | 163 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 182 |
| Center Field | 1987 |
| Right Field | 10 |
| Designated Hitter | 2 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Branch Rickey Award | |
| 1996 | Lou Gehrig Memorial Award | |
| 1995 | Player of the Week | Week of 1995-07-22 |
| 1992 | Player of the Month | July |
| 1992 | Player of the Week | Week of 1992-07-25 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | LAN | NL | $1,733,304 |
| 1996 | LAN | NL | $2,000,000 |
| 1995 | NYN | NL | $2,000,000 |
| 1994 | LAN | NL | $3,500,000 |
| 1993 | LAN | NL | $3,333,333 |
| 1992 | LAN | NL | $3,333,333 |
| 1991 | LAN | NL | $2,833,333 |
| 1990 | SFN | NL | $1,100,000 |
| 1989 | SFN | NL | $900,000 |
| 1988 | SFN | NL | $900,000 |
| 1987 | CLE | AL | $765,000 |
| 1986 | CLE | AL | $850,000 |
| 1985 | CLE | AL | $425,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $23,673,303 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeastern Oklahoma State University | Durant | OK | 1977, 1978, 1979 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 22th | 1.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1992 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 21th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1991 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 7th | 103.0 | 336 | 1 |
| 1990 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 24th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1989 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 17th | 3.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1988 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 17th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Brett Butler (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Frequently Asked Questions about Brett Butler
- What years did Brett Butler play?
- Brett Butler played in Major League Baseball from 1981 to 1997.
- Was Brett Butler a pitcher?
- No. Brett Butler was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Brett Butler hit?
- Brett Butler hit 54 career home runs with 2375 hits.
- What was Brett Butler's career batting average?
- Brett Butler batted .290 over his career, with 2,375 hits in 8,180 at bats.
- How many RBI did Brett Butler have?
- Brett Butler drove in 578 runs in his career.
- Is Brett Butler in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Brett Butler has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.