Gary Carter
Catcher · Career Stats, Hall of Fame Bio & Records (1974-1992)
Gary Carter was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1974 to 1992 for 4 teams, including the Montreal Expos, a span of 19 seasons. In 2,296 career games, he hit .262 with 2,092 hits, 324 home runs, and 1,225 RBI. Gary Carter was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003 and was a 11-time All-Star, a 2-time All-Star Game MVP, a 3-time Gold Glove, a 5-time Silver Slugger, and a Roberto Clemente Award. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 14,141.
- 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
- 6'2" / 205 lb
- Died
- 2/16/2012 in West Palm Beach, FL, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1974-09-16
- Last Game
- 1992-09-27
- Hall of Fame
- Inducted 2003 (BBWAA)
- Awards
- 11× All-Star · 2× All-Star Game MVP · 3× Gold Glove · 5× Silver Slugger · Roberto Clemente Award
Full name: Gary Edmund Carter
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,296 | 7,971 | 1,025 | 2,092 | 371 | 31 | 324 | 1,225 | 39 | 848 | 997 | .262 | .335 | .439 | .773 | 14,141 |
Career AVG .262 vs. league average .259 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .335 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .439 vs. league average .385 across their career seasons — +14.0% above league average.
Career OPS .773 vs. league average .709 across their career seasons — +9.1% above 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | MON | NL | 9 | 27 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | .407 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1975 | MON | NL | 144 | 503 | 58 | 136 | 20 | 1 | 17 | 68 | 5 | 72 | 83 | .270 | .257 (+5%) | .327 (+10%) | .374 (+11%) | .701 (+11%) | 1197.8 |
| 1976 | MON | NL | 91 | 311 | 31 | 68 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 38 | 0 | 30 | 43 | .219 | .255 (-14%) | .320 (-10%) | .360 (-14%) | .681 (-13%) | -585.7 |
| 1977 | MON | NL | 154 | 522 | 86 | 148 | 29 | 2 | 31 | 84 | 5 | 58 | 103 | .284 | .264 (+7%) | .329 (+8%) | .401 (+31%) | .730 (+21%) | 2171.3 |
| 1978 | MON | NL | 157 | 533 | 76 | 136 | 27 | 1 | 20 | 72 | 10 | 62 | 70 | .255 | .257 (-1%) | .323 (+4%) | .378 (+11%) | .702 (+8%) | 886.4 |
| 1979 | MON | NL | 141 | 505 | 74 | 143 | 26 | 5 | 22 | 75 | 3 | 40 | 62 | .283 | .265 (+7%) | .329 (+2%) | .397 (+22%) | .727 (+13%) | 1191.1 |
| 1980 | MON | NL | 154 | 549 | 76 | 145 | 25 | 5 | 29 | 101 | 3 | 58 | 78 | .264 | .264 (avg) | .326 (+1%) | .387 (+25%) | .714 (+14%) | 1460.9 |
| 1981 | MON | NL | 100 | 374 | 48 | 94 | 20 | 2 | 16 | 68 | 1 | 35 | 35 | .251 | .255 (-2%) | .320 (-2%) | .368 (+20%) | .688 (+10%) | 543.2 |
| 1982 | MON | NL | 154 | 557 | 91 | 163 | 32 | 1 | 29 | 97 | 2 | 78 | 64 | .293 | .261 (+12%) | .324 (+17%) | .388 (+31%) | .712 (+25%) | 2944.6 |
| 1983 | MON | NL | 145 | 541 | 63 | 146 | 37 | 3 | 17 | 79 | 1 | 51 | 57 | .270 | .260 (+3%) | .324 (+3%) | .389 (+14%) | .714 (+9%) | 916.5 |
| 1984 | MON | NL | 159 | 596 | 75 | 175 | 32 | 1 | 27 | 106 | 2 | 64 | 57 | .294 | .259 (+13%) | .322 (+13%) | .384 (+26%) | .707 (+21%) | 2552.2 |
| 1985 | NYN | NL | 149 | 555 | 83 | 156 | 17 | 1 | 32 | 100 | 1 | 69 | 46 | .281 | .257 (+9%) | .323 (+13%) | .390 (+25%) | .714 (+19%) | 2310.4 |
| 1986 | NYN | NL | 132 | 490 | 81 | 125 | 14 | 2 | 24 | 105 | 1 | 62 | 63 | .255 | .257 (-1%) | .325 (+3%) | .395 (+11%) | .720 (+8%) | 696.3 |
| 1987 | NYN | NL | 139 | 523 | 55 | 123 | 18 | 2 | 20 | 83 | 0 | 42 | 73 | .235 | .262 (-11%) | .331 (-12%) | .415 (-6%) | .746 (-9%) | -831.8 |
| 1988 | NYN | NL | 130 | 455 | 39 | 110 | 16 | 2 | 11 | 46 | 0 | 34 | 52 | .242 | .254 (-5%) | .317 (-5%) | .377 (-5%) | .695 (-5%) | -389.1 |
| 1989 | NYN | NL | 50 | 153 | 14 | 28 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 12 | 15 | .183 | .254 (-28%) | .319 (-25%) | .375 (-27%) | .694 (-26%) | -626.8 |
| 1990 | SFN | NL | 92 | 244 | 24 | 62 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 27 | 1 | 25 | 31 | .254 | .257 (-1%) | .324 (avg) | .385 (+5%) | .710 (+3%) | 124.2 |
| 1991 | LAN | NL | 101 | 248 | 22 | 61 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 26 | 2 | 22 | 26 | .246 | .255 (-4%) | .323 (avg) | .384 (-3%) | .708 (-1%) | -31.2 |
| 1992 | MON | NL | 95 | 285 | 24 | 62 | 18 | 1 | 5 | 29 | 0 | 33 | 37 | .218 | .255 (-15%) | .322 (-7%) | .377 (-10%) | .699 (-9%) | -389.2 |
| Career · 19 seasons | 2,296 | 7,971 | 1,025 | 2,092 | 371 | 31 | 324 | 1,225 | 39 | 848 | 997 | .262 | — | — | — | — | 14,141 | ||
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 (2296 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 1165 | 3875 | 516 | 1036 | 162 | 618 | .267 |
| Away | 1131 | 4096 | 509 | 1056 | 162 | 607 | .258 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-09-27 | WSN | CHC | W | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1992-09-23 | WSN | PIT | W | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992-09-20 | WSN | NYN | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992-09-17 | WSN | PIT | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1992-09-14 | WSN | PHI | L | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1992-09-13 | WSN | NYN | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992-09-12 | WSN | NYN | W | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1992-09-11 | WSN | NYN | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992-09-09 | WSN | STL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992-09-07 | WSN | STL | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 76 | 53 | 490 | 33 | 2 | 39 |
| 3B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| C | 2056 | 1955 | 11785 | 1203 | 121 | 149 |
| OF | 137 | 120 | 214 | 7 | 5 | 2 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | MON | C | 6 | 5 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 1974 | MON | OF | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | MON | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | MON | C | 66 | 56 | 280 | 37 | 5 | 6 |
| 1975 | MON | OF | 92 | 80 | 150 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 1976 | MON | C | 60 | 55 | 311 | 36 | 2 | 7 |
| 1976 | MON | OF | 36 | 33 | 53 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1977 | MON | C | 146 | 143 | 811 | 101 | 9 | 14 |
| 1977 | MON | OF | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978 | MON | 1B | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978 | MON | C | 152 | 147 | 781 | 83 | 10 | 9 |
| 1979 | MON | C | 138 | 136 | 751 | 88 | 9 | 12 |
| 1980 | MON | C | 149 | 146 | 822 | 108 | 7 | 8 |
| 1981 | MON | 1B | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1981 | MON | C | 100 | 99 | 509 | 58 | 4 | 11 |
| 1982 | MON | C | 153 | 151 | 954 | 104 | 10 | 6 |
| 1983 | MON | 1B | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1983 | MON | C | 144 | 141 | 847 | 107 | 5 | 14 |
| 1984 | MON | 1B | 25 | 23 | 218 | 13 | 1 | 19 |
| 1984 | MON | C | 143 | 134 | 772 | 65 | 6 | 6 |
| 1985 | NYN | 1B | 6 | 6 | 31 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 1985 | NYN | C | 143 | 139 | 956 | 67 | 8 | 11 |
| 1985 | NYN | OF | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | NYN | 1B | 9 | 7 | 68 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| 1986 | NYN | 3B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 1986 | NYN | C | 122 | 121 | 869 | 62 | 8 | 13 |
| 1986 | NYN | OF | 4 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987 | NYN | 1B | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1987 | NYN | C | 135 | 132 | 874 | 70 | 9 | 13 |
| 1987 | NYN | OF | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | NYN | 1B | 10 | 6 | 45 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 1988 | NYN | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | NYN | C | 119 | 116 | 797 | 54 | 9 | 5 |
| 1989 | NYN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | NYN | C | 47 | 42 | 266 | 31 | 6 | 6 |
| 1990 | SFN | 1B | 3 | 3 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 1990 | SFN | C | 80 | 58 | 323 | 31 | 3 | 2 |
| 1991 | LAN | 1B | 10 | 4 | 47 | 7 | 0 | 3 |
| 1991 | LAN | C | 68 | 55 | 355 | 45 | 5 | 2 |
| 1992 | MON | 1B | 5 | 2 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1992 | MON | C | 85 | 79 | 481 | 52 | 6 | 3 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 2056 |
| First Base | 76 |
| Third Base | 3 |
| Left Field | 5 |
| Right Field | 132 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Roberto Clemente Award | |
| 1986 | Silver Slugger | C |
| 1986 | TSN All-Star | C |
| 1985 | Player of the Month | September |
| 1985 | Player of the Week | Week of 1985-09-06 |
| 1985 | Silver Slugger | C |
| 1985 | TSN All-Star | C |
| 1984 | All-Star Game MVP | |
| 1984 | Silver Slugger | C |
| 1984 | TSN All-Star | C |
| 1982 | Gold Glove | C |
| 1982 | Silver Slugger | C |
| 1982 | TSN All-Star | C |
| 1981 | All-Star Game MVP | |
| 1981 | Gold Glove | C |
| 1981 | Player of the Week | Week of 1981-08-28 |
| 1981 | Silver Slugger | C |
| 1981 | TSN All-Star | C |
| 1980 | Gold Glove | C |
| 1980 | Player of the Month | September |
| 1980 | Player of the Week | Week of 1980-05-30 |
| 1980 | TSN All-Star | C |
| 1975 | Player of the Week | Week of 1975-06-20 |
| 1975 | TSN Rookie Player of the Year |
Salary History
Gary Carter's recorded salaries total $12,184,285 over 8 seasons, 1985 to 1992. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Carter's career ran from 1974 to 1992. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | MON | NL | $825,000 |
| 1991 | LAN | NL | $500,000 |
| 1990 | SFN | NL | $250,000 |
| 1989 | NYN | NL | $2,198,572 |
| 1988 | NYN | NL | $2,160,714 |
| 1987 | NYN | NL | $2,060,714 |
| 1986 | NYN | NL | $2,160,714 |
| 1985 | NYN | NL | $2,028,571 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $12,184,285 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 3rd | 181.0 | 336 | 1 |
| 1985 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 6th | 116.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1984 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 14th | 32.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1982 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 12th | 35.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1981 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 6th | 77.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1980 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 2nd | 193.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1979 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 17th | 15.0 | 336 | 1 |
| 1975 | Rookie of the Year | NL | 2nd | 9.0 | 24 | 9 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Gary Carter (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Compare Gary Carter
Gary Carter: the record in brief
Between the debut on September 16, 1974 and the final game on September 27, 1992, Gary Carter built the record summarized on this page. Carter played for the Montreal Expos (1974 through 1992), the New York Mets (1985 to 1989), the San Francisco Giants (1990), and the Los Angeles Dodgers (1991). Carter played primarily as a catcher and both batted and threw right-handed. Born on April 8, 1954, in Culver City, CA, USA, Carter was listed at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds. The bio records the death on February 16, 2012, in West Palm Beach, FL, USA. The bio lists the given name Gary Edmund.
Carter finished with 2,092 hits from 7,971 at bats in 2,296 games, which works out to .262; the totals also include 324 home runs, 1,225 runs batted in, and 39 stolen bases. Carter got on base at a .335 rate and slugged .439 (.773 OPS). Carter hit .262 while the league hit .259 over the same span, a figure close to average.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gary Carter
- What years did Gary Carter play?
- Gary Carter played in Major League Baseball from 1974 to 1992.
- Was Gary Carter a pitcher?
- No. Gary Carter was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Gary Carter hit?
- Gary Carter hit 324 career home runs with 2,092 hits.
- Is Gary Carter in the Hall of Fame?
- Yes. Gary Carter was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.
- What teams did Gary Carter play for?
- Gary Carter played for 4 teams: the Montreal Expos (1974–1984, 1992), the New York Mets (1985–1989), the San Francisco Giants (1990), and the Los Angeles Dodgers (1991).
- Did Gary Carter win an MVP award?
- No. Gary Carter did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Gary Carter win?
- Gary Carter won 3 Gold Gloves (1980, 1981, and 1982) and 5 Silver Slugger awards (1981–1982, 1984–1986). He was selected to 11 All-Star Games.
- What were Gary Carter's career stats?
- In 2,296 games, Gary Carter had 2,092 hits, 324 home runs, 1,225 RBI, 1,025 runs, and 39 stolen bases, with a .262 batting average.
- How much did Gary Carter earn in his career?
- Gary Carter's recorded salaries total $12,184,285 over 8 seasons, 1985 to 1992. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Carter's career ran from 1974 to 1992. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
- What was Gary Carter's salary?
- Gary Carter's last recorded salary was $825,000, in 1992. His highest recorded salary was $2,198,572, in 1989, and his lowest was $250,000, in 1990. The Salary History table lists each season from 1985 to 1992.
- What position did Gary Carter play?
- Gary Carter played primarily as a catcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Gary Carter and how much did he weigh?
- Gary Carter was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 205 pounds.
- How many home runs did Gary Carter hit each season?
- Gary Carter's home runs by season: 1 in 1974, 17 in 1975, 6 in 1976, 31 in 1977, 20 in 1978, 22 in 1979, 29 in 1980, 16 in 1981, 29 in 1982, 17 in 1983, 27 in 1984, 32 in 1985, 24 in 1986, 20 in 1987, 11 in 1988, 2 in 1989, 9 in 1990, 6 in 1991, and 5 in 1992. His most in one season was 32, in 1985.
- What was Gary Carter's career batting average?
- Gary Carter batted .262 over his career, with 2,092 hits in 7,971 at bats.