Rod Gilbreath
Second Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1972-1978)
Rod Gilbreath was a second baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1972 to 1978 for the Atlanta Braves, a span of 7 seasons. In 500 career games, he hit .248 with 356 hits, 14 home runs, and 125 RBI.
- 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
- Second Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'2" / 180 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1972-06-17
- Last Game
- 1978-10-01
Full name: Rodney Joe Gilbreath
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | 1,436 | 164 | 356 | 45 | 15 | 14 | 125 | 25 | 147 | 212 | .248 | .320 | .329 | .649 | -1,494 |
Career AVG .248 vs. league average .256 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .320 vs. league average .323 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .329 vs. league average .374 across their career seasons — 12.0% below league average.
Career OPS .649 vs. league average .697 across their career seasons — 6.9% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | ATL | NL | 18 | 38 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | .237 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1973 | ATL | NL | 29 | 74 | 10 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10 | .284 | .256 (+10%) | .325 (+5%) | .378 (-11%) | .703 (-3%) | -34.3 |
| 1974 | ATL | NL | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .333 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1975 | ATL | NL | 90 | 202 | 24 | 49 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 5 | 24 | 26 | .243 | .257 (-6%) | .327 (-1%) | .374 (-21%) | .701 (-12%) | -314.5 |
| 1976 | ATL | NL | 116 | 383 | 57 | 96 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 32 | 7 | 42 | 36 | .251 | .255 (-2%) | .320 (+3%) | .360 (-9%) | .681 (-3%) | -147.7 |
| 1977 | ATL | NL | 128 | 407 | 47 | 99 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 43 | 3 | 45 | 79 | .243 | .264 (-8%) | .329 (-3%) | .401 (-13%) | .730 (-8%) | -483.3 |
| 1978 | ATL | NL | 116 | 326 | 22 | 80 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 7 | 26 | 51 | .245 | .257 (-5%) | .323 (-7%) | .378 (-13%) | .702 (-10%) | -514.4 |
| Career · 7 seasons | 500 | 1,436 | 164 | 356 | 45 | 15 | 14 | 125 | 25 | 147 | 212 | .248 | — | — | — | — | -1,494 | ||
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 (500 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 254 | 717 | 100 | 198 | 7 | 71 | .276 |
| Away | 246 | 719 | 64 | 158 | 7 | 54 | .220 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-10-01 | ATL | CIN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978-09-30 | ATL | CIN | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1978-09-29 | ATL | CIN | L | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1978-09-28 | ATL | HOU | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1978-09-27 | ATL | HOU | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978-09-26 | ATL | HOU | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978-09-14 | ATL | SFG | W | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1978-09-13 | ATL | SFG | W | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1978-09-12 | ATL | SDP | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978-09-10 | ATL | LAD | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 326 | 293 | 729 | 847 | 36 | 183 |
| 3B | 106 | 85 | 64 | 183 | 12 | 15 |
| SS | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | ATL | 2B | 7 | 6 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 3 |
| 1972 | ATL | 3B | 4 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 1 | 1 |
| 1973 | ATL | 3B | 22 | 17 | 16 | 32 | 2 | 4 |
| 1974 | ATL | 2B | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1975 | ATL | 2B | 52 | 38 | 121 | 125 | 5 | 29 |
| 1975 | ATL | 3B | 10 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| 1975 | ATL | SS | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | ATL | 2B | 104 | 100 | 239 | 311 | 14 | 76 |
| 1976 | ATL | 3B | 7 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 1976 | ATL | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | ATL | 2B | 122 | 112 | 277 | 305 | 13 | 61 |
| 1977 | ATL | 3B | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978 | ATL | 2B | 39 | 35 | 74 | 87 | 4 | 13 |
| 1978 | ATL | 3B | 62 | 52 | 34 | 117 | 5 | 9 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 325 |
| Third Base | 107 |
| Shortstop | 2 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Rod Gilbreath (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Rod Gilbreath: the record in brief
According to the bio, Rod Gilbreath debuted on June 17, 1972 and played a final game on October 1, 1978. Gilbreath spent the whole of the career shown here with one club, the Atlanta Braves. At 6'2" and 180 pounds, Gilbreath is listed as a second baseman. Gilbreath batted and threw right-handed, per the bio block. Gilbreath was born on September 24, 1952, in Laurel, MS, USA. On the record, Rod Gilbreath was born Rodney Joe Gilbreath.
Gilbreath's career batting table shows 500 games, 1,436 at bats and 356 hits, a .248 average, plus 14 homers, 125 runs batted in, and 25 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .320 clip and slugging .329, Gilbreath finished with a .649 OPS. Against a .256 league average for those years, Gilbreath's .248 average was near the norm. The hits column peaks at 99, in 1977. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .251 in 1976, did not top the league's .255. The seasons in which Gilbreath beat the league batting average were 1973.
Frequently Asked Questions about Rod Gilbreath
- What years did Rod Gilbreath play?
- Rod Gilbreath played in Major League Baseball from 1972 to 1978.
- Was Rod Gilbreath a pitcher?
- No. Rod Gilbreath was a position player (Second Baseman).
- How many home runs did Rod Gilbreath hit?
- Rod Gilbreath hit 14 career home runs with 356 hits.
- What teams did Rod Gilbreath play for?
- Rod Gilbreath played for one team, the Atlanta Braves (1972–1978).
- What were Rod Gilbreath's career stats?
- In 500 games, Rod Gilbreath had 356 hits, 14 home runs, 125 RBI, 164 runs, and 25 stolen bases, with a .248 batting average.
- What position did Rod Gilbreath play?
- Rod Gilbreath played primarily as a second baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Rod Gilbreath and how much did he weigh?
- Rod Gilbreath was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 180 pounds.
- How many home runs did Rod Gilbreath hit each season?
- Rod Gilbreath's home runs by season: 0 in 1972, 0 in 1973, 0 in 1974, 2 in 1975, 1 in 1976, 8 in 1977, and 3 in 1978. His most in one season was 8, in 1977.
- What was Rod Gilbreath's career batting average?
- Rod Gilbreath batted .248 over his career, with 356 hits in 1,436 at bats.
- How many RBI did Rod Gilbreath have?
- Rod Gilbreath drove in 125 runs in his career.
- Is Rod Gilbreath in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Rod Gilbreath has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.