Matt Kata
Second Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (2003-2009)
Matt Kata was a second baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 2003 to 2009 for 5 teams, including the Arizona Diamondbacks, a span of 7 seasons. In 278 career games, he hit .239 with 166 hits, 12 home runs, and 63 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
- B / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'1" / 185 lb
- MLB Debut
- 2003-06-15
- Last Game
- 2009-08-11
Full name: Matthew John Kata
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 278 | 695 | 89 | 166 | 37 | 9 | 12 | 63 | 9 | 48 | 126 | .239 | .290 | .370 | .660 | -1,472 |
Career AVG .239 vs. league average .265 across their career seasons — 9.9% below league average.
Career OBP .290 vs. league average .333 across their career seasons — 13.0% below league average.
Career SLG .370 vs. league average .422 across their career seasons — 12.3% below league average.
Career OPS .660 vs. league average .755 across their career seasons — 12.6% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | ARI | NL | 78 | 288 | 42 | 74 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 29 | 3 | 25 | 53 | .257 | .264 (-3%) | .332 (-5%) | .422 (avg) | .754 (-3%) | -181.7 |
| 2004 | ARI | NL | 42 | 162 | 17 | 40 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 13 | 29 | .247 | .266 (-7%) | .335 (-10%) | .427 (-15%) | .762 (-13%) | -365.6 |
| 2005 | ARI | NL | 30 | 31 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | .194 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 2005 | PHI | NL | 10 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .167 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 2007 | TEX | AL | 31 | 70 | 12 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 18 | .186 | .268 (-31%) | .335 (-26%) | .422 (-29%) | .758 (-27%) | -319.6 |
| 2007 | PIT | NL | 47 | 88 | 9 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 15 | .250 | .268 (-7%) | .335 (-23%) | .422 (-9%) | .758 (-15%) | -319.6 |
| 2009 | HOU | NL | 40 | 50 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5 | .200 | .262 (-24%) | .332 (-36%) | .417 (-47%) | .750 (-43%) | -357.9 |
| Career · 7 seasons | 278 | 695 | 89 | 166 | 37 | 9 | 12 | 63 | 9 | 48 | 126 | .239 | — | — | — | — | -1,544 | ||
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 (278 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 143 | 324 | 42 | 86 | 6 | 36 | .265 |
| Away | 135 | 371 | 47 | 80 | 6 | 27 | .216 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-08-11 | HOU | MIA | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009-08-10 | HOU | MIA | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009-08-09 | HOU | MIL | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009-08-08 | HOU | MIL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2009-08-07 | HOU | MIL | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009-08-05 | HOU | SFG | L | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009-08-04 | HOU | SFG | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009-08-03 | HOU | SFG | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009-08-01 | HOU | STL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2009-07-31 | HOU | STL | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 5 | 1 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2B | 119 | 91 | 215 | 293 | 6 | 70 |
| 3B | 43 | 35 | 19 | 68 | 4 | 4 |
| OF | 18 | 5 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| SS | 17 | 8 | 19 | 21 | 0 | 6 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | ARI | 2B | 52 | 45 | 106 | 131 | 3 | 27 |
| 2003 | ARI | 3B | 23 | 19 | 10 | 41 | 1 | 3 |
| 2003 | ARI | SS | 6 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 2004 | ARI | 2B | 38 | 35 | 75 | 111 | 2 | 25 |
| 2004 | ARI | 3B | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | ARI | SS | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| 2005 | ARI | 2B | 7 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 6 |
| 2005 | PHI | 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | PHI | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | PHI | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | TEX | 1B | 4 | 1 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2007 | TEX | 2B | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2007 | TEX | 3B | 7 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 2007 | TEX | OF | 10 | 4 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2007 | TEX | SS | 6 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| 2007 | PIT | 2B | 10 | 2 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 6 |
| 2007 | PIT | 3B | 10 | 8 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 1 |
| 2007 | PIT | OF | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | PIT | SS | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 2009 | HOU | 1B | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2009 | HOU | 2B | 7 | 5 | 9 | 24 | 0 | 4 |
| 2009 | HOU | OF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 5 |
| Second Base | 119 |
| Third Base | 43 |
| Shortstop | 17 |
| Left Field | 16 |
| Right Field | 2 |
| Designated Hitter | 4 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | TEX | AL | $415,000 |
| 2005 | ARI | NL | $330,000 |
| 2004 | ARI | NL | $315,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $1,060,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville | TN | 1997, 1998, 1999 |
Matt Kata: the record in brief
June 15, 2003 and August 11, 2009 bracket Matt Kata's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. The team column moves through the Arizona Diamondbacks (2003 through 2005), the Philadelphia Phillies (2005), the Texas Rangers (2007), the Pittsburgh Pirates (2007), and the Houston Astros (2009). Born on March 14, 1978, in Avon Lake, OH, USA, Kata is listed as a second baseman and batted from both sides and threw right-handed. The bio gives 6'1" and 185 pounds. The given name on file is Matthew John Kata.
Kata finished with 166 hits from 695 at bats in 278 games, which works out to .239; the totals also include 12 home runs and 63 runs batted in. The on-base percentage is .290 and the slugging percentage .370, for an OPS of .660. Set against a .265 league average for the same years, Kata's .239 average sits 9.9% below it. By OPS the gap is 12.6% below league average (.660 against .755). The highest hit total in a season was 74, in 2003. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .257 in 2003, did not top the league's .264.
Frequently Asked Questions about Matt Kata
- What years did Matt Kata play?
- Matt Kata played in Major League Baseball from 2003 to 2009.
- Was Matt Kata a pitcher?
- No. Matt Kata was a position player (Second Baseman).
- How many home runs did Matt Kata hit?
- Matt Kata hit 12 career home runs with 166 hits.
- What was Matt Kata's career batting average?
- Matt Kata batted .239 over his career, with 166 hits in 695 at bats.
- How many RBI did Matt Kata have?
- Matt Kata drove in 63 runs in his career.
- Is Matt Kata in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Matt Kata has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.