Joe Lonnett

Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1956-1959)

Joe Lonnett was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1956 to 1959 for the Philadelphia Phillies, a span of 4 seasons. In 143 career games, he hit .166 with 54 hits, 6 home runs, and 27 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

AVG .166
HR 6
RBI 27
H 54
OPS .505
PIV -1,361
Position
Catcher
Bats / Throws
R / R
Height / Weight
5'10" / 180 lb
Born
2/7/1927 in Beaver Falls, PA, USA
Died
12/5/2011 in Beaver, PA, USA
MLB Debut
1956-04-22
Last Game
1959-09-26

Full name: Joseph Paul Lonnett

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Career Batting Statistics

Joe Lonnett — Career Batting Statistics
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
143 325 22 54 8 0 6 27 0 40 74 .166 .259 .246 .505 -1,361

Career AVG .166 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — 35.5% below league average.

Career OBP .259 vs. league average .326 across their career seasons — 20.6% below league average.

Career SLG .246 vs. league average .394 across their career seasons — 37.5% below league average.

Career OPS .505 vs. league average .720 across their career seasons — 29.8% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Joe Lonnett — Season-by-Season Batting
Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1956 PHI NL 16 22 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 7 .182 — — — — 0.0
1957 PHI NL 67 160 12 27 5 0 5 15 0 22 39 .169 .257 (-34%) .323 (-16%) .391 (-25%) .715 (-21%) -512.4
1958 PHI NL 17 50 0 7 2 0 0 2 0 2 11 .140 .257 (-46%) .324 (-49%) .394 (-54%) .719 (-52%) -438.1
1959 PHI NL 43 93 8 16 1 0 1 10 0 14 17 .172 .256 (-33%) .323 (-12%) .392 (-45%) .715 (-30%) -410.9
Career · 4 seasons 143 325 22 54 8 0 6 27 0 40 74 .166 — — — — -1,361

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 (143 games) →

Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).

Batting — Home / Away

Joe Lonnett — Batting — Home / Away
SplitGABRHHRRBIAVG
Home721621031515.191
Away711631223112.141

Last 10 Games — Batting

Joe Lonnett — Last 10 Games — Batting
DateTmOppResABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSO
1959-09-26 PHIATLL 300000001
1959-09-22 PHICINW 200000000
1959-09-18 PHICHCL 300000000
1959-09-17 PHICHCW 000000000
1959-09-13 PHISFGL 200000000
1959-09-10 PHILADL 200000000
1959-09-07 PHICINW 000000000
1959-09-06 PHIPITW 000000000
1959-09-05 PHIPITL 000000000
1959-09-04 PHIPITW 401000001

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Joe Lonnett — Career Fielding Totals by Position
Position G GS PO A E DP
C 130 98 578 29 5 7

Season-by-Season Fielding

Joe Lonnett — Season-by-Season Fielding
Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1956 PHI C 7 3 24 2 0 1
1957 PHI C 65 50 305 16 1 3
1958 PHI C 15 12 78 7 1 3
1959 PHI C 43 33 171 4 3 0

Career Games by Position

Position Diamond

Circle size = games played at each position.

Joe Lonnett — Career Games by Position
Position Games
Catcher 130

Joe Lonnett: the record in brief

The profile opens with Joe Lonnett's first major league game on April 22, 1956; the last one listed came on September 26, 1959. Every season row on the page belongs to the Philadelphia Phillies, from 1956 through 1959. At 5 feet, 10 inches and 180 pounds, Lonnett is listed as a catcher. The bio says Lonnett threw and hit right-handed. The recorded birth is February 7, 1927, in Beaver Falls, PA, USA. Lonnett's death is recorded on December 5, 2011, in Beaver, PA, USA. The bio lists the given name Joseph Paul.

Lonnett's career batting table shows 143 games, 325 at bats and 54 hits, a .166 average; the totals also include 6 homers and 27 RBI. Lonnett got on base at a .259 rate and slugged .246 (.505 OPS). Measured against the leagues Lonnett played in, the .166 career average compares with a .258 league average over the same seasons, 35.5% below the league. 1957 produced Lonnett's most hits, 27 of them for the Philadelphia Phillies. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .169 in 1957, did not top the league's .257.

Frequently Asked Questions about Joe Lonnett

What years did Joe Lonnett play?
Joe Lonnett played in Major League Baseball from 1956 to 1959.
Was Joe Lonnett a pitcher?
No. Joe Lonnett was a position player (Catcher).
How many home runs did Joe Lonnett hit?
Joe Lonnett hit 6 career home runs with 54 hits.
What teams did Joe Lonnett play for?
Joe Lonnett played for one team, the Philadelphia Phillies (1956–1959).
What were Joe Lonnett's career stats?
In 143 games, Joe Lonnett had 54 hits, 6 home runs, 27 RBI, and 22 runs, with a .166 batting average.
What position did Joe Lonnett play?
Joe Lonnett played primarily as a catcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
How tall was Joe Lonnett and how much did he weigh?
Joe Lonnett was listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 180 pounds.
How many home runs did Joe Lonnett hit each season?
Joe Lonnett's home runs by season: 0 in 1956, 5 in 1957, 0 in 1958, and 1 in 1959. His most in one season was 5, in 1957.
What was Joe Lonnett's career batting average?
Joe Lonnett batted .166 over his career, with 54 hits in 325 at bats.
How many RBI did Joe Lonnett have?
Joe Lonnett drove in 27 runs in his career.
Is Joe Lonnett in the Hall of Fame?
No. Joe Lonnett has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.