Rico Petrocelli
Shortstop · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1963-1976)
Rico Petrocelli was a shortstop who played in Major League Baseball from 1963 to 1976 for the Boston Red Sox, a span of 14 seasons. In 1,553 career games, he hit .251 with 1,352 hits, 210 home runs, and 773 RBI. Rico Petrocelli was a 2-time All-Star. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 10,919.
- 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
- Shortstop
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 175 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1963-09-21
- Last Game
- 1976-09-14
- Awards
- 2× All-Star
Full name: Americo Peter Petrocelli
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,553 | 5,390 | 653 | 1,352 | 237 | 22 | 210 | 773 | 10 | 661 | 926 | .251 | .332 | .420 | .752 | 10,919 |
Career AVG .251 vs. league average .250 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .332 vs. league average .316 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .420 vs. league average .368 across their career seasons — +14.2% above league average.
Career OPS .752 vs. league average .684 across their career seasons — +10.0% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | BOS | AL | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1965 | BOS | AL | 103 | 323 | 38 | 75 | 15 | 2 | 13 | 33 | 0 | 36 | 71 | .232 | .245 (-5%) | .310 (-1%) | .371 (+11%) | .682 (+6%) | 306.9 |
| 1966 | BOS | AL | 139 | 522 | 58 | 124 | 20 | 1 | 18 | 59 | 1 | 41 | 99 | .238 | .248 (-4%) | .309 (-5%) | .376 (+2%) | .685 (-1%) | -130.1 |
| 1967 | BOS | AL | 142 | 491 | 53 | 127 | 24 | 2 | 17 | 66 | 2 | 49 | 93 | .259 | .242 (+7%) | .306 (+8%) | .357 (+17%) | .663 (+13%) | 1200.3 |
| 1968 | BOS | AL | 123 | 406 | 41 | 95 | 17 | 2 | 12 | 46 | 0 | 31 | 73 | .234 | .236 (-1%) | .298 (-2%) | .340 (+10%) | .638 (+4%) | 234.4 |
| 1969 | BOS | AL | 154 | 535 | 92 | 159 | 32 | 2 | 40 | 97 | 3 | 98 | 68 | .297 | .248 (+20%) | .320 (+26%) | .369 (+59%) | .689 (+44%) | 4765.7 |
| 1970 | BOS | AL | 157 | 583 | 82 | 152 | 31 | 3 | 29 | 103 | 1 | 67 | 82 | .261 | .253 (+3%) | .325 (+2%) | .385 (+23%) | .711 (+14%) | 1434.5 |
| 1971 | BOS | AL | 158 | 553 | 82 | 139 | 24 | 4 | 28 | 89 | 2 | 91 | 108 | .251 | .249 (+1%) | .316 (+12%) | .365 (+26%) | .682 (+20%) | 2211.2 |
| 1972 | BOS | AL | 147 | 521 | 62 | 125 | 15 | 2 | 15 | 75 | 0 | 78 | 91 | .240 | .243 (-2%) | .310 (+9%) | .353 (+2%) | .664 (+6%) | 770.2 |
| 1973 | BOS | AL | 100 | 356 | 44 | 87 | 13 | 1 | 13 | 45 | 0 | 47 | 64 | .244 | .256 (-5%) | .325 (+2%) | .378 (+5%) | .703 (+4%) | 283.2 |
| 1974 | BOS | AL | 129 | 454 | 53 | 121 | 23 | 1 | 15 | 76 | 1 | 48 | 74 | .267 | .256 (+4%) | .324 (+4%) | .369 (+14%) | .693 (+9%) | 756.1 |
| 1975 | BOS | AL | 115 | 402 | 31 | 96 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 59 | 0 | 41 | 66 | .239 | .257 (-7%) | .327 (-5%) | .374 (-11%) | .701 (-8%) | -506.3 |
| 1976 | BOS | AL | 85 | 240 | 17 | 51 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 24 | 0 | 34 | 36 | .212 | .255 (-17%) | .320 (-4%) | .360 (-20%) | .681 (-13%) | -407.4 |
| Career · 13 seasons | 1,553 | 5,390 | 653 | 1,352 | 237 | 22 | 210 | 773 | 10 | 661 | 926 | .251 | — | — | — | — | 10,919 | ||
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 (1553 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 768 | 2617 | 369 | 713 | 134 | 465 | .272 |
| Away | 785 | 2773 | 284 | 639 | 76 | 306 | .230 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976-09-14 | BOS | MIL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976-08-31 | BOS | TEX | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976-08-26 | BOS | KCR | L | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 1976-08-19 | BOS | CHW | L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1976-08-17 | BOS | CHW | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976-08-17 | BOS | CHW | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1976-08-14 | BOS | OAK | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 1976-08-01 | BOS | NYY | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976-07-31 | BOS | NYY | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1976-07-29 | BOS | CLE | W | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 2 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2B | 5 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 4 |
| 3B | 727 | 716 | 581 | 1453 | 63 | 150 |
| SS | 774 | 762 | 1283 | 2283 | 113 | 433 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | BOS | SS | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1965 | BOS | SS | 93 | 93 | 151 | 278 | 19 | 45 |
| 1966 | BOS | 3B | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 3 |
| 1966 | BOS | SS | 127 | 125 | 206 | 381 | 28 | 69 |
| 1967 | BOS | SS | 141 | 137 | 223 | 402 | 19 | 73 |
| 1968 | BOS | 1B | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1968 | BOS | SS | 117 | 115 | 169 | 360 | 12 | 66 |
| 1969 | BOS | 3B | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 | BOS | SS | 153 | 153 | 269 | 466 | 14 | 103 |
| 1970 | BOS | 3B | 18 | 18 | 14 | 37 | 1 | 3 |
| 1970 | BOS | SS | 141 | 138 | 262 | 393 | 20 | 77 |
| 1971 | BOS | 3B | 156 | 156 | 118 | 334 | 11 | 37 |
| 1972 | BOS | 3B | 146 | 146 | 146 | 278 | 13 | 38 |
| 1973 | BOS | 3B | 99 | 99 | 73 | 224 | 6 | 22 |
| 1974 | BOS | 3B | 116 | 115 | 83 | 219 | 12 | 23 |
| 1975 | BOS | 3B | 113 | 111 | 85 | 229 | 13 | 13 |
| 1976 | BOS | 1B | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | BOS | 2B | 5 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 4 |
| 1976 | BOS | 3B | 73 | 65 | 57 | 120 | 6 | 11 |
| 1976 | BOS | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 2 |
| Second Base | 5 |
| Third Base | 727 |
| Shortstop | 774 |
| Designated Hitter | 14 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Player of the Week | Week of 1974-05-17 |
| 1969 | TSN All-Star | SS |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 18th | 9.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1969 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 7th | 71.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1967 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 17th | 7.0 | 280 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Rico Petrocelli (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Rico Petrocelli: the record in brief
Rico Petrocelli played a first major league game on September 21, 1963 and a last one on September 14, 1976. Petrocelli's only club in the season tables is the Boston Red Sox. Petrocelli played primarily as a shortstop and batted and threw right-handed. The bio adds a birth date on June 27, 1943, in Brooklyn, NY, USA and a listed size of 6-foot-0 and 175 pounds. Petrocelli's full given name, per the bio, is Americo Peter Petrocelli.
The batting record for Petrocelli: 1,553 games, 1,352 hits in 5,390 at bats, and a .251 average; the totals also include 210 homers and 773 runs batted in. Petrocelli got on base at a .332 rate and slugged .420 (.752 OPS). The .251 career average is close to the .250 the league hit across the same seasons. The OPS comparison is .752 to a league .684, 10.0% above average. The home run peak was 40 in 1969 with the Boston Red Sox. The hits column peaks at 159, in 1969.
Frequently Asked Questions about Rico Petrocelli
- What years did Rico Petrocelli play?
- Rico Petrocelli played in Major League Baseball from 1963 to 1976.
- Was Rico Petrocelli a pitcher?
- No. Rico Petrocelli was a position player (Shortstop).
- How many home runs did Rico Petrocelli hit?
- Rico Petrocelli hit 210 career home runs with 1,352 hits.
- What teams did Rico Petrocelli play for?
- Rico Petrocelli played for one team, the Boston Red Sox (1963, 1965–1976).
- Did Rico Petrocelli win an MVP award?
- No. Rico Petrocelli did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Rico Petrocelli win?
- Rico Petrocelli was selected to 2 All-Star Games.
- What were Rico Petrocelli's career stats?
- In 1,553 games, Rico Petrocelli had 1,352 hits, 210 home runs, 773 RBI, 653 runs, and 10 stolen bases, with a .251 batting average.
- What position did Rico Petrocelli play?
- Rico Petrocelli played primarily as a shortstop, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Rico Petrocelli and how much did he weigh?
- Rico Petrocelli was listed at 6 feet and 175 pounds.
- How many home runs did Rico Petrocelli hit each season?
- Rico Petrocelli's home runs by season: 0 in 1963, 13 in 1965, 18 in 1966, 17 in 1967, 12 in 1968, 40 in 1969, 29 in 1970, 28 in 1971, 15 in 1972, 13 in 1973, 15 in 1974, 7 in 1975, and 3 in 1976. His most in one season was 40, in 1969.
- What was Rico Petrocelli's career batting average?
- Rico Petrocelli batted .251 over his career, with 1,352 hits in 5,390 at bats.
- How many RBI did Rico Petrocelli have?
- Rico Petrocelli drove in 773 runs in his career.
- Is Rico Petrocelli in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Rico Petrocelli has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- How many All-Star Games did Rico Petrocelli make?
- Rico Petrocelli was selected to 2 All-Star Games.