Val Picinich
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1916-1933)
Val Picinich was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1916 to 1933 for 6 teams, including the Philadelphia Athletics, a span of 18 seasons. In 1,037 career games, he hit .258 with 743 hits, 26 home runs, and 298 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
- Catcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'9" / 165 lb
- Died
- 12/5/1942 in Nobleboro, ME, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1916-07-25
- Last Game
- 1933-08-28
Full name: Valentine John Picinich
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,037 | 2,877 | 298 | 743 | 166 | 26 | 26 | 298 | 31 | 314 | 382 | .258 | .334 | .361 | .695 | -1,684 |
Career AVG .258 vs. league average .277 across their career seasons — 6.8% below league average.
Career OBP .334 vs. league average .339 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .361 vs. league average .384 across their career seasons — 5.8% below league average.
Career OPS .695 vs. league average .722 across their career seasons — near 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | PHA | AL | 40 | 118 | 8 | 23 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 33 | .195 | .248 (-22%) | .314 (-26%) | .326 (-27%) | .640 (-26%) | -464.3 |
| 1917 | PHA | AL | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .333 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1918 | WS1 | AL | 47 | 148 | 13 | 34 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 9 | 25 | .230 | .255 (-10%) | .318 (-14%) | .326 (-11%) | .645 (-13%) | -297.4 |
| 1919 | WS1 | AL | 80 | 212 | 18 | 58 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 22 | 6 | 17 | 43 | .274 | .262 (+4%) | .322 (+2%) | .347 (+15%) | .670 (+9%) | 299.4 |
| 1920 | WS1 | AL | 48 | 133 | 14 | 27 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 9 | 33 | .203 | .271 (-25%) | .331 (-22%) | .363 (-5%) | .694 (-13%) | -303.9 |
| 1921 | WS1 | AL | 45 | 141 | 10 | 39 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 16 | 21 | .277 | .286 (-3%) | .344 (+3%) | .395 (-14%) | .739 (-6%) | -97.2 |
| 1922 | WS1 | AL | 76 | 210 | 16 | 48 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 23 | 33 | .229 | .285 (-20%) | .345 (-10%) | .397 (-23%) | .743 (-17%) | -571.7 |
| 1923 | BOS | AL | 87 | 268 | 33 | 74 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 31 | 3 | 46 | 32 | .276 | .282 (-2%) | .344 (+12%) | .390 (-1%) | .734 (+5%) | 399.3 |
| 1924 | BOS | AL | 69 | 161 | 25 | 44 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 24 | 5 | 29 | 19 | .273 | .283 (-4%) | .345 (+14%) | .389 (-6%) | .734 (+3%) | 221.5 |
| 1925 | BOS | AL | 90 | 251 | 31 | 64 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 2 | 33 | 21 | .255 | .288 (-11%) | .349 (-2%) | .407 (-14%) | .756 (-8%) | -296.4 |
| 1926 | CIN | NL | 89 | 240 | 33 | 63 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 31 | 4 | 29 | 22 | .263 | .279 (-6%) | .345 (-1%) | .390 (-7%) | .735 (-4%) | -141.5 |
| 1927 | CIN | NL | 65 | 173 | 16 | 44 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 24 | 15 | .254 | .282 (-10%) | .344 (avg) | .392 (-15%) | .736 (-8%) | -180.3 |
| 1928 | CIN | NL | 96 | 324 | 29 | 98 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 35 | 1 | 20 | 25 | .302 | .280 (+8%) | .342 (avg) | .395 (+6%) | .737 (+3%) | 184.1 |
| 1929 | BRO | NL | 93 | 273 | 28 | 71 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 31 | 3 | 34 | 24 | .260 | .289 (-10%) | .353 (-3%) | .415 (-2%) | .769 (-3%) | -138.6 |
| 1930 | BRO | NL | 23 | 46 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 6 | .217 | — | — | — | — | -205.0 |
| 1931 | BRO | NL | 24 | 45 | 5 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 9 | .267 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1932 | BRO | NL | 41 | 70 | 8 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 8 | .257 | .275 (-7%) | .335 (-11%) | .391 (-1%) | .726 (-6%) | -81.9 |
| 1933 | BRO | NL | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .167 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1933 | PIT | NL | 16 | 52 | 6 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 10 | .250 | .270 (-7%) | .329 (-4%) | .377 (+2%) | .707 (-1%) | 0.0 |
| Career · 19 seasons | 1,037 | 2,877 | 298 | 743 | 166 | 26 | 26 | 298 | 31 | 314 | 382 | .258 | — | — | — | — | -1,674 | ||
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 (1038 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 520 | 1440 | 155 | 373 | 5 | 150 | .259 |
| Away | 518 | 1441 | 144 | 370 | 21 | 156 | .257 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933-08-28 | PIT | PHI | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1933-08-26 | PIT | NY1 | W | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1933-08-25 | PIT | NY1 | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1933-07-19 | PIT | NY1 | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1933-07-17 | PIT | BRO | W | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1933-07-11 | PIT | BSN | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1933-07-10 | PIT | PHI | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1933-07-08 | PIT | PHI | L | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1933-07-05 | PIT | STL | W | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1933-07-04 | PIT | STL | W | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 2 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| C | 935 | 0 | 3251 | 732 | 123 | 67 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | PHA | C | 37 | 0 | 179 | 52 | 8 | 6 |
| 1917 | PHA | C | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 1918 | WS1 | C | 46 | 0 | 216 | 48 | 11 | 5 |
| 1919 | WS1 | C | 69 | 0 | 303 | 92 | 9 | 5 |
| 1920 | WS1 | C | 45 | 0 | 185 | 41 | 5 | 6 |
| 1921 | WS1 | C | 45 | 0 | 197 | 29 | 8 | 1 |
| 1922 | WS1 | C | 76 | 0 | 276 | 55 | 8 | 4 |
| 1923 | BOS | C | 81 | 0 | 247 | 89 | 15 | 7 |
| 1924 | BOS | C | 52 | 0 | 157 | 36 | 10 | 2 |
| 1925 | BOS | 1B | 2 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 1925 | BOS | C | 74 | 0 | 222 | 53 | 9 | 1 |
| 1926 | CIN | C | 86 | 0 | 240 | 52 | 10 | 6 |
| 1927 | CIN | C | 61 | 0 | 218 | 31 | 5 | 8 |
| 1928 | CIN | C | 93 | 0 | 279 | 65 | 6 | 6 |
| 1929 | BRO | C | 85 | 0 | 311 | 62 | 8 | 8 |
| 1930 | BRO | C | 22 | 0 | 43 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| 1931 | BRO | C | 15 | 0 | 55 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 1932 | BRO | C | 24 | 0 | 59 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| 1933 | BRO | C | 6 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1933 | PIT | C | 16 | 0 | 48 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 935 |
| First Base | 2 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Val Picinich (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Val Picinich: the record in brief
Between the debut on July 25, 1916 and the final game on August 28, 1933, Val Picinich built the record summarized on this page. The season rows list, in order, the Philadelphia Athletics (1916 to 1917), the Washington Senators (1918 through 1922), the Boston Red Sox (1923 through 1925), the Cincinnati Reds (1926 through 1928), the Brooklyn Robins (1929 through 1931), the Brooklyn Dodgers (1932 through 1933), and the Pittsburgh Pirates (1933). Picinich played primarily as a catcher and both batted and threw right-handed. Born on September 8, 1896, in New York, NY, USA, Picinich was listed at 165 pounds on a 5-foot-9 frame. Picinich died on December 5, 1942, in Nobleboro, ME, USA. Val Picinich was the playing name; the full given name is Valentine John.
Picinich's career batting table shows 1,037 games, 2,877 at bats and 743 hits, a .258 average, along with 26 homers, 298 runs batted in, and 31 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .334 clip and slugging .361, Picinich finished with a .695 OPS. Over the seasons Picinich played, league hitters batted .277; the .258 career figure is 6.8% below that.
Frequently Asked Questions about Val Picinich
- What years did Val Picinich play?
- Val Picinich played in Major League Baseball from 1916 to 1933.
- Was Val Picinich a pitcher?
- No. Val Picinich was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Val Picinich hit?
- Val Picinich hit 26 career home runs with 743 hits.
- What was Val Picinich's career batting average?
- Val Picinich batted .258 over his career, with 743 hits in 2,877 at bats.
- How many RBI did Val Picinich have?
- Val Picinich drove in 298 runs in his career.
- Is Val Picinich in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Val Picinich has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.