Mark Salas
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1984-1991)
Mark Salas was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1984 to 1991 for 6 teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals, a span of 8 seasons. In 509 career games, he hit .247 with 319 hits, 38 home runs, and 143 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
- L / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 180 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1984-06-19
- Last Game
- 1991-10-05
Full name: Mark Bruce Salas
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 509 | 1,292 | 142 | 319 | 49 | 10 | 38 | 143 | 3 | 89 | 163 | .247 | .300 | .389 | .688 | -588 |
Career AVG .247 vs. league average .257 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .300 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — 7.4% below league average.
Career SLG .389 vs. league average .389 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .688 vs. league average .712 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | SLN | NL | 14 | 20 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .100 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1985 | MIN | AL | 120 | 360 | 51 | 108 | 20 | 5 | 9 | 41 | 0 | 18 | 37 | .300 | .257 (+17%) | .323 (+3%) | .390 (+17%) | .714 (+11%) | 609.6 |
| 1986 | MIN | AL | 91 | 258 | 28 | 60 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 33 | 3 | 18 | 32 | .233 | .257 (-10%) | .325 (-13%) | .395 (-3%) | .720 (-8%) | -386.0 |
| 1987 | MIN | AL | 22 | 45 | 8 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 6 | .378 | — | — | — | — | 317.9 |
| 1987 | NYA | AL | 50 | 115 | 13 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 17 | .200 | .262 (-24%) | .331 (-16%) | .415 (-25%) | .746 (-21%) | 317.9 |
| 1988 | CHA | AL | 75 | 196 | 17 | 49 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 12 | 17 | .250 | .254 (-2%) | .317 (-5%) | .377 (-12%) | .695 (-9%) | -239.9 |
| 1989 | CLE | AL | 30 | 77 | 4 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 13 | .221 | .254 (-13%) | .319 (-13%) | .375 (avg) | .694 (-6%) | -85.9 |
| 1990 | DET | AL | 74 | 164 | 18 | 38 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 24 | 0 | 21 | 28 | .232 | .257 (-10%) | .324 (-1%) | .385 (+8%) | .710 (+4%) | 144.2 |
| 1991 | DET | AL | 33 | 57 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | .088 | .255 (-66%) | .323 (-64%) | .384 (-59%) | .708 (-61%) | -562.9 |
| Career · 9 seasons | 509 | 1,292 | 142 | 319 | 49 | 10 | 38 | 143 | 3 | 89 | 163 | .247 | — | — | — | — | 115 | ||
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 (509 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 268 | 672 | 82 | 171 | 25 | 75 | .254 |
| Away | 241 | 620 | 60 | 148 | 13 | 68 | .239 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-10-05 | DET | BAL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-09-25 | DET | CLE | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-09-20 | DET | MIL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1991-09-06 | DET | OAK | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-08-17 | DET | TOR | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1991-08-14 | DET | CHW | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-08-11 | DET | NYY | L | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-08-10 | DET | NYY | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-08-08 | DET | TOR | W | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-08-06 | DET | TOR | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 5 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 385 | 295 | 1659 | 148 | 23 | 23 |
| OF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | SLN | C | 4 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | SLN | OF | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | MIN | C | 115 | 95 | 529 | 39 | 5 | 10 |
| 1986 | MIN | C | 69 | 56 | 358 | 32 | 8 | 5 |
| 1987 | MIN | C | 14 | 10 | 86 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987 | NYA | C | 41 | 30 | 172 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | NYA | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | CHA | C | 69 | 56 | 251 | 35 | 6 | 5 |
| 1989 | CLE | C | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | DET | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | DET | C | 57 | 44 | 227 | 22 | 3 | 3 |
| 1991 | DET | 1B | 5 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | DET | C | 11 | 2 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 385 |
| First Base | 5 |
| Third Base | 1 |
| Left Field | 3 |
| Right Field | 1 |
| Designated Hitter | 45 |
Salary History
Mark Salas's recorded salaries total $947,000 over 5 seasons, 1985 to 1991. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Salas's career ran from 1984 to 1991. His seasons before 1985 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 1989 and 1990.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | DET | AL | $450,000 |
| 1988 | CHA | AL | $185,000 |
| 1987 | NYA | AL | $137,000 |
| 1986 | MIN | AL | $115,000 |
| 1985 | MIN | AL | $60,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $947,000 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Rookie of the Year | AL | 8th | 2.0 | 140 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Mark Salas (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Mark Salas: the record in brief
June 19, 1984 and October 5, 1991 bracket Mark Salas's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. The team column moves through the St. Louis Cardinals (1984), the Minnesota Twins (1985 to 1987), the New York Yankees (1987), the Chicago White Sox (1988), the Cleveland Indians (1989), and the Detroit Tigers (1990 to 1991). Salas is listed as a catcher at 180 pounds on a 6-foot-0 frame. Salas batted left-handed and threw right-handed, per the bio block. The recorded birth is March 8, 1961, in Montebello, CA, USA. The given name on file is Mark Bruce Salas.
Salas collected 319 hits in 1,292 at bats across 509 games, good for a .247 batting average, along with 38 home runs and 143 runs batted in. Reaching base at a .300 clip and slugging .389, Salas finished with a .688 OPS. Against a .257 league average for those years, Salas's .247 average was near the norm. The hits column peaks at 108, in 1985. The Lg AVG column puts Salas's 1985 at .300 against .257, the widest margin among the busiest seasons at 17%.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mark Salas
- What years did Mark Salas play?
- Mark Salas played in Major League Baseball from 1984 to 1991.
- Was Mark Salas a pitcher?
- No. Mark Salas was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Mark Salas hit?
- Mark Salas hit 38 career home runs with 319 hits.
- What teams did Mark Salas play for?
- Mark Salas played for 6 teams: the St. Louis Cardinals (1984), the Minnesota Twins (1985–1987), the New York Yankees (1987), the Chicago White Sox (1988), the Cleveland Indians (1989), and the Detroit Tigers (1990–1991).
- What were Mark Salas's career stats?
- In 509 games, Mark Salas had 319 hits, 38 home runs, 143 RBI, 142 runs, and 3 stolen bases, with a .247 batting average.
- How much did Mark Salas earn in his career?
- Mark Salas's recorded salaries total $947,000 over 5 seasons, 1985 to 1991. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Salas's career ran from 1984 to 1991. His seasons before 1985 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 1989 and 1990.
- What was Mark Salas's salary?
- Mark Salas's last recorded salary was $450,000, in 1991. His highest recorded salary was $450,000, in 1991, and his lowest was $60,000, in 1985. The Salary History table lists each season from 1985 to 1991.
- What position did Mark Salas play?
- Mark Salas played primarily as a catcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Mark Salas and how much did he weigh?
- Mark Salas was listed at 6 feet and 180 pounds.
- How many home runs did Mark Salas hit each season?
- Mark Salas's home runs by season: 0 in 1984, 9 in 1985, 8 in 1986, 6 in 1987, 3 in 1988, 2 in 1989, 9 in 1990, and 1 in 1991. His most in one season was 9, in 1985 and 1990.
- What was Mark Salas's career batting average?
- Mark Salas batted .247 over his career, with 319 hits in 1,292 at bats.
- How many RBI did Mark Salas have?
- Mark Salas drove in 143 runs in his career.
- Is Mark Salas in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Mark Salas has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.