Deion Sanders
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1989-2001)
Deion Sanders was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1989 to 2001 for 4 teams, including the New York Yankees, a span of 13 seasons. In 641 career games, he hit .263 with 558 hits, 39 home runs, and 168 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
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'1" / 195 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1989-05-31
- Last Game
- 2001-06-14
Full name: Deion Luwynn Sanders
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 641 | 2,123 | 308 | 558 | 72 | 43 | 39 | 168 | 186 | 159 | 352 | .263 | .319 | .392 | .711 | -1,349 |
Career AVG .263 vs. league average .262 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .319 vs. league average .330 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .392 vs. league average .401 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .711 vs. league average .731 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | NYA | AL | 14 | 47 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 8 | .234 | — | — | — | — | -20.6 |
| 1990 | NYA | AL | 57 | 133 | 24 | 21 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 27 | .158 | .257 (-39%) | .324 (-27%) | .385 (-30%) | .710 (-29%) | -614.8 |
| 1991 | ATL | NL | 54 | 110 | 16 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 23 | .191 | .255 (-25%) | .323 (-16%) | .384 (-10%) | .708 (-13%) | -233.0 |
| 1992 | ATL | NL | 97 | 303 | 54 | 92 | 6 | 14 | 8 | 28 | 26 | 18 | 52 | .304 | .255 (+19%) | .322 (+7%) | .377 (+31%) | .699 (+20%) | 966.5 |
| 1993 | ATL | NL | 95 | 272 | 42 | 75 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 28 | 19 | 16 | 42 | .276 | .265 (+4%) | .332 (-3%) | .403 (+12%) | .735 (+5%) | 155.3 |
| 1994 | ATL | NL | 46 | 191 | 32 | 55 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 28 | .288 | .269 (+7%) | .338 (+1%) | .424 (-5%) | .763 (-2%) | -63.6 |
| 1994 | CIN | NL | 46 | 184 | 26 | 51 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 19 | 16 | 35 | .277 | .269 (+3%) | .338 (+1%) | .424 (-15%) | .763 (-8%) | -63.6 |
| 1995 | CIN | NL | 33 | 129 | 19 | 31 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 16 | 9 | 18 | .240 | .266 (-10%) | .337 (-12%) | .417 (-22%) | .755 (-18%) | -397.9 |
| 1995 | SFN | NL | 52 | 214 | 29 | 61 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 8 | 18 | 42 | .285 | .266 (+7%) | .337 (+2%) | .417 (+6%) | .755 (+5%) | -397.9 |
| 1997 | CIN | NL | 115 | 465 | 53 | 127 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 23 | 56 | 34 | 67 | .273 | .266 (+2%) | .336 (-2%) | .419 (-13%) | .756 (-8%) | -616.2 |
| 2001 | CIN | NL | 32 | 75 | 6 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 10 | .173 | .263 (-34%) | .332 (-29%) | .426 (-44%) | .758 (-37%) | -460.0 |
| Career · 11 seasons | 641 | 2,123 | 308 | 558 | 72 | 43 | 39 | 168 | 186 | 159 | 352 | .263 | — | — | — | — | -1,746 | ||
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.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (641 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 325 | 1035 | 148 | 281 | 15 | 79 | .271 |
| Away | 316 | 1088 | 160 | 277 | 24 | 89 | .255 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-06-14 | CIN | CHW | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2001-06-12 | CIN | CHW | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001-06-08 | CIN | CLE | W | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001-06-05 | CIN | MIL | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2001-06-04 | CIN | STL | L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001-06-03 | CIN | STL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001-06-02 | CIN | STL | L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2001-06-01 | CIN | STL | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001-05-30 | CIN | CHC | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001-05-29 | CIN | CHC | L | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | NYA | OF | 14 | 12 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1990 | NYA | OF | 42 | 35 | 69 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 1991 | ATL | OF | 44 | 26 | 57 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 1992 | ATL | OF | 75 | 70 | 174 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| 1993 | ATL | OF | 60 | 55 | 137 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 1994 | ATL | OF | 46 | 45 | 99 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1994 | CIN | OF | 45 | 43 | 110 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | CIN | OF | 33 | 29 | 88 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 1995 | SFN | OF | 52 | 52 | 127 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1997 | CIN | OF | 113 | 111 | 236 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 2001 | CIN | OF | 16 | 16 | 34 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 139 |
| Center Field | 403 |
| Right Field | 11 |
| Designated Hitter | 6 |
Salary History
Deion Sanders's recorded salaries total $13,225,847 over 7 seasons, 1991 to 2000. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Sanders's career ran from 1989 to 2001. No salary is recorded for 1989, 1990, and 2001.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | CIN | NL | $300,000 |
| 1997 | CIN | NL | $1,200,000 |
| 1995 | CIN | NL | $3,666,667 |
| 1994 | ATL | NL | $3,632,513 |
| 1993 | ATL | NL | $3,166,667 |
| 1992 | ATL | NL | $600,000 |
| 1991 | ATL | NL | $660,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $13,225,847 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida State University | Tallahassee | FL | 1987, 1988 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Deion Sanders (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Deion Sanders: the record in brief
Deion Sanders played a first major league game on May 31, 1989 and a last one on June 14, 2001. Sanders played for the New York Yankees (1989 to 1990), the Atlanta Braves (1991 through 1994), the Cincinnati Reds (1994 through 2001), and the San Francisco Giants (1995). Sanders, born on August 9, 1967, in Fort Myers, FL, USA, is listed as an outfielder and threw and hit left-handed. Sanders's listed size is 6'1" and 195 pounds. The bio lists the given name Deion Luwynn.
The batting record for Sanders: 641 games, 558 hits in 2,123 at bats, and a .263 average, along with 39 home runs, 168 runs batted in, and 186 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .319 clip and slugging .392, Sanders finished with a .711 OPS. The .263 career average is close to the .262 the league hit across the same seasons. Sanders collected a career-high 127 hits in 1997. 1997 brought a season-best 56 stolen bases. The Lg AVG column puts Sanders's 1992 at .304 against .255, the widest margin among the busiest seasons at 19%.
Frequently Asked Questions about Deion Sanders
- What years did Deion Sanders play?
- Deion Sanders played in Major League Baseball from 1989 to 2001.
- Was Deion Sanders a pitcher?
- No. Deion Sanders was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Deion Sanders hit?
- Deion Sanders hit 39 career home runs with 558 hits.
- What teams did Deion Sanders play for?
- Deion Sanders played for 4 teams: the New York Yankees (1989–1990), the Atlanta Braves (1991–1994), the Cincinnati Reds (1994–1995, 1997, 2001), and the San Francisco Giants (1995).
- What were Deion Sanders's career stats?
- In 641 games, Deion Sanders had 558 hits, 39 home runs, 168 RBI, 308 runs, and 186 stolen bases, with a .263 batting average.
- How much did Deion Sanders earn in his career?
- Deion Sanders's recorded salaries total $13,225,847 over 7 seasons, 1991 to 2000. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Sanders's career ran from 1989 to 2001. No salary is recorded for 1989, 1990, and 2001.
- What was Deion Sanders's salary?
- Deion Sanders's last recorded salary was $300,000, in 2000. His highest recorded salary was $3,666,667, in 1995, and his lowest was $300,000, in 2000. The Salary History table lists each season from 1991 to 2000.
- What position did Deion Sanders play?
- Deion Sanders played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Deion Sanders and how much did he weigh?
- Deion Sanders was listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 195 pounds.
- How many home runs did Deion Sanders hit each season?
- Deion Sanders's home runs by season: 2 in 1989, 3 in 1990, 4 in 1991, 8 in 1992, 6 in 1993, 4 in 1994, 6 in 1995, 5 in 1997, and 1 in 2001. His most in one season was 8, in 1992.
- What was Deion Sanders's career batting average?
- Deion Sanders batted .263 over his career, with 558 hits in 2,123 at bats.
- How many RBI did Deion Sanders have?
- Deion Sanders drove in 168 runs in his career.
- Is Deion Sanders in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Deion Sanders has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.