Roy Smalley
Shortstop · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1975-1987)
Roy Smalley was a shortstop who played in Major League Baseball from 1975 to 1987 for 4 teams, including the Texas Rangers, a span of 13 seasons. In 1,653 career games, he hit .257 with 1,454 hits, 163 home runs, and 694 RBI. Roy Smalley was an All-Star. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 6,194.
- 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
- B / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'1" / 185 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1975-04-30
- Last Game
- 1987-10-04
- Awards
- All-Star
Full name: Roy Frederick Smalley
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,653 | 5,657 | 745 | 1,454 | 244 | 25 | 163 | 694 | 27 | 771 | 908 | .257 | .345 | .395 | .740 | 6,194 |
Career AVG .257 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .345 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — +5.9% above league average.
Career SLG .395 vs. league average .388 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .740 vs. league average .713 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | TEX | AL | 78 | 250 | 22 | 57 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 33 | 4 | 30 | 42 | .228 | .257 (-11%) | .327 (-6%) | .374 (-21%) | .701 (-14%) | -495.4 |
| 1976 | TEX | AL | 41 | 129 | 15 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 29 | 27 | .225 | .255 (-12%) | .320 (+13%) | .360 (-27%) | .681 (-8%) | -32.9 |
| 1976 | MIN | AL | 103 | 384 | 46 | 104 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 36 | 0 | 47 | 79 | .271 | .255 (+6%) | .320 (+10%) | .360 (-5%) | .681 (+2%) | -32.9 |
| 1977 | MIN | AL | 150 | 584 | 93 | 135 | 21 | 5 | 6 | 56 | 5 | 74 | 89 | .231 | .264 (-13%) | .329 (-4%) | .401 (-21%) | .730 (-14%) | -1182.2 |
| 1978 | MIN | AL | 158 | 586 | 80 | 160 | 31 | 3 | 19 | 77 | 2 | 85 | 70 | .273 | .257 (+6%) | .323 (+12%) | .378 (+14%) | .702 (+13%) | 1719.5 |
| 1979 | MIN | AL | 162 | 621 | 94 | 168 | 28 | 3 | 24 | 95 | 2 | 80 | 80 | .271 | .265 (+2%) | .329 (+7%) | .397 (+11%) | .727 (+9%) | 1270.8 |
| 1980 | MIN | AL | 133 | 486 | 64 | 135 | 24 | 1 | 12 | 63 | 3 | 65 | 63 | .278 | .264 (+5%) | .326 (+10%) | .387 (+5%) | .714 (+7%) | 804.3 |
| 1981 | MIN | AL | 56 | 167 | 24 | 44 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 22 | 0 | 31 | 24 | .263 | .255 (+3%) | .320 (+17%) | .368 (+20%) | .688 (+19%) | 609.5 |
| 1982 | MIN | AL | 4 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | .154 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1982 | NYA | AL | 142 | 486 | 55 | 125 | 14 | 2 | 20 | 67 | 0 | 68 | 100 | .257 | .261 (-2%) | .324 (+7%) | .388 (+7%) | .712 (+7%) | 0.0 |
| 1983 | NYA | AL | 130 | 451 | 70 | 124 | 24 | 1 | 18 | 62 | 3 | 58 | 68 | .275 | .260 (+5%) | .324 (+10%) | .389 (+16%) | .714 (+13%) | 1258.1 |
| 1984 | NYA | AL | 67 | 209 | 17 | 50 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 26 | 2 | 15 | 35 | .239 | .259 (-8%) | .322 (-11%) | .384 (+1%) | .707 (-5%) | -207.4 |
| 1984 | CHA | AL | 47 | 135 | 15 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 22 | 30 | .170 | .259 (-34%) | .322 (-12%) | .384 (-25%) | .707 (-19%) | -207.4 |
| 1985 | MIN | AL | 129 | 388 | 57 | 100 | 20 | 0 | 12 | 45 | 0 | 60 | 65 | .258 | .257 (avg) | .323 (+10%) | .390 (+3%) | .714 (+6%) | 651.1 |
| 1986 | MIN | AL | 143 | 459 | 59 | 113 | 20 | 4 | 20 | 57 | 1 | 68 | 80 | .246 | .257 (-4%) | .325 (+5%) | .395 (+11%) | .720 (+8%) | 827.0 |
| 1987 | MIN | AL | 110 | 309 | 32 | 85 | 16 | 1 | 8 | 34 | 2 | 36 | 52 | .275 | .262 (+5%) | .331 (+6%) | .415 (-1%) | .746 (+2%) | 199.3 |
| Career · 16 seasons | 1,653 | 5,657 | 745 | 1,454 | 244 | 25 | 163 | 694 | 27 | 771 | 908 | .257 | — | — | — | — | 5,181 | ||
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 (1653 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 830 | 2795 | 384 | 759 | 84 | 373 | .272 |
| Away | 823 | 2862 | 361 | 695 | 79 | 321 | .243 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987-10-04 | MIN | KCR | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987-10-02 | MIN | KCR | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1987-09-30 | MIN | TEX | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1987-09-29 | MIN | TEX | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987-09-26 | MIN | KCR | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987-09-23 | MIN | TEX | W | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987-09-18 | MIN | CLE | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987-09-16 | MIN | CHW | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 1987-09-15 | MIN | CHW | L | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1987-09-13 | MIN | CLE | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 34 | 26 | 243 | 12 | 2 | 24 |
| 2B | 58 | 55 | 110 | 156 | 11 | 33 |
| 3B | 188 | 171 | 90 | 375 | 30 | 35 |
| C | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 1069 | 997 | 1688 | 3274 | 174 | 702 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | TEX | 2B | 19 | 17 | 28 | 57 | 4 | 14 |
| 1975 | TEX | C | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | TEX | SS | 59 | 45 | 80 | 175 | 16 | 30 |
| 1976 | TEX | 2B | 38 | 38 | 82 | 99 | 7 | 19 |
| 1976 | TEX | SS | 5 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| 1976 | MIN | SS | 103 | 101 | 189 | 338 | 18 | 70 |
| 1977 | MIN | SS | 150 | 149 | 255 | 504 | 33 | 116 |
| 1978 | MIN | SS | 157 | 157 | 287 | 527 | 25 | 121 |
| 1979 | MIN | 1B | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1979 | MIN | SS | 161 | 160 | 296 | 572 | 29 | 144 |
| 1980 | MIN | 1B | 3 | 2 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 1980 | MIN | SS | 125 | 124 | 210 | 446 | 17 | 100 |
| 1981 | MIN | 1B | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1981 | MIN | SS | 37 | 37 | 52 | 89 | 8 | 14 |
| 1982 | MIN | SS | 4 | 4 | 5 | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| 1982 | NYA | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982 | NYA | 3B | 53 | 49 | 28 | 113 | 7 | 11 |
| 1982 | NYA | SS | 89 | 81 | 109 | 238 | 8 | 42 |
| 1983 | NYA | 1B | 22 | 15 | 153 | 8 | 1 | 11 |
| 1983 | NYA | 3B | 26 | 22 | 11 | 57 | 5 | 7 |
| 1983 | NYA | SS | 91 | 86 | 125 | 230 | 15 | 40 |
| 1984 | NYA | 1B | 5 | 5 | 44 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| 1984 | NYA | 3B | 35 | 35 | 17 | 78 | 10 | 8 |
| 1984 | NYA | SS | 13 | 6 | 5 | 21 | 1 | 2 |
| 1984 | CHA | 1B | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1984 | CHA | 3B | 38 | 35 | 15 | 57 | 4 | 6 |
| 1984 | CHA | SS | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | MIN | 1B | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | MIN | 3B | 14 | 13 | 9 | 41 | 1 | 2 |
| 1985 | MIN | SS | 49 | 39 | 57 | 91 | 2 | 16 |
| 1986 | MIN | 3B | 8 | 7 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 1 |
| 1986 | MIN | SS | 19 | 5 | 11 | 15 | 1 | 4 |
| 1987 | MIN | 3B | 14 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 0 |
| 1987 | MIN | SS | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 34 |
| Second Base | 58 |
| Third Base | 189 |
| Shortstop | 1069 |
| Designated Hitter | 272 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Player of the Week | Week of 1981-05-01 |
| 1979 | Player of the Week | Week of 1979-06-29 |
| 1979 | TSN All-Star | SS |
Salary History
Roy Smalley's recorded salaries total $1,468,571 over 2 seasons, 1985 to 1986. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Smalley's career ran from 1975 to 1987. His seasons before 1985 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 1987.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | MIN | AL | $740,000 |
| 1985 | MIN | AL | $728,571 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $1,468,571 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles City College | Los Angeles | CA | 1971 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles | CA | 1972, 1973 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 16th | 16.0 | 392 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Roy Smalley (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Roy Smalley: the record in brief
April 30, 1975 and October 4, 1987 bracket Roy Smalley's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. The team column moves through the Texas Rangers (1975 to 1976), the Minnesota Twins (1976 through 1987), the New York Yankees (1982 through 1984), and the Chicago White Sox (1984). Smalley played primarily as a shortstop and switch-hit and threw right-handed. The bio adds a birth date on October 25, 1952, in Los Angeles, CA, USA and a listed size of 185 pounds on a 6-foot-1 frame. Smalley's full given name, per the bio, is Roy Frederick Smalley.
Smalley collected 1,454 hits in 5,657 at bats across 1,653 games, good for a .257 batting average, along with 163 home runs, 694 runs batted in, and 27 stolen bases. The on-base percentage is .345 and the slugging percentage .395, for an OPS of .740. Against a .260 league average for those years, Smalley's .257 average was near the norm. No season beat the 24 home runs Smalley hit in 1979.
Frequently Asked Questions about Roy Smalley
- What years did Roy Smalley play?
- Roy Smalley played in Major League Baseball from 1975 to 1987.
- Was Roy Smalley a pitcher?
- No. Roy Smalley was a position player (Shortstop).
- How many home runs did Roy Smalley hit?
- Roy Smalley hit 163 career home runs with 1,454 hits.
- What teams did Roy Smalley play for?
- Roy Smalley played for 4 teams: the Texas Rangers (1975–1976), the Minnesota Twins (1976–1982, 1985–1987), the New York Yankees (1982–1984), and the Chicago White Sox (1984).
- Did Roy Smalley win an MVP award?
- No. Roy Smalley did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Roy Smalley win?
- Roy Smalley was selected to 1 All-Star Game.
- What were Roy Smalley's career stats?
- In 1,653 games, Roy Smalley had 1,454 hits, 163 home runs, 694 RBI, 745 runs, and 27 stolen bases, with a .257 batting average.
- How much did Roy Smalley earn in his career?
- Roy Smalley's recorded salaries total $1,468,571 over 2 seasons, 1985 to 1986. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Smalley's career ran from 1975 to 1987. His seasons before 1985 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 1987.
- What was Roy Smalley's salary?
- Roy Smalley's last recorded salary was $740,000, in 1986. His highest recorded salary was $740,000, in 1986, and his lowest was $728,571, in 1985. The Salary History table lists each season from 1985 to 1986.
- What position did Roy Smalley play?
- Roy Smalley played primarily as a shortstop, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Roy Smalley and how much did he weigh?
- Roy Smalley was listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 185 pounds.
- How many home runs did Roy Smalley hit each season?
- Roy Smalley's home runs by season: 3 in 1975, 3 in 1976, 6 in 1977, 19 in 1978, 24 in 1979, 12 in 1980, 7 in 1981, 20 in 1982, 18 in 1983, 11 in 1984, 12 in 1985, 20 in 1986, and 8 in 1987. His most in one season was 24, in 1979.
- What was Roy Smalley's career batting average?
- Roy Smalley batted .257 over his career, with 1,454 hits in 5,657 at bats.
- How many RBI did Roy Smalley have?
- Roy Smalley drove in 694 runs in his career.