Matt Walbeck
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1993-2003)
Matt Walbeck was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1993 to 2003 for 5 teams, including the Chicago Cubs, a span of 11 seasons. In 682 career games, he hit .233 with 492 hits, 28 home runs, and 208 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
- B / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 195 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1993-04-07
- Last Game
- 2003-09-28
Full name: Matthew Lovick Walbeck
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 682 | 2,109 | 215 | 492 | 79 | 5 | 28 | 208 | 13 | 133 | 343 | .233 | .280 | .315 | .596 | -7,719 |
Career AVG .233 vs. league average .267 across their career seasons — 12.6% below league average.
Career OBP .280 vs. league average .337 across their career seasons — 16.8% below league average.
Career SLG .315 vs. league average .423 across their career seasons — 25.4% below league average.
Career OPS .596 vs. league average .760 across their career seasons — 21.6% below 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | CHN | NL | 11 | 30 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .200 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1994 | MIN | AL | 97 | 338 | 31 | 69 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 35 | 1 | 17 | 37 | .204 | .269 (-24%) | .338 (-27%) | .424 (-33%) | .763 (-31%) | -1741.9 |
| 1995 | MIN | AL | 115 | 393 | 40 | 101 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 44 | 3 | 25 | 71 | .257 | .266 (-4%) | .337 (-11%) | .417 (-24%) | .755 (-18%) | -1184.2 |
| 1996 | MIN | AL | 63 | 215 | 25 | 48 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 24 | 3 | 9 | 34 | .223 | .269 (-17%) | .340 (-26%) | .426 (-30%) | .767 (-28%) | -1057.1 |
| 1997 | DET | AL | 47 | 137 | 18 | 38 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 12 | 19 | .277 | .266 (+4%) | .336 (-2%) | .419 (-13%) | .756 (-8%) | -171.4 |
| 1998 | ANA | AL | 108 | 338 | 41 | 87 | 15 | 2 | 6 | 46 | 1 | 30 | 68 | .257 | .266 (-3%) | .335 (-5%) | .420 (-13%) | .755 (-9%) | -545.9 |
| 1999 | ANA | AL | 107 | 288 | 26 | 69 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 2 | 26 | 46 | .240 | .271 (-12%) | .344 (-11%) | .433 (-30%) | .778 (-21%) | -993.3 |
| 2000 | ANA | AL | 47 | 146 | 17 | 29 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 22 | .199 | .270 (-27%) | .344 (-30%) | .437 (-19%) | .782 (-24%) | -618.1 |
| 2001 | PHI | NL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 2002 | DET | AL | 27 | 85 | 4 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 14 | .235 | .261 (-10%) | .331 (-22%) | .416 (-38%) | .747 (-31%) | -433.0 |
| 2003 | DET | AL | 59 | 138 | 11 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 26 | .174 | .264 (-34%) | .332 (-41%) | .422 (-43%) | .754 (-42%) | -974.2 |
| Career · 11 seasons | 682 | 2,109 | 215 | 492 | 79 | 5 | 28 | 208 | 13 | 133 | 343 | .233 | — | — | — | — | -7,719 | ||
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 (682 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 342 | 1016 | 101 | 235 | 11 | 95 | .231 |
| Away | 340 | 1093 | 114 | 257 | 17 | 113 | .235 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-09-28 | DET | MIN | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003-09-23 | DET | KCR | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2003-09-22 | DET | KCR | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003-09-18 | DET | TOR | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003-09-07 | DET | TOR | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003-08-20 | DET | TEX | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003-08-17 | DET | LAA | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003-08-10 | DET | MIN | L | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003-08-06 | DET | OAK | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2003-08-05 | DET | OAK | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| C | 651 | 565 | 3303 | 248 | 34 | 25 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | CHN | C | 11 | 7 | 49 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | MIN | C | 95 | 89 | 496 | 45 | 4 | 3 |
| 1995 | MIN | C | 113 | 107 | 604 | 35 | 6 | 3 |
| 1996 | MIN | C | 61 | 54 | 326 | 19 | 2 | 2 |
| 1997 | DET | C | 44 | 38 | 240 | 15 | 3 | 2 |
| 1998 | ANA | C | 104 | 91 | 682 | 46 | 7 | 3 |
| 1999 | ANA | C | 97 | 79 | 407 | 46 | 5 | 9 |
| 2000 | ANA | 1B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2000 | ANA | C | 44 | 38 | 200 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| 2002 | DET | C | 27 | 24 | 127 | 8 | 1 | 2 |
| 2003 | DET | C | 55 | 38 | 172 | 16 | 4 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 651 |
| First Base | 2 |
| Designated Hitter | 6 |
Salary History
Matt Walbeck's recorded salaries total $4,015,000 over 9 seasons, 1993 to 2003. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Walbeck's career ran from 1993 to 2003. No salary is recorded for 2001 and 2002.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | DET | AL | $400,000 |
| 2000 | ANA | AL | $925,000 |
| 1999 | ANA | AL | $825,000 |
| 1998 | ANA | AL | $700,000 |
| 1997 | DET | AL | $550,000 |
| 1996 | MIN | AL | $225,000 |
| 1995 | MIN | AL | $166,000 |
| 1994 | MIN | AL | $115,000 |
| 1993 | CHN | NL | $109,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $4,015,000 | ||
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Matt Walbeck (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Matt Walbeck: the record in brief
April 7, 1993 and September 28, 2003 bracket Matt Walbeck's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. Walbeck played for the Chicago Cubs (1993), the Minnesota Twins (1994 to 1996), the Detroit Tigers (1997 to 2003), the Anaheim Angels (1998 to 2000), and the Philadelphia Phillies (2001). Walbeck, a catcher by primary position, batted from both sides and threw right-handed. Walbeck is listed at 195 pounds on a 5-foot-11 frame. Walbeck was born on October 2, 1969, in Sacramento, CA, USA. On the record, Matt Walbeck was born Matthew Lovick Walbeck.
In 682 games and 2,109 at bats, Walbeck batted .233 with 492 hits, along with 28 home runs and 208 RBI. Walbeck's career OPS of .596 combines a .280 on-base mark with .315 slugging. Measured against the leagues Walbeck played in, the .233 career average compares with a .267 league average over the same seasons, 12.6% below the league. In OPS terms, Walbeck's .596 stands 21.6% below the league's .760. The highest hit total in a season was 101, in 1995. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .257 in 1998, did not top the league's .266.
Frequently Asked Questions about Matt Walbeck
- What years did Matt Walbeck play?
- Matt Walbeck played in Major League Baseball from 1993 to 2003.
- Was Matt Walbeck a pitcher?
- No. Matt Walbeck was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Matt Walbeck hit?
- Matt Walbeck hit 28 career home runs with 492 hits.
- What teams did Matt Walbeck play for?
- Matt Walbeck played for 5 teams: the Chicago Cubs (1993), the Minnesota Twins (1994–1996), the Detroit Tigers (1997, 2002–2003), the Anaheim Angels (1998–2000), and the Philadelphia Phillies (2001).
- What were Matt Walbeck's career stats?
- In 682 games, Matt Walbeck had 492 hits, 28 home runs, 208 RBI, 215 runs, and 13 stolen bases, with a .233 batting average.
- How much did Matt Walbeck earn in his career?
- Matt Walbeck's recorded salaries total $4,015,000 over 9 seasons, 1993 to 2003. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Walbeck's career ran from 1993 to 2003. No salary is recorded for 2001 and 2002.
- What was Matt Walbeck's salary?
- Matt Walbeck's last recorded salary was $400,000, in 2003. His highest recorded salary was $925,000, in 2000, and his lowest was $109,000, in 1993. The Salary History table lists each season from 1993 to 2003.
- What position did Matt Walbeck play?
- Matt Walbeck played primarily as a catcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Matt Walbeck and how much did he weigh?
- Matt Walbeck was listed at 5 feet 11 inches and 195 pounds.
- How many home runs did Matt Walbeck hit each season?
- Matt Walbeck's home runs by season: 1 in 1993, 5 in 1994, 1 in 1995, 2 in 1996, 3 in 1997, 6 in 1998, 3 in 1999, 6 in 2000, 0 in 2001, 0 in 2002, and 1 in 2003. His most in one season was 6, in 1998 and 2000.
- What was Matt Walbeck's career batting average?
- Matt Walbeck batted .233 over his career, with 492 hits in 2,109 at bats.
- How many RBI did Matt Walbeck have?
- Matt Walbeck drove in 208 runs in his career.
- Is Matt Walbeck in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Matt Walbeck has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.