Written by Mark BaileyOne of the many fascinating aspects of baseball is the players themselves, particularly their height. For years, people have wondered about the correlation between height and success in the sport.
Are taller players more successful? Do shorter players have an advantage in certain positions?
To answer these questions and more, we’ve analyzed the data and compiled a comprehensive look at MLB player heights and their statistics. So, whether you’re a die-hard fan or simply curious about the sport, this blog post is a must-read!
Tallest Player in MLB
The tallest player in MLB for the 2023 season is Sean Hjelle, standing at 6′ 11″.
Here is list of all the tallest players (everyone 6′ 7″ and over):
| Player | Team | Position | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Hjelle | San Francisco Giants | P | 6′ 11″ |
| Bailey Ober | Minnesota Twins | P | 6′ 9″ |
| Tyler Wells | Baltimore Orioles | P | 6′ 8″ |
| Chris Martin | Boston Red Sox | P | 6′ 8″ |
| Sean Reynolds | Miami Marlins | P | 6′ 8″ |
| Trevor Megill | Minnesota Twins | P | 6′ 8″ |
| Stephen Ridings | New York Mets | P | 6′ 8″ |
| Michel Baez | San Diego Padres | P | 6′ 8″ |
| Tyler Glasnow | Tampa Bay Rays | P | 6′ 8″ |
| Jackson Rutledge | Washington Nationals | P | 6′ 8″ |
| Miguel Castro | Arizona Diamondbacks | P | 6′ 7″ |
| Michael Tonkin | Atlanta Braves | P | 6′ 7″ |
| Gavin Hollowell | Colorado Rockies | P | 6′ 7″ |
| Forrest Whitley | Houston Astros | P | 6′ 7″ |
| Tylor Megill | New York Mets | P | 6′ 7″ |
| Bryce Montes de Oca | New York Mets | P | 6′ 7″ |
| Aaron Judge | New York Yankees | CF | 6′ 7″ |
| Domingo Acevedo | Oakland Athletics | P | 6′ 7″ |
| Kyle Muller | Oakland Athletics | P | 6′ 7″ |
| A.J. Puk | Oakland Athletics | P | 6′ 7″ |
| James McArthur | Philadelphia Phillies | P | 6′ 7″ |
| Oneil Cruz | Pittsburgh Pirates | SS | 6′ 7″ |
| Colin Holderman | Pittsburgh Pirates | P | 6′ 7″ |
| Chris Clarke | Seattle Mariners | P | 6′ 7″ |
| Adam Wainwright | St. Louis Cardinals | P | 6′ 7″ |
| Zach Thompson | Toronto Blue Jays | P | 6′ 7″ |
Shortest Player in MLB
The shortest player in MLB for the 2023 season is a tie between Jose Altuve and Tony Kemp, both standing at 5′ 6″.
Here is list of all the shortest players (everyone 5′ 8″ and under):
| Player | Team | Position | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jose Altuve | Houston Astros | 2B | 5′ 6″ |
| Tony Kemp | Oakland Athletics | 2B | 5′ 6″ |
| Marcus Stroman | Chicago Cubs | P | 5′ 7″ |
| Kolten Wong | Seattle Mariners | 2B | 5′ 7″ |
| Ozzie Albies | Atlanta Braves | 2B | 5′ 8″ |
| Chadwick Tromp | Atlanta Braves | C | 5′ 8″ |
| Cedric Mullins | Baltimore Orioles | CF | 5′ 8″ |
| Ceddanne Rafaela | Boston Red Sox | 3B | 5′ 8″ |
| Masataka Yoshida | Boston Red Sox | OF | 5′ 8″ |
| Nick Madrigal | Chicago Cubs | 2B | 5′ 8″ |
| Leury Garcia | Chicago White Sox | 2B | 5′ 8″ |
| Rylan Bannon | Houston Astros | 3B | 5′ 8″ |
| Nick Allen | Oakland Athletics | SS | 5′ 8″ |
| Josh Harrison | Philadelphia Phillies | 2B | 5′ 8″ |
| Jonatan Clase | Seattle Mariners | OF | 5′ 8″ |
| Francisco Mejía | Tampa Bay Rays | C | 5′ 8″ |
| Alejandro Kirk | Toronto Blue Jays | C | 5′ 8″ |
Average Height of MLB Players 2023
The average height of MLB players for the 2023 season is 6’2″.
The data for the 2023 season shows that the average height of MLB players is between 6′ and 6’4″, with the highest count being for 6’2″.
Average Height of MLB Players by Position: 2023
The average height of MLB players in the 2023 season by position is as follows:
| Position | Height |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 6 feet 3 inches |
| First Baseman | 6 feet 2 inches |
| Designated Hitter | 6 feet 2 inches |
| Right Fielder | 6 feet 2 inches |
| Center Fielder | 6 feet 1 inch |
| Left Fielder | 6 feet 1 inch |
| Third Baseman | 6 feet 1 inch |
| Catcher | 6 feet 0 inches |
| Shortstop | 6 feet 0 inches |
| Outfielder | 6 feet 0 inches |
| Second Baseman | 5 feet 11 inches |
- Pitchers (P) and First Basemen (1B) both have an average height of 6.2 feet, while Designated Hitters (DH) also average 6.2 feet.
- Right Fielders (RF), Center Fielders (CF), and Left Fielders (LF) all have an average height of 6.1 feet. Third Basemen (3B) also average 6.1 feet.
- Catchers (C) and Shortstops (SS) have an average height of 6.0 feet, and Outfielders (OF) also average 6.0 feet.
- Second Basemen (2B) have the shortest average height, at 5.9 feet.
These statistics provide a snapshot of the average height of players in each position in the 2023 season and highlight some of the differences between positions. It’s interesting to note that there is not a significant difference in height between positions, with most positions averaging between 6.0 and 6.2 feet.