List of Major League Baseball career double plays as a shortstop leaders

Omar Vizquel, the all-time leader in double plays by a shortstop

In baseball statistics, a double play (denoted as DP) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. One double play is recorded for every defensive player who participates in the play, regardless of how many of the outs in which they were directly involved, and is counted in addition to whatever putouts and assists might also apply. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs. Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is a baseball or softball fielding position in the infield, commonly stationed between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. The position is mostly filled by defensive specialists, so shortstops are generally relatively poor batters who typically hit lower in the batting order. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the shortstop is assigned the number 6.

Shortstops typically record a double play by fielding a ground ball and then either throwing to the second baseman to force out the runner advancing to second base, or stepping on the base themselves before throwing to first base to retire the batter/runner, or by receiving a throw from another player to force a runner at second base before the throw to first base is made. Shortstops generally benefit in this respect from playing alongside an excellent second baseman with great range and quickness; strong middle infields are regarded as crucial to a team's defensive play, and double play totals are regarded as a strong indicator of their defensive skill. Double plays are also recorded when the shortstop catches a line drive, then throws to a base before the runner can tag up, or another infielder or the pitcher catches the line drive and then throws to the shortstop in the same situation; on occasion, the throw might come from an outfielder after an unexpected catch of a fly ball. Other double plays occur when the shortstop records an out at second base, then throws out a runner attempting to advance on the basepaths, or on a double steal attempt in which the catcher throws out a runner attempting to steal second base, and the shortstop throws back to the catcher to retire a runner trying to steal home. Double plays are also occasionally recorded when a rundown play is involved, almost always as the second out. Because of the high number of ground outs, shortstops and second basemen typically record far more double plays than players at any other position except first base.

Most of the career leaders are relatively recent players who have benefitted from improved infield defense, with equipment of better quality; nine of the top twelve players made their major league debut after 1969, and only one was active before 1951. Five of the top nine players spent their entire careers with one team. Longer careers have compensated for the fact that as strikeout totals have risen in baseball, the frequency of other defensive outs including ground outs has declined, with double play totals for shortstops likewise declining; 18 of the top 25 single-season totals were recorded between 1944 and 1988, and none of the top 478 were recorded before 1920. Omar Vizquel holds the record for the most career double plays by a shortstop with 1,734. Only three other shortstops have recorded 1,500 career double plays.

Key

Rank	Rank among leaders in career double plays. A blank field indicates a tie.
Player (2024 DPs)	Recorded double plays in 2024
MLB	Total career double plays as a shortstop in Major League Baseball
*	Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame
Bold	Denotes active player

List

Elvis Andrus, the active leader and 18th all-time in double plays by a shortstop

Ozzie Smith holds the National League record.

Cal Ripken Jr. holds the American League record, and led the AL in double plays a record eight times.

Luis Aparicio held the major league record for 24 years.

Luke Appling held the major league record for 24 years.

Rick Burleson's 147 double plays in 1980 remain the record for shortstops.

• Stats updated as of April 23, 2024.

Rank	Player (2024 DPs)	Double plays as a shortstop			Other leagues, notes
		MLB	American League	National League
1	Omar Vizquel	1,734	1,433	301
2	Ozzie Smith*	1,590	0	1,590	Held major league record, 1995-2007
3	Cal Ripken Jr. *	1,565	1,565	0
4	Luis Aparicio*	1,553	1,553	0	Held major league record, 1971-1995; held American League record, 1971-1996
5	Luke Appling*	1,424	1,424	0	Held major league record, 1947-1971; held American League record, 1946-1971; held AL single-season record, 1936-1938
6	Derek Jeter*	1,408	1,408	0
7	Alan Trammell*	1,307	1,307	0
8	Roy McMillan	1,304	0	1,304	Held National League record, 1965-1992; held NL single-season record, 1954-1970
9	Dave Concepción	1,290	0	1,290
10	Miguel Tejada	1,274	1,020	254
11	Larry Bowa	1,265	0	1,265
12	Jimmy Rollins	1,249	18	1,231
13	Pee Wee Reese*	1,246	0	1,246	Held National League record, 1956-1965
14	Dick Groat	1,237	0	1,237
15	Royce Clayton	1,224	387	837
16	Édgar Rentería	1,218	181	1,037
17	Phil Rizzuto*	1,217	1,217	0
18	Elvis Andrus (0)	1,209	1,209	0
19	Rabbit Maranville*	1,188	0	1,188	Held major league record, 1930-1947; held National League record, 1930-1956; held single-season record, 1914-1920
20	Bert Campaneris	1,186	1,186	0
21	Lou Boudreau *	1,180	1,180	0	Held single-season record, 1944-1970; held American League single-season record, 1943-1979
22	Don Kessinger	1,170	89	1,081
23	Joe Cronin*	1,165	1,164	1	Held American League record, 1939-1946
24	Garry Templeton	1,164	0	1,164
25	Orlando Cabrera	1,123	507	616
26	Ozzie Guillén	1,094	1,040	54
27	Barry Larkin*	1,092	0	1,092
28	Dick Bartell	1,072	76	996
29	Mike Bordick	1,055	1,031	24
30	Mark Belanger	1,054	1,050	4
31	Alfredo Griffin	1,053	832	221
32	Chris Speier	1,043	6	1,037
33	Leo Cárdenas	1,036	426	610
34	Tim Foli	1,028	155	873
35	Álex González (b.1977)	1,025	157	868
36	Dave Bancroft *	1,021	0	1,021	Held major league record, 1928-1930; held National League record, 1927-1930; held single-season record, 1920-1925
37	Rafael Furcal	1,020	0	1,020
38	Ed Brinkman	1,005	990	15
39	Freddie Patek	1,004	858	146
40	Marty Marion	978	41	937
41	Greg Gagne	967	826	141
42	Roger Peckinpaugh	966	966	0	Held major league record, 1925-1928; held American League record, 1921-1939; held single-season record, 1923-1925 (tie); held AL single-season record, 1917-1921, 1923-1933
43	J. J. Hardy	953	646	307
44	Eddie Miller	946	0	946
45	Frankie Crosetti	944	944	0	Held American League single-season record, 1938-1943
46	Tony Fernández	943	770	173
47	Robin Yount*	941	941	0
48	Alvin Dark	933	0	933
49	Billy Jurges	929	0	929
50	Eddie Joost	928	709	219
51	Brandon Crawford (2)	924	0	924
52	Jhonny Peralta	920	728	192
53	Jack Wilson	913	60	853
54	José Reyes	911	164	747
55	Bill Russell	909	0	909
56	Dick Schofield	900	819	81
57	Leo Durocher*	895	70	825
58	Johnny Logan	894	0	894
59	Bill Dahlen	881	0	881	Held major league record, 1908-1925; held National League record, 1906-1927; held single-season record, 1898-1914
60	Jay Bell	877	161	716
61	Troy Tulowitzki	871	139	732
62	Maury Wills	859	0	859
63	Walt Weiss	854	286	568
64	Alex Rodriguez	853	853	0
	Vern Stephens	853	853	0
66	Tommy Corcoran	851	0	759	Includes 56 in American Association, 36 in Players' League; held major league record, 1905-1908
67	Arky Vaughan *	850	0	850
68	Rafael Ramírez	842	0	842
69	Bucky Dent	839	839	0
70	Jim Fregosi	836	820	16
71	José Valentín	830	722	108
72	Alex Gonzalez (b.1973)	829	604	225
73	Rick Burleson	827	827	0	Holds the single-season record of 147 (set in 1980)
74	Travis Jackson*	826	0	826
75	Alcides Escobar	825	696	129
76	Alexei Ramírez	807	731	76
77	Billy Rogell	805	803	2	Held American League single-season record, 1933-1936
78	Neifi Pérez	796	159	637
79	Andrelton Simmons	783	428	355
80	Chico Carrasquel	770	770	0
81	Honus Wagner*	766	0	766
82	Herman Long	765	18	692	Includes 55 in American Association; held major league record, 1900-1905; held National League record, 1901-1906
83	Wally Gerber	764	748	16
84	Cristian Guzmán	762	490	272
85	Erick Aybar	758	649	109
86	Bud Harrelson	751	57	694
87	Deivi Cruz	738	581	157
88	Zoilo Versalles	727	654	73
89	Everett Scott	726	726	0	Held American League single-season record, 1921-1923
90	Ernie Banks*	724	0	724
91	Spike Owen	723	498	225
92	Ron Hansen	722	722	0
93	Gene Alley	709	0	709
94	Rich Aurilia	708	39	669
	Shawon Dunston	708	3	705
96	Roy Smalley	702	702	0	Held single-season record, 1979-1980
97	Iván DeJesús	700	4	696
98	Bobby Wine	698	0	698	Holds the National League single-season record of 137 (set in 1970), was major league record until 1979
99	Glenn Wright	695	0	695	Held single-season record, 1925-1928
100	Francisco Lindor (10)	682	434	248

Other Hall of Famers

Player	Double plays as a shortstop			Other leagues, notes
	MLB	American League	National League
Joe Sewell*	673	673	0
Joe Tinker*	671	0	621	Includes 50 in Federal League
Bobby Wallace*	640	499	141
George Davis*	590	293	297
Hughie Jennings*	411	0	383	Includes 28 in American Association
John Montgomery Ward*	294	0	235	Includes 59 in Players' League
Willie Wells*	272	0	0	Includes 147 in Negro National League (first), 110 in Negro National League (second), 15 in East–West League (incomplete)
Rogers Hornsby*	189	0	189
George Wright*	170	0	77	Includes 93 in National Association
John McGraw*	61	0	55	Includes 6 in American Association
John Henry Lloyd*	59	0	0	Includes 32 in Negro National League (first), 27 in Eastern Colored League (incomplete)
Martín Dihigo*	51	0	0	Includes 26 in American Negro League, 23 in Eastern Colored League, 2 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete)
Tony Lazzeri*	40	29	11
Ed Delahanty*	39	0	6	Includes 33 in Players' League
King Kelly*	19	0	13	Includes 6 in Players' League
Jackie Robinson*	18	0	0	Includes 18 in Negro American League (incomplete)
Ray Dandridge*	13	0	0	Includes 13 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete)
Adrián Beltré*	0	0	0

External links

• "Career Leaders & Records for Double Plays Turned as SS". Baseball-Reference.com.