Youngest players to hit X homers
Posted by Andy on January 22, 2009
This questions came up on an earlier post so here are the answers.
Youngest players to hit 30 HR in a season:
Cnt HR Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions +----+-----------------+---+--+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+---+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+ 1 Mel Ott 42 1929 20 NYG NL 150 674 545 138 179 37 2 151 113 0 38 6 10 0 0 6 0 .328 .449 .635 1.084 *9/4 2 Ted Williams 31 1939 20 BOS AL 149 677 565 131 185 44 11 145 107 0 64 2 3 0 10 2 1 .327 .436 .609 1.045 *9 3 Frank Robinson 38 1956 20 CIN NL 152 668 572 122 166 27 6 83 64 7 95 20 8 4 14 8 4 .290 .379 .558 .937 *78 4 Tony Conigliaro 32 1965 20 BOS AL 138 586 521 82 140 21 5 82 51 6 116 5 6 3 9 4 2 .269 .338 .512 .850 *9/8 5 Alex Rodriguez 36 1996 20 SEA AL 146 677 601 141 215 54 1 123 59 1 104 4 6 7 15 15 4 .358 .414 .631 1.045 *6 6 Jimmie Foxx 33 1929 21 PHA AL 149 638 517 123 183 23 9 118 103 0 70 2 16 0 0 9 7 .354 .463 .625 1.088 *3/5 7 Hal Trosky 35 1934 21 CLE AL 154 685 625 117 206 45 9 142 58 0 49 2 0 0 0 2 2 .330 .388 .598 .986 *3 8 Eddie Mathews 47 1953 21 MLN NL 157 681 579 110 175 31 8 135 99 0 83 2 1 0 6 1 3 .302 .406 .627 1.033 *5 9 Bob Horner 33 1979 21 ATL NL 121 515 487 66 153 15 1 98 22 6 74 3 0 3 9 0 2 .314 .346 .552 .898 *53 10 Jose Canseco 33 1986 21 OAK AL 157 682 600 85 144 29 1 117 65 1 175 8 0 9 12 15 7 .240 .318 .457 .775 *79/D
Youngest to hit 40 in a season:
Cnt HR Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions +----+-----------------+---+--+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+---+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+ 1 Mel Ott 42 1929 20 NYG NL 150 674 545 138 179 37 2 151 113 0 38 6 10 0 0 6 0 .328 .449 .635 1.084 *9/4 2 Eddie Mathews 47 1953 21 MLN NL 157 681 579 110 175 31 8 135 99 0 83 2 1 0 6 1 3 .302 .406 .627 1.033 *5 3 Joe DiMaggio 46 1937 22 NYY AL 151 692 621 151 215 35 15 167 64 0 37 5 2 0 0 3 0 .346 .412 .673 1.085 *8 4 Eddie Mathews 40 1954 22 MLN NL 138 601 476 96 138 21 4 103 113 0 61 2 3 7 9 10 3 .290 .423 .603 1.026 *57 5 Alex Rodriguez 42 1998 22 SEA AL 161 748 686 123 213 35 5 124 45 0 121 10 3 4 12 46 13 .310 .360 .560 .920 *6/D 6 Juan Gonzalez 43 1992 22 TEX AL 155 632 584 77 152 24 2 109 35 1 143 5 0 8 16 0 1 .260 .304 .529 .833 *87/D9 7 Johnny Bench 45 1970 22 CIN NL 158 671 605 97 177 35 4 148 54 9 102 0 1 11 12 5 2 .293 .345 .587 .932 *273/985 8 Orlando Cepeda 46 1961 23 SFG NL 152 636 585 105 182 28 4 142 39 11 91 9 0 3 21 12 8 .311 .362 .609 .971 *379 9 Troy Glaus 47 2000 23 ANA AL 159 678 563 120 160 37 1 102 112 6 163 2 0 1 14 14 11 .284 .404 .604 1.008 *5/6D 10 Albert Pujols 43 2003 23 STL NL 157 685 591 137 212 51 1 124 79 12 65 10 0 5 13 5 1 .359 .439 .667 1.106 *73/D
Youngest to hit 50:
Cnt HR Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions +----+-----------------+---+--+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+---+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+ 1 Prince Fielder 50 2007 23 MIL NL 158 681 573 109 165 35 2 119 90 21 121 14 0 4 9 2 2 .288 .395 .618 1.013 *3/D 2 Jimmie Foxx 58 1932 24 PHA AL 154 701 585 151 213 33 9 169 116 0 96 0 0 0 0 3 7 .364 .469 .749 1.218 *35 3 Ralph Kiner 51 1947 24 PIT NL 152 666 565 118 177 23 4 127 98 0 81 2 1 0 12 1 0 .313 .417 .639 1.056 *7 4 Mickey Mantle 52 1956 24 NYY AL 150 652 533 132 188 22 5 130 112 6 99 2 1 4 4 10 1 .353 .464 .705 1.169 *8 5 Willie Mays 51 1955 24 NYG NL 152 670 580 123 185 18 13 127 79 13 60 4 0 7 12 24 4 .319 .400 .659 1.059 *8 6 Alex Rodriguez 52 2001 25 TEX AL 162 732 632 133 201 34 1 135 75 6 131 16 0 9 17 18 3 .318 .399 .622 1.021 *6/D 7 Babe Ruth 54 1920 25 NYY AL 142 615 457 158 172 36 9 137 150 0 80 3 5 0 0 14 14 .376 .533 .849 1.382 *978/31 8 Alex Rodriguez 57 2002 26 TEX AL 162 725 624 125 187 27 2 142 87 12 122 10 0 4 14 9 4 .300 .392 .623 1.015 *6 9 Roger Maris 61 1961 26 NYY AL 161 698 590 132 159 16 4 142 94 0 67 7 0 7 16 0 0 .269 .372 .620 .992 *98 10 Cecil Fielder 51 1990 26 DET AL 159 673 573 104 159 25 1 132 90 11 182 5 0 5 15 0 1 .277 .377 .592 .969 *3D
Bookended by father and son!
Youngest to hit 20:
Cnt HR Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions +----+-----------------+---+--+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+---+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+ 1 Tony Conigliaro 24 1964 19 BOS AL 111 444 404 69 117 21 2 52 35 1 78 5 0 0 11 2 4 .290 .354 .530 .884 *78/9 2 Mel Ott 42 1929 20 NYG NL 150 674 545 138 179 37 2 151 113 0 38 6 10 0 0 6 0 .328 .449 .635 1.084 *9/4 3 Ted Williams 31 1939 20 BOS AL 149 677 565 131 185 44 11 145 107 0 64 2 3 0 10 2 1 .327 .436 .609 1.045 *9 4 Willie Mays 20 1951 20 NYG NL 121 524 464 59 127 22 5 68 57 0 60 2 1 0 11 7 4 .274 .356 .472 .828 *8 5 Mickey Mantle 23 1952 20 NYY AL 142 626 549 94 171 37 7 87 75 0 111 0 2 0 5 4 1 .311 .394 .530 .924 *89/5 6 Eddie Mathews 25 1952 20 BSN NL 145 593 528 80 128 23 5 58 59 0 115 1 5 0 9 6 4 .242 .320 .447 .767 *5 7 Al Kaline 27 1955 20 DET AL 152 681 588 121 200 24 8 102 82 12 57 5 0 6 13 6 8 .340 .421 .546 .967 *9 8 Frank Robinson 38 1956 20 CIN NL 152 668 572 122 166 27 6 83 64 7 95 20 8 4 14 8 4 .290 .379 .558 .937 *78 9 Orlando Cepeda 25 1958 20 SFG NL 148 644 603 88 188 38 4 96 29 7 84 3 0 9 18 15 11 .312 .342 .512 .854 *3 10 Vada Pinson 20 1959 20 CIN NL 154 706 648 131 205 47 9 84 55 3 98 1 2 0 9 21 6 .316 .371 .509 .880 *8
Not a single guy after 1964!
Youngest to hit 10:
Cnt HR Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions +----+-----------------+---+--+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+---+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+ 1 Mel Ott 18 1928 19 NYG NL 124 499 435 69 140 26 4 77 52 0 36 2 10 0 0 3 0 .322 .397 .524 .921 *9/4785 2 Mickey Mantle 13 1951 19 NYY AL 96 386 341 61 91 11 5 65 43 0 74 0 2 0 3 8 7 .267 .349 .443 .792 *9/8 3 Tony Conigliaro 24 1964 19 BOS AL 111 444 404 69 117 21 2 52 35 1 78 5 0 0 11 2 4 .290 .354 .530 .884 *78/9 4 Ed Kranepool 10 1964 19 NYM NL 119 461 420 47 108 19 4 45 32 2 50 2 3 4 9 0 1 .257 .310 .393 .703 *3/98 5 Ken Griffey 16 1989 19 SEA AL 127 506 455 61 120 23 0 61 44 8 83 2 1 4 4 16 7 .264 .329 .420 .749 *8 6 Mike Tiernan 10 1887 20 NYG NL 103 442 407 82 117 13 12 62 32 0 31 3 0 0 0 28 0 .287 .344 .452 .796 *978/1 7 Travis Jackson 11 1924 20 NYG NL 151 633 596 81 180 26 8 76 21 0 56 0 16 0 0 6 7 .302 .326 .428 .754 *6 8 Jimmie Foxx 13 1928 20 PHA AL 118 473 400 85 131 29 10 79 60 0 43 1 12 0 0 3 8 .328 .416 .548 .964 *532 9 Mel Ott 42 1929 20 NYG NL 150 674 545 138 179 37 2 151 113 0 38 6 10 0 0 6 0 .328 .449 .635 1.084 *9/4 10 Buddy Lewis 10 1937 20 WSH AL 156 733 668 107 210 32 6 79 52 0 44 3 10 0 0 11 5 .314 .367 .425 .792 *5
And while we're at it, youngest to hit 1!
Cnt HR Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions ----+-----------------+---+--+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+---+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+--------- 1 Pat Callaghan 2 1884 17 IND AA 61 266 258 38 67 8 5 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .260 .282 .353 .635 *5 2 Phil Cavarretta 1 1934 17 CHC NL 7 23 21 5 8 0 1 6 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 .381 .435 .619 1.054 /*3 3 Tommy Brown 2 1945 17 BRO NL 57 204 196 13 48 3 4 19 6 0 16 0 2 0 3 3 0 .245 .267 .332 .599 *6/9 4 Danny Murphy 1 1960 17 CHC NL 31 81 75 7 9 2 0 6 4 0 13 1 1 0 2 0 0 .120 .175 .187 .362 *8/9 5 Paul Hines 1 1873 18 WAS NA 39 182 181 33 60 6 3 29 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .331 .335 .414 .749 *7/42 6 John Cassidy 1 1875 18 TOT NA 47 188 188 17 32 4 2 7 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 .170 .170 .229 .399 3 7 Henry Luff 2 1875 18 NHV NA 38 166 166 15 45 10 3 18 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 3 3 .271 .271 .404 .675 *51/986 8 Lew Brown 2 1876 18 BSN NL 45 198 195 23 41 6 6 21 3 0 22 0 0 0 0 0 0 .210 .222 .333 .555 *2/89 9 John Ward 1 1878 18 PRO NL 37 140 138 14 27 5 4 15 2 0 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 .196 .207 .312 .519 *1 10 Pete Conway 1 1885 18 BUF NL 29 95 90 7 10 5 0 7 5 0 28 0 0 0 0 0 0 .111 .158 .200 .358 *1/963
Those are some young pups.
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:45 am
I'm trying to figure out how PI is ranking players within the same age group. I don't think that it is using straight age (See Tony Conigliaro 1941 vs. Mantle 1951 on the 10 list). I thought that it was ranking them by earliest date, as can be seen in the 1 and 10 lists. However, if you look at the 50 list Mays is after Mantle, despite being younger and doing it earlier.
What am I missing?
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Looking at the data, I wonder if Alex Rodriguez will ever have a year with more walks than strikeouts. Here are the years when Henry Aaron had more BB than K's: age 24 (by 10), age 30 (by 16), and then each year from age 34 through 41. Will A-Rod learn greater selectivity, or how to cut back on his swing and still drive them out, or how to keep his head a little more still?
January 22nd, 2009 at 5:07 pm
very fun to look at! but you left out 60+ HRs...
*Roger Maris (age 26), 61 HRs in 1961
*Sammy Sosa (age 30), 63 HRs in 1999
*Sammy Sosa (age 29), 66 HRs in 1998
*Sammy Sosa (age 32), 64 HRs in 2001
*Babe Ruth (age 32), 60 HRs in 1927
*Mark McGwire (age 34), 70 HRs in 1998
*Mark McGwire (age 35), 65 HRs in 1999
*Barry Bonds (age 36), 73 HRs in 2001
And to complete the list, 70+ HRs:
*Mark McGwire (age 34), 70 HRs in 1998
*Barry Bonds (age 36), 73 HRs in 2001
January 22nd, 2009 at 7:59 pm
I'm not sure about the significance of more walks than strikeouts. I note that Ken Griffey only did it once.
January 24th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Albert Pujols has managed more walks than strikeouts 7 times (all but the rookie season), and had almost twice as many BB as K's last year. IMO, that helps to explain why, IMO, he is a better hitter than either A-Rod or Griffey Jr.
January 25th, 2009 at 3:04 am
Note how many of Pujols's walks are intentional. And you can infer that a bunch of his "unintentional" walks are pitch-arounds too.
Still, Pujols is a freak. It's quite impressive for a power hitter in today's game to strike out as little as he does.
But if the overall production is otherwise similar, the extra strikeouts are not that big a deal. I'd certainly rather have A-Rod hitting 45 HR with 120 K than 25 HR with 60 K.