#HIGHFIVE | Top Black Shortstops In MLB History

#HIGHFIVE | Top Black Shortstops In MLB History


 1. Ernie Banks

Mr. Cub is probably the greatest African-American shortstop to grace the MLB diamond. Banks not only set the standard for black shortstops, but he was the first true power-hitting shortstop in MLB. Banks was A-Rod before A-Rod, an icon who changed the game by providing uncanny power at a position previously reserved for slap hitters.

 

Banks played 19 years for a losing Cubs franchise and was Wrigley Field’s only bright spot for two decades as he clubbed 512 career homers. In his prime from 1957-1960, averaged a .293 batting average, 44 HR, 123 RBI and won back-to-back NL MVP awards in ’58 and ’59.

A true legend and pioneer of the game.

 

2. Derek Jeter

 “El Capitan” is one of the greatest winners MLB has ever seen. He was the Captain and clutch catalyst for a Yankees Dynasty that won five World Series rings between 1996 and 2009 and lived in the postseason.

Jeter, a 14-time All-Star, is the Yankees all-time hits leader with a whopping 3,465. He has a .310 career batting average and has won five Gold Gloves. His stats are Hall of Fame worthy, but don’t begin to tell the story of his marketing and cultural impact as the flawless face of baseball for 20 years. He led the Yankees to the top of the sports landscape by performing at his best in the biggest moments. “Ice in the veins” should be Jeter’s middle name.

 

 

He is arguably the greatest postseason hitter of all time, with a career .308 BA, 20 HR, 61 RBI, 18 SB line in 158 postseason games, earning the name “Mr. November.”

3. Barry Larkin

He was a Black Knight in beast mode as the premier National League shortstop of the 1990s. Larkin was a consistent offensive boss and formidable glove for an inconsistent Cincinnati Reds lineup. He was elected to the All-Star team every year from 1988-2000, winning eight Silver Slugger awards during that span.

 

 

Larkin, who played every one of his 19 seasons with the Reds, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2012, with a .295 career average, 2,340 hits, 1,329 runs scored and 379 stolen bases. Larkin scored at least 80 runs in a season seven times, hit 30-plus doubles in six seasons, and stole 30-or-more bases five times. He won his three Gold Glove awards at shortstop en route to a career fielding percentage of .975 and won nine Silver Slugger awards.

Larkin won a World Series in 1990 and then did something that Jeter couldn’t accomplish when he took home NL MVP honors in 1995.

 

4. Ozzie Smith

The Wizard is simply the greatest defensive infielder in MLB history and his 43.4 career defensive WAR is the best by any player at the position. Even with the defensive metrics on smash, his .978 fielding percentage and 13 Gold Gloves support his claim to the title of glove king.

Smith is the kind of once-in-a-lifetime talent that you would never understand based on numbers. He was truly a magician with the glove. He was also a huge personality in the game and understood the essence of entertainment as he began each game with his patented backflip.

 

 

Smith had artistry, flair, and athletic superiority that put him in another stratosphere. His fielding was so good that people often dogged him for his hitting, which is not shabby at all. Smith had a .262 career average and 2,460 hits. He’s also among the greatest base stealers of all-time with 580 career swipes.

5. Jimmy Rollins

“J-Roll” is one of the most offensively prolific shortstops the game has ever seen. He has 2,455 hits, which includes 511 doubles (53rd all-time), 115 triples, and 231 home runs. He ranks 103rd in career total bases and 83rd in extra-base hits. He’s also stolen 470 bases, good for 46th in MLB history. His 1,421 runs are good for 86th and 936 RBI from pretty much always being in a table-setting position is pretty solid as well.

 

 

He makes the all-time Top 20 in almost every offensive statistic for a shortstop and was the centerpiece of a Phillies team that won two NL pennants and a World Series in 2008. He has four Gold Gloves and four seasons of at least 10 Defensive Runs Saved.

J-Roll was a true soul patroller. His 2007 NL MVP award was the stamp that at some point he was the best at his position. Standing a diminutive 5-foot-7, 175-pounds, Rollins defied the odds and continues to be a living example of skills over scales when it comes to the sport of baseball.

Honorable Mention: Maury Wills

Wills didn’t get his Hall of Fame props from the writers, but he was an MLB pioneer and one of the fastest players in history.

Wills was finally nominated by the Golden Era committee in 2014, which could induct managers, umpires, executives and long-retired players for possible election in 2015, but he fell three votes short.

The barn-burner made a living off of his superior wheels as he stole 586 bases in his career, good for 20th all time.

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The lack of respect for his career is indicative of the lost appreciation in the modern game for the stolen base, which was a staple of black excellence in baseball ever since No. 42 broke the color barrier in ’47. In 1960, Wills won the first of six straight National League stolen base crowns.

#HIGHFIVE (Week 21): Aaron Judge Joins the Elite Power Hitters Of All Time

#HIGHFIVE (Week 21): Aaron Judge Joins the Elite Power Hitters Of All Time

Aaron Judge put himself in rare company this week, joining Babe Ruth, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Alex Rodriguez as the players in Major League history to have three 50 home runs seasons.

 


Judge is a standout among this group being one of the only to do so without having any steroid allegations.  For that, he earns the top spot on Week 21 of our #HighFive list.

 

1. Aaron Judge

 

 

This week was full of accomplishments for Judge as not only did he become the first MLBbro to hit 50 home runs in three different seasons, but he also reached 1,000 base hits. Judge has more homers today than he did at this same point of the season back in 2022 when he finished with an American League record 62 home runs in a season.

 

Sunday, he hit bro bombs 50 and 51, but the highlight of his week came on Monday in D.C. when he robbed a homer in center field and got the ball back to the infield in time to double off a speedy C.J. Abrams.

 

HOME BOI HIGHLIGHTS | Aaron Judge Becomes First MLBbro To Post Three 50+ Homer Seasons

 

Judge was awarded the American League Player of the Week award for his efforts.  He has a slashline of .318/.500/.909 with four homers, six RBI, seven walks and a stolen base over his last seven games.

 

2. Lawrence Butler “LawBoyz”

 

Lawrence Butler is on a heater, similar to the one he went on in July that saw him become one of the better hitters in baseball after making a slight adjustment to his stance.

 

He led off Wednesday’s game with a bro bomb and is currently riding a seven-game hitting streak.  Butler has three home runs in his last five games, giving him 16 on the season. Over the last seven games, Butler has a .303 average with a 1.095 OPS, seven RBI and two stolen bases.

 

Watch Out | The Lawrence Butler Storm Continues With Back-To-Back Bro Bomb Games

His A’s will travel to Arlington, Texas this weekend for the final time representing Oakland to take on the Rangers in a three-game series.

 

3. Jazz Chisholm Jr. “Bahamian Blur”

 

Jazz Chisholm returned to the Yankees lineup and immediately hopped on the bandwagon being carried by Aaron Judge; but he is doing his part to keep the Yankees going forward in their push for the American League East title.

 

Chisholm was the biggest name to move at the deadline and since arriving in New York, he has been a perfect fit to their puzzle. After being sent to the Injured List to deal with an elbow injury, he has come back without missing a beat at the plate. He is hitting .273 with two home runs and a .940 OPS over the last seven days. His 22 home runs and career-high 28 steals give Chisholm Jr. the first 20/20 season of his career.  

 

Jazz Chisholm Jr. Makes Special Friend At LLWS

 

It may be a longshot to reach the 30/30 mark, but the 2023 MLB The Show cover boy could use the short porch in Yankee Stadium to make it become a reality.

4. Will Benson


Will Benson takes the fourth spot on our #HighFive list after hitting a go-ahead three-run bomb in the bottom of the seventh against the Athletics.
For Benson, it was his first home run in a month and the 13th of his season.

 

Will Benson Gives Honest Take On His Inconsistency At The Plate

 

He went through a tough stretch for most of August that saw him only going 2-for-20 until August 21st, but he has improved since then, hitting .333 over the last seven days.

 

5. Bo Naylor

Bo Naylor is becoming one of the better defensive catchers in the Majors, but he showed out with his bat this week to help the Guardians salvage a game in what was a crucial series for the American League Central pennant. His 11th home run of the year ignited a late inning comeback for Cleveland, who is currently holding onto their A.L. Central lead by a thread.

 

“It has been a long stretch from the beginning of the season until now and there is still a long way to go,” said Naylor. “We are not stopping or letting any adversity get to our head.  Just keep competing and hope we end up on the right side of things.”

 

Josh & Bo Naylor Are Playing Their First Full MLB Season Together | MLBbros For Real

 

#HIGHFIVE (Week 14): Aaron Judge Is One Of The All-Time Greats, MLBbro Rookie Justin Henry-Malloy Is Bro Bombing This Week

#HIGHFIVE (Week 14): Aaron Judge Is One Of The All-Time Greats, MLBbro Rookie Justin Henry-Malloy Is Bro Bombing This Week

Aaron Judge could stop playing for the rest of the season and still have better numbers than 99% of the league.  He led the Majors in All-Star votes thanks to a first half that saw him better his numbers from his historic 2022 American League MVP year.  For that, he earns the top spot on Week 14 of our #HighFive List.

1. Aaron Judge

 

Aaron Judge found out he would be an All-Star for the fifth time in his career just a little over a week ago after leading all American League players in phase one of voting.

That puts him fourth All-Time in appearance among all Yankee outfielders, trailing Hall of Fame MLBbro Dave Winfield, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle.

Is MLBbro Giancarlo Stanton’s Absence A Fatal Blow To NY Yankees World Series Hopes?

In his last seven games Judge is slashing .480/.552/.840 with eight RBI, three home runs and has recorded multiple hits in six of his last eight games entering Thursday.

This week, the Yankees captain showed why he gets the honor to wear the “C” on his jersey when he pulled Marcus Stroman to the side for a conversation about him yelling in the dugout after a mistake by a fielder on defense.

Judge and his Yankees will write the next chapter of their storied rivalry against the Boston Red Sox this weekend.

2. Taj Bradley

Taj Bradley got the win and tied a career-high with 11 strikeouts in 5.2 shutout innings against the Nationals to earn the two spot on this week’s #HighFive.

MLBbro Taj Bradley’s Record Doesn’t Reflect How Well He’s Pitched and How Little Run Support He Gets

 

Bradley is another MLBbro from the Atlanta, Georgia pipeline that has sent an influx of talent to the Majors over the last few years including former Rookie of The Year “Money” Mike Harris, Lawrence Butler and Will Benson among others.

 

Bradley, who is only 23 did not start pitching until near the end of his senior year in high school, is one of the top projects for a Tampa Bay Rays team that is known for developing pitching.

 

He had a solid month of June and if you take away his start against the Orioles where he gave up nine runs in three innings, he has a 1.24 ERA with 40 strikeouts and 11 walks in 29 innings.  In two of those starts, he struck out 11.

 

Bradley will take the mound this coming Saturday in Arlington against the defending World Series Champion Rangers.

3. George Springer

George Springer has been on a heater over his last seven games, hitting over .400 with three home runs, 11 RBI and a .952 slugging percentage.

George Springer Dingers Are Back: Hitting .440 With 5-Game Hit Streak Last Seven Games

He was named MLBbro.com Home Boi Highlights after bringing a five-game hitting streak out of the weekend which he extended to seven before hitless Wednesday.

The Blue Jays are in the basement of the standings for the American League East and there have already been rumors about them trading some of their key pieces as they get ready to possibly rebuild the roster.

I think Springer, who has postseason experience and is one of the most feared leadoff hitters of All-Time would be a great pickup for a contender looking for a right-handed bat to boost their lineup for the stretch run.

4. C.J. Abrams

 

C.J. Abrams finished June with a .373 average which ranked him in the top 10 among all Major Leaguers for the month.

He has done all he can to earn his first career All-Star nod this weekend.  He is on pace for a possible 30/30 season and leads the Nationals in almost all hitting categories including doubles, RBI, OPS, Slugging percentage, steals, home runs and triples.

Thanks To James Wood, CJ Abrams and Other MLBbros Washington Nats Really Rep Chocolate City

Abrams is going to play a key role in the development of top prospect James Wood who was called up from Triple-A earlier this week.

He himself was a top prospect with high expectations that has since answered the bell and is now on the way to stardom.

This weekend Abrams and the Nationals will take on Masyn Winn and the Cardinals in a rare matchup of Black shortstops.

 

5. Justyn-Henry Malloy

Justyn-Henry Malloy hit home runs in back-to-back days for the first time in his career this week in addition to posting a .304 average to earn himself the final spot on Week 14 of our #HighFive list.

Justyn-Henry Malloy’s First MLB Hit Was A Bro Bomb For Detroit Tigers

 

Malloy had to run around the bases faster than usual when he hit his homer Sunday afternoon.

He drilled a ball off the wall in straight-away center field and sprinted across the bases for Detroit’s first inside the park homer since 2021.

“They all are worth the same, but I feel like I worked a little harder for that one,” said Malloy in his postgame interview.

“I tackled home plate, my lip is a little bit busted too but I am glad.  It is one of the most exciting plays in baseball and I am glad I could give my team some laughs.”

 

The following day in a matchup against fellow MLBbro Simeon Woods Richardson, Malloy launched one to the left field bleachers.

 

He finished that game 2-for-4.

 

The Tigers offense has not shown much this season, so it is the perfect time for them to give young players like Malloy the opportunity to fight through struggles and get reps at the Major league level.

#HIGHFIVE | Another Week, Another Edition From The MLBbro Flow Commission

#HIGHFIVE | Another Week, Another Edition From The MLBbro Flow Commission

Jordan “Sky” Walker put on a show this week in the first series he played in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.

The Cardinals rookie highlighted it with a home run over the head of his childhood best friend “Money” Michael Harris to earn him the top spot in Week 22 of our #HighFive list.

 

1. Jordan “Sky” Walker

Jordan Walker had his family going crazy in the stands in support of him during the St. Louis’s series against the Braves this week which featured three of the top young MLBbro players in the Majors in Walker, Masyn Winn and “Money” Michael Harris.

 

@mlbbrodotcom

Jordan Walker is having a great start to the 2023 MLB season. Learn more about the Cardinals rookie in this episode of Peep This!

♬ original sound – MLBbro.com

 

 

“I am an English teacher and I am still at a loss for words,” said Jordan’s mother Katrina, father Derek and Grandma Dearee after watching their son play in the same stadium they took him to watch games as a kid.

“It is something you can never imagine.  You just hope your kids find their passion and do it at the highest level.”

 

In his second at-bat of game one, Walker demolished a ball over the right centerfield wall for his 15th home run of his rookie campaign.

Walker has settled in nicely down the stretch this season after an up and down beginning to his Major League career.

 

 

It started with him fighting for a roster spot in Spring Training, then tying the longest ever hitting streak to begin a career, to dark days after being demoted to the Minors and told to change his swing, to now hitting .513 with four home runs, nine RBI and a 1.074 OPS over his last seven games.

In all 2023 was a solid year for Walker and he will look to close out the final month even stronger.  

He entered Thursday slashing .278/.343/.807 on the season with 15 home runs and 40 RBI.

 

2. Jazz Chishom Jr. “Bahamian Blur”

The “Bahamian Blur” Jazz Chisholm Jr. has been euro-stepping and Bro bombing this last week to help lead the Marlins to a six-game winning streak and the final National League Wild Card spot with just over three weeks left.

 

Jazz Chisholm Is At A Career Crossroads | Is He All The Way Up Or Breaking Down?

 

People need to put more respect on the 2023 MLB The Show cover boy and the only Bahamian athlete to ever grace the cover of a video game.

In the first two games of their series against the National League West leading Dodgers, Chisholm recorded multiple hits and a home run in each matchup.

In his last seven games, he is batting .355 with three home runs, nine RBI and two steals for a Marlins team that placed their biggest slugger, Jorge Soler on the Injured List Wednesday.

 

Chisholm also hosted his first ever fashion show last week for his charity, the Jazz Chisholm Foundation where himself as well as teammates Josh Bell, Jake Burger and members of the Miami Dolphins walked the runway.

 

3. J.P. Crawford

J.P. Crawford is leaving questions of his lack of ability at the plate in the dust as he begins to enter the conversation for best all-around shortstops in the Majors.

 

 

He was given the honor of being named Rob Parker’s Homeboi Highlights for his performance over the weekend against the New York Mets where he had two home runs, including a leadoff shot Friday night and a 3-for-4 game where he scored three times and homered as well.

Among all Major League shortstops, Crawford ranks 7th in batting average, 2nd in on base percentage, third in OPS and 8th in slugging percentage.

 

4. Royce Lewis

Since returning from injury in the middle of August, 2017 first overall pick Royce Lewis has been one of the best players in the Majors as he claims a spot on our #HighFive List for the second week in a row.

 

Lewis, who is slashing .375/.444./.625 with two home runs, two steals and 10 RBI in September has hits in eight of his last 10 games has produced three multi-hit games during that span including back-to-back three hit outings against the Rangers and Guardians.

 

 

The Twins come into the weekend with a six game lead over the Guardians in the American League Central and will welcome the Mets into Target Field for a three-game set.

 

5. Hunter Greene

Hunter Greene takes the fifth and final spot on our #HighFive List after going 5.1 innings allowing only an unearned run and striking out six against the San Francisco Giants who are neck-and-neck with Cincinnati in the race for the final National League Wild Card spot.

That was Greene’s third start since returning from a hip injury and getting over the effects of a COVID outbreak in the Reds locker room.

Although they currently sit a half a game out of the third and final Wild Card spot, the addition of Greene back to their rotation will give a boost to a young exciting team that is playing with house money this year.

Can MLBbro Hunter Greene Shake Off Injuries, Medical Setbacks To Help Cincinnati Reds Reach Postseason?

 

 

 

#HIGHFIVE |  Josh Naylor Continues To Clown His All-Star Snub

#HIGHFIVE | Josh Naylor Continues To Clown His All-Star Snub

Josh Naylor is the best player that nobody talks about. He was snubbed from the All-Star Game despite ranking near the top of the Major League leaders boards in RBI and batting average.

His tear continued this week, highlighting it by hitting a historic home run in the same inning as his younger brother and earning the top spot on the high five list.

1. Josh Naylor

 

 

If it wasn’t for Josh Naylor, the Cleveland Guardians would have already mailed in their chances to win the American League Central and make a push for a World Series title.

His 75 RBI are for most fourth in the Majors while his .310 batting average, 22 doubles, 15 home runs, .350 OBP and .872 OPS are all top 10 amongst all first basemen.

Naylor Brothers Make History | Bro Bombs For Real

Last week was a historic one for the Naylor family. 

Brothers Josh and Bo Became the first pair of brothers to hit multi-run home runs in the same inning in Major League history Friday against the Rangers while their youngest brother Myles was drafted by the A’s in week’s draft.

This weekend Naylor and his Guardians will take on the Phillies as they continue the fight for their second straight Central division title.

 

2. Devin Willams

 


Baseballs best closer gets the two spot in this weeks #HighFive List.

The two-time All-Star has been almost completely lights out through the first three months of the season, only giving up runs in three of his 38 appearances. 

 

Williams has converted 14 of his last 15 save opportunities including earning his 24th of the year Wednesday night in a win over the Phillies.


3. C.J. Abrams

 

The key piece the Nationals got back in the Juan Soto trade last off-season is starting to show promise after earning last week’s National League Player of the Week award and being named Rob Parker’s Homeboi Highlights.

He batted .462 with three extra base hits and a 1.385 OPS.

Abrams has turned his game up to another level since manager Dave Martinez moved him to the leadoff spot.

Over his last seven games he is slashing .400/.438/.600 with five steals and eight runs scored.


4. Mookie Betts

 


The most versatile player in the Majors is batting .373 with seven home runs over his last 15 games as his first place Dodgers get ready to take on Marcus Semien and the Rangers in a three-game battle this weekend.

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Betts ranks fourth in the Majors in both runs scored and home runs with 75 and and 27 respectively, while his 65 RBI are 10th most.

“It is hard trying to hit home runs, they just happen,” Betts told MLBbro.com after participating in last week’s Home Run Derby.

“It was a unique experience to be around the guys in their element, what Julio and Vlad did was special to see.”

5. J.P. Crawford

 

Through the first three weeks of July Seattle Mariners Capitan J.P. Crawford is hitting .350 with a .433 OBP and six doubles.

In the beginning of his career,Crawfords biggest strength was his defense which was recognized when he was awarded the American League Gold Glove at shortstop in 2020, but now in year seven his bat is starting to catch up.

JP Crawford Was On Base All Day

He ranks sixth amongst all shortstops in batting average along with being top five in runs scored and 10th in slugging percentage.

With his Mariners five and a half games out of the final Wild Card spot and 10 games back of the Rangers for first in the A.L. West, it is time to start playing playoff baseball in July if they want any shot at a second straight playoff berth.