List of Major League Baseball career assists leaders

In baseball, an assist (denoted by A) is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is credited to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball (after it has been hit by the batter) prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional. For example, if a ball strikes a player's leg and bounces off him to another fielder, who tags the baserunner, the first player is credited with an assist. A fielder can receive a maximum of one assist per out recorded. An assist is also credited if a putout would have occurred, had another fielder not committed an error. For example, a shortstop might field a ground ball cleanly, but the first baseman might drop his throw. In this case, an error would be charged to the first baseman, and the shortstop would be credited with an assist.
Rabbit Maranville is the all-time leader with 8,967 career assists. Ozzie Smith (8,375), Cal Ripken Jr. (8,214), Bill Dahlen (8,138), Omar Vizquel (8,050), and Luis Aparicio (8,016) are the only other players to record more than 8,000 career assists.
The pitcher is the player who pitches the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. The pitcher is often considered the most important player on the defensive side of the game, playing the most difficult and specialized position, and as such is regarded as being at the right end of the defensive spectrum. Pitchers play far less than players at other positions, generally appearing in only two or three games per week; only one pitcher in major league history has appeared in 100 games in a single season. There are many different types of pitchers, generally divided between starting pitchers and relief pitchers, which include the middle reliever, lefty specialist, setup man, and closer. In the scoring system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is assigned the number 1.
Pitchers are most commonly credited with an assist when they field a ground ball batted back toward the mound and throw the ball either to the first baseman to retire the batter/runner or to another infielder to force out a runner, perhaps beginning a double play; of special importance are throws to the catcher if a runner is trying to reach home plate to score a run. Pitchers also earn assists on pickoff throws, by throwing to a base after catching a line drive in order to retire a runner before they can tag up, by throwing to a base to record an out on an appeal play, or in situations where they might deflect a ground ball before another defensive player successfully fields the ball. Pitchers generally record fewer assists than infielders or catchers due to the quick reaction time needed to field the ball after it is hit, as the pitcher is the closest player in front of the batter.
As strikeout totals have risen in baseball, the frequency of other defensive outs including ground outs has declined; as a result, assist totals for pitchers have likewise declined, and only one of the top 20 career leaders has been active since 1934; only five of the top 66 have been active since 1965. None of the top 87 single-season totals were recorded after 1918, and none of the top 477 have been recorded since 1944. Cy Young is the all-time leader in career assists as a pitcher with 2,014, over 500 more than any other pitcher. Clayton Kershaw, who had 376 assists through August 23, 2024 to place him tied for 376th all-time, is the leader among active players.
The catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his/her turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to these primary duties, the catcher is also called upon to master many other skills in order to field the position well. The role of the catcher is similar to that of the wicket-keeper in cricket. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the catcher is assigned the number 2.
Catchers are most frequently credited with an assist when they throw out a runner attempting a stolen base, but other situations leading to an assist include bunts where the catcher fields the batted ball near home plate and throws out the batter at first base (or another runner), an uncaught third strike after which the catcher throws out the batter trying to reach first base, rundown plays in which a runner is stranded between bases, and throwing out runners who fail to tag up after a fly ball out. As the frequency of strikeouts has risen in baseball, the number of other fielding outs has declined; the rise of power-hitting has also led to a decline in more daring baserunning. Consequently, the list of career assist leaders is dominated by catchers from the dead-ball era prior to 1920, when runners made more aggressive attempts to advance around the bases in risky situations; none of the top 20 players were active after 1931, and only three players since 1950 have reached even 60% of the record. None of the top 65 single-season totals were recorded after 1920, and none of the top 340 were recorded after 1928; only 13 seasons of 100 assists have been recorded since 1945, peaking at 108, far short of the record of 238. As a result, both the career and single-season records are likely among Major League Baseball's most unbreakable records.
Deacon McGuire is the all-time leader with 1,860 career assists. Only 48 catchers have recorded 1,000 or more career assists.
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team. A first baseman is the player on the team playing defense who fields the area nearest first base and is responsible for the majority of plays made at that base. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the first baseman is assigned the number 3.
First basemen are most commonly credited with an assist when they field a ground ball and either throw the ball to the pitcher covering first base to retire the batter/runner or throw the ball to the shortstop covering the second base to force out a runner, perhaps beginning a double play. Other common ways in which first basemen gain an assist are by throwing out a runner attempting to reach third base or score, perhaps on a relay throw from the right fielder, throwing out a runner attempting to score on a squeeze play, rundown plays in which a runner is stranded between bases, throwing out a runner attempting to steal second base on a pickoff throw, and throwing to second base after catching a line drive to retire a runner before they can tag up. First basemen typically accumulate less than half as many assists as other infielders, partially because the ball is less frequently batted to the right side of the field, but also because in situations with a runner on first base, the first baseman will typically be stationed on or close to the bag to receiver a pickoff throw, reducing the area of the infield which they can easily cover. Because a right-handed first baseman needs to turn their body before throwing across the infield, left-handed first basemen are often preferred for defensive purposes; 10 of the top 14 career assist leaders are left-handed.
Eddie Murray is the all-time leader with 1,865 career assists. Only 60 first basemen have recorded 1,000 or more career assists, with Anthony Rizzo, Paul Goldschmidt, and Freddie Freeman being the only active.
In baseball and softball, the second baseman is a fielding position in the infield, commonly stationed between second and first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and feet, needs the ability to get rid of the ball quickly, and must be able to make the pivot on a double play. In addition, second basemen are almost always right-handed. Only four left-handed throwing players have appeared as second basemen in the major leagues since 1950; one of the four, Gonzalo Márquez, was listed as the second baseman in the starting lineup for two games in 1973, batting in the first inning, but was replaced before his team took the field on defense, and none of the other three players lasted even a complete inning at the position. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the second baseman is assigned the number 4.
Second basemen are most commonly credited with an assist when they field a ground ball and throw the ball either to the first baseman to retire the batter/runner or to the shortstop covering second base to force out a runner, perhaps beginning a double play. Other common ways in which second basemen gain an assist are by throwing out a runner attempting to reach third base or score, perhaps on a relay throw from the right fielder, rundown plays in which a runner is stranded between bases, throwing out a runner attempting to steal third base on a pickoff throw, and throwing to first or second base after catching a line drive in order to retire a runner before they can tag up. Second basemen and shortstops typically accumulate far more assists than players at other positions due to the frequency of ground balls to the middle infielders; the highest assist total in major league history was recorded by Frankie Frisch in 1927, with all but two of his 643 assists being gained at second base.
As strikeout totals have risen in baseball, the frequency of other defensive outs including ground outs has declined; as a result, assist totals for second basemen have likewise declined, and four of the top five career leaders began their careers prior to 1961. Through 2021, only six of the top 24 single-season totals have been recorded since 1938, only 13 of the top 64 since 1966, and only 14 of the top 192 since 1992. Eddie Collins is the all-time leader with 7,630 career assists; Charlie Gehringer (7,068) is the only other second baseman with over 7,000 career assists.
Third base, or 3B, is the third of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team. A third baseman is the player on the team playing defense who fields the area nearest third base, and is responsible for the majority of plays made at that base. In the scoring system used to record defensive plays, the third baseman is assigned the number 5. The third baseman requires good reflexes in reacting to batted balls, often being the closest infielder (roughly 90–120 feet) to the batter. The third base position requires a strong and accurate arm, as the third baseman often makes long throws to first base. The third baseman sometimes must throw quickly to second base in time to start a double play, and must also field fly balls in both fair and foul territory.
Third basemen are most commonly credited with an assist when they field a ground ball and throw the ball either to the first baseman to retire the batter/runner or to the second baseman to force out a runner, perhaps beginning a double play. Other common ways in which third basemen gain an assist are by throwing out a runner attempting to score (perhaps on a squeeze play), perhaps on a relay throw from the left fielder, rundown plays in which a runner is stranded between bases, throwing out a runner attempting to steal home on a pickoff throw, and throwing to first or second base after catching a line drive in order to retire a runner before they can tag up. Third basemen typically accumulate fewer assists than second basemen or shortstops due to the frequency of ground balls to the middle infielders, but far more than players at other positions.
Because the physical demands of playing third base historically hindered players from having long careers at the position, all but three of the 25 third basemen with the longest careers have reached the major leagues since 1943; even as increasing strikeouts in baseball have reduced the frequency of other defensive outs including ground outs, longer seasons and careers in recent decades have more than compensated for the difference. The top 15 leaders in career assists at third base all reached the major leagues after 1950, and all but nine of the top 62 single-season totals have been recorded since 1957. Brooks Robinson is the all-time leader in career assists as a third baseman with 6,205, which was 1,624 more than any other player at the time of his retirement; he remains the only third baseman with more than 6,000 career assists.
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. Defensive specialists mostly fill the position, 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 are most commonly credited with an assist when they field a ground ball and throw the ball either to the first baseman to retire the batter/runner, or to the second baseman or third baseman to force out a runner, perhaps beginning a double play. Other common ways in which shortstops gain an assist are by throwing out a runner attempting to score, perhaps on a relay throw from the left fielder, rundown plays in which a runner is stranded between bases, throwing out a runner attempting to steal third base on a pickoff throw, and throwing to second or third base after catching a line drive in order to retire a runner before they can tag up. Second basemen and shortstops typically accumulate far more assists than players at other positions due to the frequency of ground balls to the middle infielders; the top six major league players in career assists were all primarily shortstops, and 7,354 of Rabbit Maranville's record 8,967 career assists were earned as a shortstop.
As strikeout totals have risen in baseball, the frequency of other defensive outs including ground outs has declined; as a result, assist totals for shortstops have likewise declined, and only two of the top seven career leaders have been active since 1973. Through 2022, none of the top 21 single-season totals have been recorded since 1988, and only five of the top 120 since 1993. Ozzie Smith is the all-time leader in career assists as a shortstop with 8,375, the most by any player in major league history at any single position. Luis Aparicio (8,016) is the only other shortstop to record more than 8,000 career assists.
The left fielder (LF) is one of the three outfielders, the defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing toward the pitcher's mound. The outfielders have to try to catch long fly balls before they hit the ground or to quickly catch or retrieve and return to the infield any other balls entering the outfield. The left fielder must also be adept at navigating the area of left field where the foul line approaches the corner of the playing field and the walls of the seating areas. Being the outfielder closest to third base, the left fielder generally does not have to throw as far as the other outfielders to throw out runners advancing around the bases, so they often do not have the strongest throwing arm, but their throws need to be accurate. The left fielder normally plays behind the third baseman and shortstop, who play in or near the infield; unlike catchers and most infielders (excepting first basemen), who are virtually exclusively right-handed, left fielders can be either right- or left-handed. In the scoring system used to record defensive plays, the left fielder is assigned the number 7.
Left fielders are most commonly credited with an assist when they throw the ball to an infielder who tags a runner attempting to advance on the basepaths, even on a caught fly ball that results in an out (see tag up); of special importance are throws to the catcher if the runner is trying to reach home plate to score a run, perhaps on a sacrifice fly. Left fielders will often record assists by throwing out runners who try to advance farther than the batter, such as going from first to third base on a single, or batter/runners who try to stretch a hit into a longer one. Left fielders also earn assists on relay throws to infielders after particularly deep fly balls, by throwing to a base to record an out on an appeal play, or in situations where they might deflect a fly ball before another defensive player makes the catch. Outfielders record far fewer assists than other players due to the difficulty of making an accurate throw in time to retire a runner from a great distance; middle infielders routinely record more assists in a single season than outfielders do in their entire careers. Assists are an important statistic for outfielders, giving a greater indication about an outfielder's throwing arm than assists by infielders do. In recent years, some sabermetricians have begun referring to assists by outfielders as baserunner kills.
The list of career leaders is dominated by players from the 1890s through 1920s, including the dead-ball era, due to that period's emphasis on more aggressive baserunning. Only four of the top 14 players were active after 1932 and only two of them after 1945. Only two of the top 34 single-season totals were recorded after 1924, and only one after 1936; only seven of the top 68 have been recorded since 1944. Because game accounts and box scores often did not distinguish between the outfield positions, there has been some difficulty in determining precise defensive statistics prior to 1901; because of this, and because of the similarity in their roles, defensive statistics for the three positions are frequently combined. Although efforts to distinguish between the three positions regarding games played during this period and reconstruct the separate totals have been largely successful, separate assist totals are unavailable; players whose totals are missing the figures for pre-1901 games are notated in the table below. Jimmy Sheckard is the all-time leader in career assists as a left fielder with 243; this total does not included his assists during the first four years of his career from 1897 through 1900, when he is believed to have played 168 games in left field. Zack Wheat (231) and Duffy Lewis (209) are the only other players credited with more than 200 career assists after 1900. Eddie Rosario, who had 53 assists through March 29, 2025 to place him tied for 117th all-time, is the leader among active players.
The center fielder (CF) is one of the three outfielders, the defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. Center field is the area of the outfield directly in front of a person standing at home plate and facing beyond the pitcher's mound. The outfielders have to try to catch long fly balls before they hit the ground or to quickly catch or retrieve and return to the infield any other balls entering the outfield. Generally having the most territory to cover, the center fielder is usually the fastest of the three outfielders, although this can also depend on the relative strength of their throwing arms and the configuration of their home field, due to the deepest part of center field being the farthest point from the infield and home plate. The center fielder normally plays behind the shortstop and second baseman, who play in or near the infield; unlike catchers and most infielders (excepting first basemen), who are virtually exclusively right-handed, center fielders can be either right- or left-handed. In the scoring system used to record defensive plays, the center fielder is assigned the number 8.
Center fielders are most commonly credited with an assist when they throw the ball to an infielder who tags a runner attempting to advance on the basepaths, even on a caught fly ball that results in an out (see tag up); of special importance are throws to the catcher if the runner is trying to reach home plate to score a run, perhaps on a sacrifice fly. Center fielders will often record assists by throwing out runners who try to advance farther than the batter, such as going from first to third base on a single, or batter/runners who try to stretch a hit into a longer one. Center fielders also earn assists on relay throws to infielders after particularly deep fly balls, by throwing to a base to record an out on an appeal play, or in situations where they might deflect a fly ball before another defensive player makes the catch. Outfielders record far fewer assists than other players due to the difficulty of making an accurate throw in time to retire a runner from a great distance; middle infielders routinely record more assists in a single season than outfielders do in their entire careers. Assists are an important statistic for outfielders, giving a greater indication about an outfielder's throwing arm than assists by infielders do. In recent years, some sabermetricians have begun referring to assists by outfielders as baserunner kills.
The list of career leaders is dominated by players from the 1890s through 1920s, including the dead-ball era, due to that period's emphasis on more aggressive baserunning. The top six players were all active throughout the years from 1913 to 1921; only 11 of the top 37 players were active after 1953, and only six of them after 1984. Only six of the top 73 single-season totals were recorded after 1925, and only one after 1945; only nine of the top 163 have been recorded since 1955. Because game accounts and box scores often did not distinguish between the outfield positions, there has been some difficulty in determining precise defensive statistics before 1901; because of this, and because of the similarity in their roles, defensive statistics for the three positions are frequently combined. Although efforts to distinguish between the three positions regarding games played during this period and reconstruct the separate totals have been largely successful, separate assist totals are unavailable; players whose totals are missing the figures for pre-1901 games are notated in the table below. Tris Speaker is the all-time leader in career assists as a center fielder with 448, 173 more than any other player, and nearly two and a half times as many as any player active after 1931. Speaker also holds the single-season record of 35, which he accomplished twice; no player since 1955 has had more than 20, likely putting both of his marks among Major League Baseball's most unbreakable records. Andrew McCutchen, who had 63 assists through March 29, 2025 to place him tied for 107th all-time, is the leader among active players.
The right fielder (RF) is one of the three outfielders, the defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. The right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing toward the pitcher's mound. The outfielders must try to catch long fly balls before they hit the ground or to quickly catch or retrieve and return to the infield any other balls entering the outfield. The right fielder must also be adept at navigating the area of right field where the foul line approaches the corner of the playing field and the walls of the seating areas. Being the outfielder farthest from third base, the right fielder often has to make longer throws than the other outfielders to throw out runners advancing around the bases, so they often have the strongest or most accurate throwing arm. The right fielder normally plays behind the second baseman and first baseman, who play in or near the infield; unlike catchers and most infielders (excepting first basemen), who are virtually exclusively right-handed, right fielders can be either right- or left-handed. In the scoring system used to record defensive plays, the right fielder is assigned the number 9, the highest number.
Right fielders are most commonly credited with an assist when they throw the ball to an infielder who tags a runner attempting to advance on the basepaths, even on a caught fly ball that results in an out (see tag up); of special importance are throws to the catcher if the runner is trying to reach home plate to score a run, perhaps on a sacrifice fly. Right fielders will often record assists by throwing out runners who try to advance farther than the batter, such as going from first to third base on a single, or batter/runners who try to stretch a hit into a longer one. Right fielders also earn assists on relay throws to infielders after particularly deep fly balls, by throwing to a base to record an out on an appeal play, or in situations where they might deflect a fly ball before another defensive player makes the catch. Outfielders record far fewer assists than other players due to the difficulty of making an accurate throw in time to retire a runner from a great distance; middle infielders routinely record more assists in a single season than outfielders do in their entire careers. Assists are an important statistic for outfielders, giving a greater indication about an outfielder's throwing arm than assists by infielders do. In recent years, some sabermetricians have begun referring to assists by outfielders as baserunner kills.
The list of career leaders is dominated by players from the 1890s through 1920s, including the dead-ball era, due to that period's emphasis on more aggressive baserunning. Eight of the top nine players were active before 1930; only six of the top 19 players were active after 1950, none of them after 1992. Only 15 of the top 102 single-season totals were recorded after 1936, and only four after 1978; only 16 of the top 268 have been recorded since 1990. Because game accounts and box scores often did not distinguish between the outfield positions, there has been some difficulty in determining precise defensive statistics before 1901; because of this, and because of the similarity in their roles, defensive statistics for the three positions are frequently combined. Although efforts to distinguish between the three positions regarding games played during this period and reconstruct the separate totals have been largely successful, separate assist totals are unavailable; players whose totals are missing the figures for pre-1901 games are notated in the table below. Harry Hooper is the all-time leader in career assists as a right fielder with 333; he is the only right fielder with more than 300 career assists. Jason Heyward, who had 69 assists through March 29, 2025 to place him tied for 110th all-time, is the leader among active players.