List of Major League Baseball career double plays as a second baseman leaders

Bill Mazeroski, the leader in all-time double plays by a second baseman

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. 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 typically record a double play by receiving a throw from another player to force out the runner advancing to second base, then throwing to first base to retire the batter/runner, or by fielding a ground ball and then either throwing to the shortstop covering second base or stepping on the base themselves before the throw to first base is made. Second basemen generally benefit in this respect from playing alongside an excellent shortstop 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 second baseman 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 second baseman 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 second baseman 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 second baseman 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, second basemen and shortstops 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; 9 of the top 14 players made their major league debut after 1962, and only two were active before 1945. 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 second basemen likewise declining; 23 of the top 29 single-season totals were recorded between 1935 and 1974, and none of the top 362 were recorded before 1921. Bill Mazeroski holds the record for the most career double plays by a second baseman with 1,706. Nellie Fox is second with 1,619; only four other second basemen 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 second baseman in Major League Baseball
*	Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame
Bold	Denotes active player

List

José Altuve, the active leader and 42nd all-time in double plays by a second baseman

Nellie Fox holds the American League record.

Bid McPhee held the major league record for 37 years, and led his league a record 11 times.

Jerry Priddy's 150 double plays in 1950 remain the American League record.

Fred Pfeffer held the National League record for 41 years.

Bucky Harris posted the first season of 100 double plays by a second baseman in the 20th century, setting a new record three years in a row.

• Stats updated as of April 21, 2024.

Rank	Player (2023 DPs)	Double plays as a second baseman			Other leagues, notes
		MLB	American League	National League
1	Bill Mazeroski *	1,706	0	1,706	Holds the single-season record of 161 (set in 1966)
2	Nellie Fox *	1,619	1,568	51	Held major league record, 1963-1970
3	Willie Randolph	1,547	1,391	156
4	Lou Whitaker	1,527	1,527	0
5	Bobby Doerr *	1,507	1,507	0	Held major league record, 1951-1963
6	Joe Morgan *	1,505	62	1,443
7	Charlie Gehringer *	1,444	1,444	0	Held major league record, 1938-1951
8	Robinson Canó	1,418	1,347	71
9	Roberto Alomar *	1,407	1,001	406
10	Frank White	1,382	1,382	0
11	Red Schoendienst *	1,368	0	1,368	Held National League record, 1957–1967; held NL single-season record, 1954-1961 (tie)
12	Bobby Grich	1,302	1,302	0
13	Ian Kinsler	1,291	1,255	36
14	Jeff Kent	1,261	3	1,258
15	Eddie Collins *	1,239	1,239	0	Held major league record, 1926–1938; held American League record, 1922–1938; held AL single-season record, 1920-1921 (tie)
16	Ray Durham	1,189	746	443
17	Bid McPhee *	1,188	0	657	Includes 531 in American Association; held major league record, 1889–1926; held single-season record, 1886–1921; held National League single-season record, 1892-1923
18	Billy Herman *	1,177	0	1,177	Held National League record, 1942-1957
19	Joe Gordon *	1,160	1,160	0
20	Ryne Sandberg *	1,158	0	1,158
21	Craig Biggio *	1,153	0	1,153
22	Brandon Phillips	1,115	97	1,018
23	Bret Boone	1,085	502	583
24	Frankie Frisch *	1,062	0	1,062	Held National League record, 1933-1942
25	Luis Castillo	1,051	126	925
26	Nap Lajoie *	1,050	883	167	Held American League single-season record, 1906-1921
27	Jim Gantner	1,036	1,036	0
28	Frank Bolling	1,003	521	482
29	Steve Sax	998	404	594
30	Chase Utley	993	0	993
31	Tom Herr	991	54	937
32	Glenn Hubbard	975	94	881
33	Manny Trillo	973	73	900
34	Ski Melillo	965	965	0
35	Buddy Myer	963	963	0	Held single-season record, 1935-1950
	Bobby Richardson	963	963	0
37	Hughie Critz	960	0	960
38	Cookie Rojas	953	518	435
39	Tony Taylor	950	91	859
40	Harold Reynolds	948	948	0
41	Dustin Pedroia	940	940	0
42	José Altuve (15)	924	701	223
43	Julián Javier	907	0	907
44	Jerry Priddy	906	906	0	Holds the American League single-season record (150 in 1950), was the major league record until 1966
45	Mark Ellis	903	703	200
46	Dave Cash	901	0	901
47	Rogers Hornsby *	895	10	885	Held National League record, 1929-1933
48	Fred Pfeffer	894	0	821	Includes 73 in Players' League; held National League record, 1888–1929; held single-season record, 1884–1886; held NL single-season record, 1884-1892
49	Robby Thompson	873	0	873
50	Félix Millán	855	0	855
51	Brian Roberts	850	850	0
52	Del Pratt	849	849	0
53	Orlando Hudson	841	407	434
54	Ted Sizemore	835	31	804
55	Don Blasingame	834	224	610
	Chuck Knoblauch	834	834	0
57	Tito Fuentes	832	119	713
58	Johnny Temple	829	175	654
59	Johnny Ray	828	263	565
60	Mark McLemore	823	815	8
61	Bucky Harris *	817	817	0	Held single-season record, 1921–1928; held American League single-season record, 1921-1935
62	Eddie Stanky	816	0	816
63	Tony Cuccinello	812	2	810	Held single-season record, 1931–1935; held National League single-season record, 1931-1950
64	Davey Lopes	811	171	640
65	Tony Lazzeri *	808	798	10
66	Tommy Helms	807	0	807
67	Ronnie Belliard	801	238	563
68	Aaron Hill	800	539	261
69	Eric Young	786	13	773
70	Bobby Ávila	785	764	21
71	Dan Uggla	784	0	784
72	Julio Cruz	780	780	0
73	Bobby Knoop	779	779	0
	Fernando Viña	779	275	504
75	Damion Easley	772	666	106
76	Adam Kennedy	769	606	163
77	Carlos Baerga	759	552	207
	Davey Johnson	759	600	159
79	Glenn Beckert	758	0	758
80	Mark Grudzielanek	744	259	485
	Jerry Remy	744	744	0
82	Delino DeShields	743	100	643
83	Bill Doran	742	5	737
84	Rougned Odor (0)	739	726	13
84	Sandy Alomar	729	710	19
86	DJ LeMahieu (0)	724	91	633
87	Plácido Polanco	718	463	255
88	Dick Green	712	712	0
89	Larry Doyle	698	0	698
90	Jim Gilliam	696	0	628	Includes 68 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete)
91	Horace Clarke	695	689	6
92	Jonathan Schoop (0)	691	674	17
93	Jody Reed	690	449	241
94	Brian Dozier	689	606	83
	Johnny Evers *	689	1	688
96	Rennie Stennett	687	0	687
97	Ron Hunt	685	0	685
98	Howie Kendrick	682	585	97
99	Kolten Wong (0)	670	21	649
100	Mickey Morandini	669	28	641

Other Hall of Famers

Player	Double plays as a second baseman			Other leagues, notes
	MLB	American League	National League
Rod Carew *	664	664	0
Jackie Robinson *	607	0	607
Miller Huggins *	597	0	597
Rabbit Maranville *	311	0	311	Held National League single-season record, 1924-1928
Paul Molitor *	279	279	0
John Montgomery Ward *	167	0	167
George Kelly *	84	0	84
John Henry Lloyd *	53	0	0	Includes 53 in Eastern Colored League (incomplete)
Ed Delahanty *	52	0	45	Includes 7 in Players' League
Roger Connor *	32	0	207
George Davis *	32	26	6
Ray Dandridge *	23	0	0	Includes 93 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete)
Joe Cronin *	18	0	18
Martín Dihigo *	12	0	0	Includes 9 in American Negro League, 2 in Eastern Colored League, 1 in Negro National League (second) (incomplete)
Adrián Beltré *	0	0	0
Frank Grant *	0	0	0	Unavailable pre-Negro league figures

External links

• "Career Leaders & Records for Double Plays Turned as 2B". Baseball-Reference.com.