John Ellis

Born: 8/21/1948 in New London, CT, USA

Died: 4/6/2022 in New Haven, CT, USA

MLB Debut: 1969-05-17 | Final Game: 1981-10-03

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 225 lbs

Full name: John Charles Ellis

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Biography

John Ellis, born in 1948, was a versatile position player who made a significant impact in Major League Baseball from 1969 until his retirement in 1981. Over the course of his career, he played in 883 games, accumulating 699 hits and a batting average of .262. Known for his offensive contributions, Ellis hit 69 home runs and drove in 391 runs, showcasing his ability to produce in clutch situations. He also demonstrated speed on the bases, finishing his career with 6 stolen bases. Ellis's career unfolded during a dynamic period in baseball history, marked by the transition from the deadball era to a more offensive-minded game. He played for several teams, contributing to their success with his steady bat and adaptability on the field. While he may not have been among the most celebrated stars of his time, his consistent performance and reliability made him a valued player in the league. His journey through the game reflects the evolving nature of baseball during the 1970s, as players sought to redefine their roles and impact on the field.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
883	2672	259	699	116	13	69	391	6	190	403	0.262	0.312	0.392	0.704	-494.0

Career AVG .262 vs. league average .256 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .312 vs. league average .323 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .392 vs. league average .377 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.704 vs. league average 0.700 across their career seasons — near league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1969	NYY	AL	22	62	2	18	4	0	1	8	0	1	11	0.290	.248 (+17%)	.320 (-4%)	.369 (+9%)	.689 (+3%)	4.6
1970	NYY	AL	78	226	24	56	12	1	7	29	0	18	47	0.248	.253 (-2%)	.325 (-6%)	.385 (+4%)	.711 (avg)	-79.9
1971	NYY	AL	83	238	16	58	12	1	3	34	0	23	42	0.244	.249 (-2%)	.316 (+2%)	.365 (-7%)	.682 (-3%)	-86.4
1972	NYY	AL	52	136	13	40	5	1	5	25	0	8	22	0.294	.243 (+21%)	.310 (+7%)	.353 (+29%)	.664 (+19%)	375.7
1973	CLE	AL	127	437	59	118	12	2	14	68	0	46	57	0.270	.256 (+5%)	.325 (+4%)	.378 (+6%)	.703 (+5%)	454.1
1974	CLE	AL	128	477	58	136	23	6	10	64	1	32	53	0.285	.256 (+11%)	.324 (+2%)	.369 (+14%)	.693 (+8%)	626.4
1975	CLE	AL	92	296	22	68	11	1	7	32	0	14	33	0.230	.257 (-11%)	.327 (-19%)	.374 (-8%)	.701 (-13%)	-806.9
1976	TEX	AL	11	31	4	13	2	0	1	8	0	0	4	0.419	—	—	—	—	0.0
1977	TEX	AL	49	119	7	28	7	0	4	15	0	8	26	0.235	.264 (-11%)	.329 (-14%)	.401 (-2%)	.730 (-7%)	-168.0
1978	TEX	AL	34	94	7	23	4	0	3	17	0	6	20	0.245	.257 (-5%)	.323 (-13%)	.378 (+1%)	.702 (-5%)	-125.9
1979	TEX	AL	111	316	33	90	12	0	12	61	2	15	55	0.285	.265 (+7%)	.329 (-4%)	.397 (+10%)	.727 (+4%)	146.6
1980	TEX	AL	73	182	12	43	9	1	1	23	3	14	23	0.236	.264 (-11%)	.326 (-11%)	.387 (-19%)	.714 (-16%)	-525.5
1981	TEX	AL	23	58	2	8	3	0	1	7	0	5	10	0.138	.255 (-46%)	.320 (-32%)	.368 (-35%)	.688 (-33%)	-308.8

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	304	282	2583	149	30	224
3B	5	5	0	3	1	0
C	297	245	1306	123	33	17

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1969	NYA	C	15	15	83	7	2	1
1970	NYA	1B	53	49	449	37	4	35
1970	NYA	3B	5	5	0	3	1	0
1970	NYA	C	2	2	12	1	0	0
1971	NYA	1B	65	64	625	35	7	66
1971	NYA	C	2	0	0	0	0	0
1972	NYA	1B	8	7	63	1	1	4
1972	NYA	C	25	23	127	11	5	1
1973	CLE	1B	12	11	117	4	2	6
1973	CLE	C	72	70	370	27	8	5
1974	CLE	1B	69	68	667	37	6	57
1974	CLE	C	42	34	156	18	3	4
1975	CLE	1B	2	2	17	1	2	1
1975	CLE	C	84	72	396	44	11	3
1976	TEX	C	7	4	21	2	0	0
1977	TEX	1B	8	7	49	3	0	0
1977	TEX	C	16	5	40	2	0	1
1978	TEX	C	22	17	81	10	4	1
1979	TEX	1B	30	28	216	11	5	17
1979	TEX	C	7	3	16	1	0	1
1980	TEX	1B	39	33	240	12	2	22
1980	TEX	C	3	0	4	0	0	0
1981	TEX	1B	18	13	140	8	1	16