Matt Merullo, baseball player, 1989-1995

Matt Merullo

Born: 8/4/1965 in Winchester, MA, USA

MLB Debut: 1989-04-12 | Final Game: 1995-09-29

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 200 lbs

Full name: Matthew Bates Merullo

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Biography

Matt Merullo, born in 1965, was a professional baseball player who played as a position player from 1989 to 1995. Over his career, he appeared in 223 games, showcasing his skills primarily as a catcher and utility player. Merullo made a name for himself in a transitional era of baseball, where the game was beginning to shift toward more offensive strategies, although he was not known for his power hitting. He finished his career with 116 hits, 7 home runs, and 59 RBIs, culminating in a batting average of .234. Throughout his time in Major League Baseball, Merullo played for several teams, including the Chicago White Sox and the New York Mets, contributing to their rosters with versatility and a solid defensive presence behind the plate. Despite not being a major offensive force, his understanding of the game and ability to play multiple positions made him a valuable teammate during his tenure. Merullo's career, spanning across the early 1990s, reflects the evolving landscape of baseball, where players were increasingly called upon to adapt to various roles within the team framework.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
223 496 37 116 17 2 7 59 0 32 69 0.234 0.281 0.319 0.600 -1202.9

Career AVG .234 vs. league average .261 across their career seasons — 10.4% below league average.

Career OBP .281 vs. league average .329 across their career seasons — 14.5% below league average.

Career SLG .319 vs. league average .396 across their career seasons — 19.5% below league average.

Career OPS 0.600 vs. league average 0.725 across their career seasons — 17.3% below 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
1989 CHW AL 31 81 5 18 1 0 1 8 0 6 14 0.222 .254 (-13%) .319 (-15%) .375 (-28%) .694 (-22%) -283.2
1991 CHW AL 80 140 8 32 1 0 5 21 0 9 18 0.229 .255 (-11%) .323 (-17%) .384 (-11%) .708 (-14%) -393.2
1992 CHW AL 24 50 3 9 1 1 0 3 0 1 8 0.180 .255 (-30%) .322 (-36%) .377 (-36%) .699 (-36%) -310.3
1993 CHW AL 8 20 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.050 — — — — 0.0
1994 CLE AL 4 10 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0.100 — — — — 0.0
1995 MIN AL 76 195 19 55 14 1 1 27 0 14 27 0.282 .266 (+6%) .337 (-1%) .417 (-9%) .755 (-5%) -216.3

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 18 10 85 8 1 10
C 120 87 475 32 10 3

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1989 CHA C 27 21 100 10 3 0
1991 CHA 1B 16 10 80 6 1 10
1991 CHA C 27 13 79 8 1 1
1992 CHA C 16 12 64 3 2 0
1994 CLE C 4 4 22 0 1 0
1995 MIN 1B 2 0 5 2 0 0
1995 MIN C 46 37 210 11 3 2

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 120
First Base 18
Designated Hitter 27

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
1995 MIN AL $200,000
1994 CLE AL $160,000
1993 CHA AL $150,000
1992 CHA AL $140,000
Total Career Earnings $650,000

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill NC 1984, 1985, 1986