Mel Roach

Born: 1/25/1933 in Richmond, VA, USA

Died: 7/31/2023 in Richmond, VA, USA

MLB Debut: 1953-07-31 | Final Game: 1962-09-28

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 190 lbs

Full name: Melvin Earl Roach

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Biography

Mel Roach was a professional baseball player born in 1933, who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1953 until his retirement on September 28, 1962. Primarily playing as a position player, Roach participated in a total of 227 games throughout his career. He recorded 119 hits, with 7 home runs and 43 runs batted in, finishing his time in the league with a batting average of .238. Known for his speed on the basepaths, he also stole 1 base during his tenure. Roach's career unfolded during a transformative period in baseball, characterized by shifting player dynamics and the gradual integration of the sport. His contributions on the field, while not overwhelming in terms of statistics, reflected the grit and determination of players during an era when competition was fierce and the game was evolving. Though he may not be among the most celebrated figures in baseball history, his journey through the major leagues remains a testament to the dedication and passion required to succeed at the highest level of the sport.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
227	499	42	119	25	0	7	43	1	24	75	0.238	0.275	0.331	0.606	-412.9

Career AVG .238 vs. league average .259 across their career seasons — 7.8% below league average.

Career OBP .275 vs. league average .327 across their career seasons — 16.0% below league average.

Career SLG .331 vs. league average .393 across their career seasons — 15.9% below league average.

Career OPS 0.606 vs. league average 0.721 across their career seasons — 16.0% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1953	ATL	NL	5	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.000	—	—	—	—	0.0
1954	ATL	NL	3	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.000	—	—	—	—	0.0
1957	ATL	NL	7	6	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	0.167	—	—	—	—	0.0
1958	ATL	NL	44	136	14	42	7	3	10	0	6	15	0.309	.257 (+20%)	.324 (+3%)	.394 (+8%)	.719 (+6%)	116.2
1959	ATL	NL	19	31	1	3	0	0	0	0	2	4	0.097	—	—	—	—	0.0
1960	ATL	NL	48	140	12	42	12	3	18	0	6	19	0.300	.255 (+18%)	.323 (+2%)	.387 (+16%)	.711 (+9%)	174.1
1961	ATL	NL	13	36	3	6	0	1	6	0	2	4	0.167	—	—	—	—	0.0
1961	CHC	NL	23	39	1	5	2	0	1	1	3	9	0.128	—	—	—	—	0.0
1962	PHI	NL	65	105	9	20	4	0	8	0	5	19	0.190	.257 (-26%)	.326 (-31%)	.393 (-42%)	.719 (-37%)	-703.2

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	16	7	97	5	1	10
2B	77	54	105	141	8	23
3B	28	13	15	25	2	2
OF	44	41	62	3	6	0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1953	ML1	2B	1	0	0	0	0	0
1954	ML1	1B	1	0	3	0	0	2
1957	ML1	2B	5	1	4	3	0	0
1958	ML1	1B	1	0	4	1	0	0
1958	ML1	2B	27	25	56	80	1	13
1958	ML1	OF	7	6	5	1	2	0
1959	ML1	2B	8	3	8	14	3	2
1959	ML1	3B	1	0	0	0	0	0
1959	ML1	OF	4	4	4	2	2	0
1960	ML1	1B	1	0	4	0	0	0
1960	ML1	2B	20	17	26	29	3	5
1960	ML1	3B	1	0	1	0	0	0
1960	ML1	OF	21	20	39	0	1	0
1961	ML1	1B	2	1	18	0	0	0
1961	ML1	OF	9	9	12	0	0	0
1961	CHN	1B	7	5	50	3	1	8
1961	CHN	2B	7	4	3	5	1	0
1962	PHI	1B	4	1	18	1	0	0
1962	PHI	2B	9	4	8	10	0	3
1962	PHI	3B	26	13	14	25	2	2
1962	PHI	OF	3	2	2	0	1	0