John Wockenfuss

Born: 2/27/1949 in Welch, WV, USA

Died: 8/19/2022 in Wilmington, DE, USA

MLB Debut: 1974-08-11 | Final Game: 1985-08-15

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 190 lbs

Full name: Johnny Bilton Wockenfuss

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Biography

John Wockenfuss, born in 1949, was a versatile position player who made a significant impact in Major League Baseball from 1974 to 1985. Over the course of his career, he played 795 games, recording 543 hits and achieving a batting average of .262. Known for his power at the plate, Wockenfuss hit 86 home runs and drove in 310 RBIs, contributing to his teams’ offensive efforts during a time when the game was beginning to see a shift towards more power-hitting players. His versatility allowed him to play multiple positions, showcasing his adaptability and value to the teams he played for. Wockenfuss was a part of the league during a transitional period in baseball, as the late 1970s and early 1980s saw the game evolve with the introduction of new strategies and player styles. While he was not known for his speed, evidenced by his total of 5 stolen bases, his keen batting eye and ability to get on base made him a reliable contributor. Through his 11-year career, Wockenfuss left his mark on the game, remembered for both his on-field performance and his unique contributions to the teams he played for, primarily with the Detroit Tigers.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
795	2072	267	543	73	11	86	310	5	277	278	0.262	0.349	0.432	0.782	4737.8

Career AVG .262 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .349 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — +7.5% above league average.

Career SLG .432 vs. league average .383 across their career seasons — +12.8% above league average.

Career OPS 0.782 vs. league average 0.708 across their career seasons — +10.4% above 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
1974	DET	AL	13	29	1	4	1	0	0	2	0	3	2	0.138	—	—	—	—	0.0
1975	DET	AL	35	118	15	27	6	3	4	13	0	10	15	0.229	.257 (-11%)	.327 (-12%)	.374 (+16%)	.701 (+3%)	-13.4
1976	DET	AL	60	144	18	32	7	2	3	10	0	17	14	0.222	.255 (-13%)	.320 (-4%)	.360 (avg)	.681 (-2%)	-34.4
1977	DET	AL	53	164	26	45	8	1	9	25	0	14	18	0.274	.264 (+4%)	.329 (+1%)	.401 (+25%)	.730 (+14%)	371.8
1978	DET	AL	71	187	23	53	5	0	7	22	0	21	14	0.283	.257 (+10%)	.323 (+10%)	.378 (+12%)	.702 (+11%)	409.4
1979	DET	AL	87	231	27	61	9	1	15	46	2	18	40	0.264	.265 (-1%)	.329 (-3%)	.397 (+27%)	.727 (+14%)	518.0
1980	DET	AL	126	372	56	102	13	2	16	65	1	68	64	0.274	.264 (+4%)	.326 (+19%)	.387 (+16%)	.714 (+17%)	1548.5
1981	DET	AL	70	172	20	37	4	0	9	25	0	28	22	0.215	.255 (-16%)	.320 (+1%)	.368 (+7%)	.688 (+4%)	160.9
1982	DET	AL	70	193	28	58	9	0	8	32	0	29	21	0.301	.261 (+15%)	.324 (+20%)	.388 (+21%)	.712 (+21%)	785.6
1983	DET	AL	92	245	32	66	8	1	9	44	1	31	37	0.269	.260 (+3%)	.324 (+7%)	.389 (+8%)	.714 (+8%)	398.1
1984	PHI	NL	86	180	20	52	3	1	6	24	1	30	24	0.289	.259 (+11%)	.322 (+21%)	.384 (+8%)	.707 (+14%)	593.5
1985	PHI	NL	32	37	1	6	0	0	0	2	0	8	7	0.162	—	—	—	—	0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	184	159	1275	85	15	132
3B	4	0	0	0	0	0
C	269	216	1212	119	39	17
OF	110	90	154	5	2	1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1974	DET	C	13	10	45	10	4	1
1975	DET	C	34	32	195	23	4	4
1976	DET	C	59	43	221	19	15	5
1977	DET	C	37	33	175	20	3	2
1977	DET	OF	9	7	6	0	0	0
1978	DET	OF	60	49	89	2	2	0
1979	DET	1B	31	25	205	18	1	22
1979	DET	C	20	18	109	8	2	0
1979	DET	OF	6	6	4	0	0	0
1980	DET	1B	52	45	415	35	8	41
1980	DET	C	25	23	123	10	3	2
1980	DET	OF	23	20	37	2	0	1
1981	DET	1B	25	23	179	5	3	27
1981	DET	C	5	2	15	1	0	0
1981	DET	OF	1	0	3	0	0	0
1982	DET	1B	17	14	122	3	0	9
1982	DET	3B	1	0	0	0	0	0
1982	DET	C	24	18	91	10	2	0
1982	DET	OF	10	8	15	1	0	0
1983	DET	1B	13	16	84	10	2	8
1983	DET	3B	1	0	0	0	0	0
1983	DET	C	29	22	141	11	0	2
1983	DET	OF	1	0	0	0	0	0
1984	PHI	1B	39	32	231	13	1	20
1984	PHI	3B	2	0	0	0	0	0
1984	PHI	C	21	15	92	7	6	1
1985	PHI	1B	7	4	39	1	0	5
1985	PHI	C	2	0	5	0	0	0