Baseball is one of the most challenging sports in the world. The ability to hit a round ball with a round bat – or fire a blazing fastball by hitters – is a great equalizer.
But how tall do you need to be to reach Major League Baseball? According to official data from Stathead, the average height of an MLB player is 6 feet 1.58 inches (186.9 centimeters) for the 2025 season.
That’s about half an inch shorter than the average NFL player, and a full 5 inches smaller than the typical NBA player. Yet it’s only 4.5 inches taller than the average American male (5 feet 9 inches).
So, if you’re on the smaller side, baseball might give you a better shot of turning pro than the other major sports.
I dove deep into the data to uncover the average height at every single position group in Major League Baseball – yes, even pinch hitters. Let’s go around the horn and break it down.
- Average Height of an MLB Pitcher
- Average Height of an MLB Catcher
- Average Height of an MLB First Baseman
- Average Height of an MLB Second Baseman
- Average Height of an MLB Third Baseman
- Average Height of an MLB Shortstop
- Average Height of an MLB Outfielder
- Average Height of an MLB Designated Hitter
- MLB Size FAQs
Average Height of an MLB Pitcher
The average height of an MLB pitcher is 6 feet 2.5 inches (189.24 centimeters) for the 2025 season.
On average, pitchers are the tallest position in baseball today. But don’t be fooled.
There is a full 16-inch height difference between the tallest MLB pitcher (6’11” Sean Hjelle) and his 5’7″ counterpart Marcus Stroman. In fact, there were 76 pitchers listed under 6 feet tall who appeared in the big leagues in 2024.
At the end of the day, size is a negligible factor on the mound.
Big league pitchers succeed because of their pinpoint accuracy, pitch movement, velocity, and mental toughness.
Average Height of an MLB Catcher
The average height of an MLB catcher is 6 feet 0.08 inches(183.1 centimeters) for the 2025 season.
Catchers are the captains of the field – tasked with calling pitches, aligning the defense, keeping baserunners in check, and much more.
At the major league level, the best catchers can hit, throw runners out, block wild pitches, frame strikes, and play the majority of the 162-game season.
There is a 9-inch height difference between the shortest and tallest catchers in the league. 5’8″ Tucker Barnhart and Alejandro Kirk are dwarfed by 6’5″ backstop Jacob Stallings.
Height has little bearing on big league success at this position especially – just compare 5’10” William Contreras’ 2024 stats to every other catcher in baseball.
Average Height of an MLB First Baseman
The average height of an MLB first baseman is 6 feet 0.82 inches (184.96 centimeters) for the 2025 season.
First basemen are known for their power – plain and simple. Look at the home run leaderboard for any MLB season and you’ll likely see first basemen taking up a lot of real estate. Now with sluggers like Bryce Harper shifting to first, the position is only getting more powerful.
Listed at 5’8″, utility man Donovan Solano is one of the smallest players to play first base in the league today. He’s 9 inches shorter than 6’5″ powerhouse Michael Toglia.
Average Height of an MLB Second Baseman
The average height of an MLB second baseman is 5 feet 11.17 inches (180.77 centimeters) for the 2025 season.
Statistically the shortest position in MLB, the keystone is home to some of the smallest players in baseball history.
While 5’6″ Jose Altuve has since moved to left field, he’s historically been one of the league’s shortest second baseman alongside 5’6″ Tony Kemp and 5’7″ Ozzie Albies.
101 different players under 6 feet occupied the keystone for at least one game in the 2024 MLB season.
Average Height of an MLB Third Baseman
The average height of an MLB third baseman is 5 feet, 11.94 inches (182.74 centimeters) for the 2025 season.
Coming in at a hair under six feet, the hot corner boasts some of the best hitters and Gold Glove defenders in Major League Baseball – 6’5″ Alec Bohm, 6’4″ Kris Bryant, and 6’2″ Nolan Arenado among them.
5’7″ Jamie Westbrook was the shortest guy to play the hot corner in the 2024 MLB season.
Average Height of an MLB Shortstop
The average height of an MLB shortstop is 5 feet 11.53 inches (181.68 centimeters) for the 2025 season.
Shortstops are typically the strongest defenders in the infield – making diving stops, turning double plays, and firing the ball from deep in the hole. But these days, they’re expected to hit too.
Established stars like Trea Turner (6’1″) have set the bar high for up-and-comers like CJ Abrams (6’0″) and Elly De La Cruz (6’5″) at the position.
There is a 12-inch height disparity between the tallest (6’7″ Oneil Cruz) and smallest (5’7″ Javier Sanoja) shortstop in the league. However, that gap will get even wider whenever Mets prospect Jett Williams (5’6″) gets called up.
Average Height of an MLB Outfielder
The average height of an MLB outfielder is 6 feet 0.34 inches (183.77 cm centimeters) for the 2025 season.
MLB outfielders are an interesting bunch, and probably the most diverse position group in terms of skillset.
You have smaller guys like Cedric Mullins (5’8″) and Mookie Betts (5’9″) who are legitimate 5-tool players. Then you have outfielders who are pretty much known for one thing, like 5’10” Tyler O’Neill (power) and 5’9″ Myles Straw (defense).
The tallest MLB outfielders, Aaron Judge and James Wood, are both 6’7″. They tower over Tony Kemp (5’6″) and Masataka Yoshida (5’8″).
There is a 13-inch height difference between Judge and Kemp.
Average Height of an MLB Designated Hitter
The average height of an MLB designated hitter (DH) is 6 feet 0.38 inches (183.85 centimeters) for the 2025 season.
The DH has been around since 1973 but wasn’t adopted league-wide until 2022. Some of the greatest hitters of all time were penciled in as everyday DHs, like Edgar Martinez and David Ortiz.
At the MLB level, these guys have the luxury of not having to worry about defense. But that makes the position so much more competitive. After all, there are only 30 DH spots up for grabs.
When considering the DH, most baseball fans think of big-time power hitters like Giancarlo Stanton (6’6″) and Yordan Alvarez (6’5″). But there are smaller designated hitters around the league too – like Alejandro Kirk (5’8″), Randy Arozarena (5’10”), and Ty France (5’11”) to name a few.
As a bonus, I ran the numbers on pinch-hitters from last season. The average height of an MLB pinch hitter? 6 feet 0.18 inches (183.35 centimeters) – which puts them smack dab in the middle of all MLB position groups.
MLB Size FAQs
No, of course not. Pro ballplayers players come in all shapes and sizes. Looking for inspiration? Check out our list of the shortest MLB players of all time.
6’11” pitcher Sean Hjelle is the tallest player in Major League Baseball as of the 2025 MLB season. Hjelle is tied for the tallest MLB player in history with former MLB pitcher Jon Rauch (savvy fans might remember his matchup with Altuve).
The median height of all MLB players is 6’2″ (187.96 centimeters). As a reminder, the median is the middle value in a data set.
Listed at 145 pounds, 6’0″ infielder Christopher Morel is the lightest player in Major League Baseball as of 2025.
Listed at 285 pounds, 6’8″ closer Félix Bautista is the heaviest player in Major League Baseball right now.
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