Average Height and Weight of MLB Center Fielders (2023)
I’ve been a collegiate sports performance coach for 20 years. One thing I always felt was effective was showing guys the heights and weights of players at their position in the pros.
It helped give many players the extra motivation needed to gain weight when they were able to compare themselves to guys at the next level.
So, this is essentially the same research I would share with players, but now I’m sharing it with you. I took the 40-Man Rosters for the 2023 Major League Baseball season, almost 1200 players total and broke them down by position.
For this guide, I took an average of the heights and weights of the 60 center fielders across the league. In addition, just for fun, I listed the tallest, shortest, heaviest and lightest center fielders as well. Go ahead and impress someone today with your newfound random baseball knowledge.
Editor’s Note: Many outfielders are versatile and can play multiple positions in the outfield. I used the official position listed on each guy’s mlb.com bio page.
Average Height of an MLB Center Fielder
The average height of a major league baseball center fielder is 73.38 inches (almost 6’1 1/2″).
Average Weight of an MLB Center Fielder
The average weight of a major league baseball center fielder is 198.68 pounds.
Who are the Tallest Center Fielders in Major League Baseball?
There are eight guys in the major leagues over 6’4″ playing center field and four that are 6’5″ or taller.
| Tallest Center Fielders in the MLB | ||
| Player | Height | Team |
| Kevin Alcantara | 6’6″ | Chicago Cubs |
| Sam Hilliard | 6’5″ | Atlanta Braves |
| Parker Meadows | 6’5″ | Detroit Tigers |
| Will Benson | 6’5″ | Cleveland Guardians |
Who are the Shortest Center Fielders in Major League Baseball?
There are 6 guys 5’10” or shorter, with the shortest center fielder in the league, Cedric Mullins, listed at 5’8″.
| Shortest Center Fielders in the MLB | ||
| Player | Height | Team |
| Cedric Mullins | 5’8″ | Baltimore Orioles |
| Otto Lopez | 5’10” | Toronto Blue Jays |
| Myles Straw | 5’10 | Cleveland Guardians |
| TJ Friedl | 5’10 | Cincinnati Reds |
| Travis Swaggerty | 5’10 | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Mike Yastrzemski | 5’10 | San Francisco Giants |
Who are the Heaviest Center Fielders in the MLB?
Center Fielders, overall, are one of the lighter position groups on the field, but there are still some pretty big guys patrolling the center of the outfield.
| Heaviest Center Fielders in the MLB | ||
| Player | Weight | Team |
| Sam Hilliard | 236 | Atlanta Braves |
| Mike Trout | 235 | Los Angeles Angels |
| Will Benson | 230 | Cleveland Guardians |
| Julio Rodriguez | 228 | Seattle Mariners |
| Trent Grisham | 224 | San Diego Padres |
| Jesus Sanchez | 222 | Miami Marlins |
Who are the Lightest Center Fielders in the MLB?
Here are the five lightest center fielders in Major League Baseball, all weighing 173 pounds or less.
| Lightest Center Fielders in the MLB | ||
| Player | Weight | Team |
| Christopher Morel | 145 | Chicago Cubs |
| Johan Rojas | 165 | Philadelphia Phillies |
| Alexander Canario | 165 | Chicago Cubs |
| Gilberto Celestino | 170 | Minnesota Twins |
| Mauricio Dubon | 173 | Houston Astros |
Final Thoughts
So, what did I learn?
Center Fielders, as a group, are tall and lean. This makes sense considering they need to be able to cover a lot of ground in the outfield.
They’re the 3rd tallest position group on average, behind only pitchers and 1st basemen.
However, they’re also the 3rd lightest position group, only heavier than shortstops and 2nd basemen.
Having said that, you still see guys of all different sizes. From 5’8″ and 175-pound Cedric Mullins to 6’5″ and 236-pound Sam Hilliard, it appears that what matters most is whether or not you can actually play the sport.
Finally, if you’d like to see the full position-by-position breakdown, check out the average heights and weights of major league baseball players by position.
