[Editor’s Note: Today we have a guest post from Eric Garment and Randall Sanders, who run the “MLB Jersey Numbers” site on Twitter, with your 2024 MLB Numbers Report. Enjoy! — PH]
Hello, Uni Watch readers! Many of you may follow either or both of our Twitter/X or Instagram accounts (both @NumbersMLB), but for those of you that don’t, this is our annual wrap-up of the unique numerical quirks of the 2024 MLB season. We track players that wore three or more unique numbers over a season, teams that handed out the same number three or more times, and players who were the first to wear a given number for their team in its history. We’ve also added a bonus section for a team that was particularly generous with handing out a couple of numbers this season, even to players that didn’t end up wearing them.
Starting off with players that wore three or more unique numbers this season, the crown goes to RHP Jesús Tinoco. Starting with the Rangers in #59, he made his way to the Cubs where he became only the second North Sider to wear #0 (after Marcus Stroman in 2022-23). After his stint in Chicago, he landed in Miami where the Marlins initially assigned him #92, which he ditched shortly after to take #38 for the remainder of the season. Recognition also goes to RHP Mike Baumann, who matched RHP Oliver Drake’s 2018 record of playing for five different teams in one season, though Baumann only wore three unique numbers across his five teams. RHP Matt Bowman also wore three unique numbers across four teams in 2024. Let’s take a look at the rest.
When it comes to teams, the White Sox led the way this season by handing out #27 to four different wearers – RHP Bryan Shaw, OF Rafael Ortega, OF Duke Ellis, and finally INF Brooks Baldwin. The White Sox also handed out #46 to three wearers, though they cut it close, as LHP Jake Eder was initially assigned his #46 before the All-Star break but didn’t wear it in a game until his lone appearance and Major League debut on September 17th. Here are the numbers that were handed out three or more times by the same team this season.
The Milwaukee Brewers appear twice there, having handed out #25 and #58 to three wearers each, but they could’ve had more! The Brewers handed out #25 on five different occasions this year, but the first two assignees (RHP Corbin Martin and the first stint of RHP Bradley Blalock) never got into a game before being removed from the active roster and having the number taken off of them. And RHP Joel Kuhnel was added to the Brewers active roster in #58 in late June, but didn’t appear in his short stint before leaving the active roster in favor of Rob Zastryzny, who picked up the number and didn’t let it go.
Finally, the players who were the first to wear a number for their teams. An asterisk is applied to Nationals RHP Zach Brzykcy here, as he became the first Washington National to wear #66, but the extended history of the franchise has two different Montreal Expos donning the number – RHP Bryn Smith in 1981 and RHP Derek Aucoin in 1996. C Gary Sánchez joins this list for the second year in a row, as he became the first Padre to wear #99 during the 2023 season. Here are the rest of the first timers.
And some other notable quirks from our tracker this year:
• 132 players wore two different numbers this year, with four of them doing it across three teams and one (RHP Yohan Ramírez) doing it across four
• The Marlins assigned 12 numbers to two players each, but didn’t manage to enter the three number club
• The Diamondbacks handed out #55 three times, but didn’t re-use a single number otherwise
• The other teams who only re-used one number this season were the Cardinals (#29) and the Nationals (#8) [don’t trust Baseball Reference if you cross-check this one, as it mistakenly lists Trey Lipscomb as wearing #21 – we promise he didn’t]
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned to our social media pages for our playoff and award posts later this year!
“The Marlins assigned 12 numbers to two players each, but didn’t manage to enter the three number club”
I read this quickly at first, missed the “each” and thought they used 12 unique numbers on just two players, which would have been HILARIOUS.
Question:
I asked for number 69, and the equipment manager told me it is banned by MLB.
Only to see it worn by a MLB pitcher a month later.
What is the story on this?
It is definitely not banned.
Only a handful of teams have ever assigned it (I remember several Pirates players over the years) and it’s usually to call ups. I’m guessing most teams just consider it taboo. It’s also an ugly looking number on a jersey, so no sweat if it isn’t given out.
What number were you giving of I may ask?
Not banned, but definitely “out of circulation” for many teams, for example NYY
I haven’t paying attention to the Twins vs number font and after seeing it like this I find it ugly. It just doesn’t suit them and their identity. They look like a cross between the Diamondbacks old font and the Vikings font.
It is trying too hard for sure. Kinda like the Mariners’ bespoke font but also different. And fully unnecessary.
Vinny Nittoli wore #56 for the one day he was on the Cubs major league roster at the end of June – but didn’t get into a game. He was then DFA’d and signed with the Orioles.
It’s positively astounding that Tinoco wore 4 different numbers but none are within 20 of each other! Has any player worn numbers further apart than 0 and 92 in the same season? I certainly can’t imagine anyone wore as varied a spread.
Luis Urias from the Mariners came out of Spring training wearing number 16. He got DFA’d then sent outright to Tacoma. He was then recalled to the team but by the time he got back 16 had been taken by coach Perry Hill who had to give up his number 6 to new Mariners manager Dan Wilson who wore 6 as a player with the Mariners. Urias switched to 23.
Mets third base coach Mike Sarbaugh has worn 64, 88, and 86 this season.
I thought the Mets “retired” 86, in honor of the best year in franchise history.
The “unique” number fonts are getting so tacky and just plain ugly. Ex: Padres, Mariners(navy), Brewers, Twins and D-Backs. Just stick with athletic/ block fonts !