30-30 in Baseball: Achieving the Rare Feat

In baseball, a 30-30 season is a feat achieved by hitting 30 or more home runs and stealing 30 or more bases in a single season. The 30-30 Club is the exclusive group of players who have done it.

It’s pretty rare to hit 30 homers and swipe 30 bases in a season. In fact, it’s only been done 42 times in MLB history. The last player to do it was Astros second baseman Jose Altuve who accomplished the feat in 2016.

It takes a special combination of power and speed to pull off a 30-30 season. Not everyone has what it takes. In fact, some of the greatest players of all time have never done it.

So what does it take to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases in a single season? Let’s take a closer look at the rare feat.

30-30 Club: A History

In baseball, the 30–30 club is the group of batters who have collected 30 base hits and stolen 30 bases in the same season. To date, only 42 Major League Baseball (MLB) players have accomplished this feat. The 30–30 club was first recognized in 88 MLB seasons ago in1922. Of the 42 members, 27 have been outfielders, eight have been infielders, six have been catchers, and one has been a pitcher.

The most recent members of the club are outfielders Mookie Betts and Connor Scott. Betts accomplished the feat in 2019 with the Boston Red Sox while Scott did so in 2020 with the Miami Marlins Of the 42 members of the club, only four – Willie Mays, Barry Bonds Alex Rodriguez and Alfonso Soriano – are also members of baseball’s 500 home run club; Mays is also a member of the 3,000 hit club. Nine players – including all four of those above – have won a Most Valuable Player Award in their careers (Mays twice); all but Robin Yount Larry Walker and Jeff Kent played in at least one MLB All-Star Game

The rarity of the 30–30 achievement is reflected by the fact that as recently as 2012 only six active Major League players had ever reached the milestone. In total, 31 unique players reach 30–30 mark at least once in their career; 11 achieved it more than once (with Jose Bautista being the only player to do so three times). Outfielder Curtis Granderson was on pace to become only the fourth player to achieve three consecutive seasons of 30–30 play when he stolen his 30th base on September 20, 2011; however he was unable to maintain his batting average above .300 for long enough to complete the trifecta.

The 30-30 Club: Membership and Requirements

In baseball, the 30-30 club is a group of batters who have achieved both a batting average of .300 and 30 stolen bases in the same season. The club’s members are considered to be among the best all-around players in the game.

requirements for membership are simple: a player must accumulate 30 stolen bases and hit at least .300 in the same season. The rare feat has only been accomplished by 37 different players in MLB history.

What separates the members of the 30-30 club from other great hitters is their ability to also excel on the base paths. In order to steal 30 bases, a player must not only have speed, but also the ability to read pitchers and get good jumps on their throws. And while most power hitters focus on hitting for home run power, members of the 30-30 club have shown an ability to hit for both power and average.

The first player to achieve the feat was Hall of Famer Ty Cobb, who did it in 1907. Since then, some of baseball’s greatest players have been members of the club, including Hank Aaron Willie Mays, Barry Bonds Alex Rodriguez and Alfonso Soriano.

30-30 in Today’s Game

In order to achieve the rare 30-30 feat in baseball, a player must hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season. Since the creation of the modern day baseball schedule in 1876, only 55 players have accomplished this. The most recent player to do it was Houston Astros’ shortstop Carlos Correa in 2017.

The last player to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases in a season prior to Correa was Jose Reyes of the Miami Marlins in 2008. Reyes, who is currently a free agent is also the last National League Player to Reach the 30-30 mark. Barry Bonds holds the all-time record for most 30-30 seasons with eight, while Alex Rodriguez and Sammy Sosa are tied for second with seven apiece.

Of the 55 players who have accomplished the feat, only four have done it more than once: Bonds, Rodriguez, Sosa and Alfonso Soriano. Soriano is the only player to have done it twice since 1997, accomplishing the feat in both 2006 and 2008 while with the Washington Nationals

While it is a rare occurrence, several current MLB players have a chance at reaching the 30-30 club this season. According to ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle, Milwaukee Brewers’ outfielder Christian Yelich (27 HR, 20 SB), Chicago Cubs’ third baseman Kris Bryant (26 HR, 12 SB) and Los Angeles Angels’ center fielder Mike Trout (24 HR, 23 SB) are all on pace to join exclusive group.

30-30: The Future

In baseball, a 30-30 season is achieved when a player hits 30 or more home runs and steals 30 or more bases in a single season. It’s an incredibly rare feat, and only 15 players have done it in Major League history.

With the rising popularity of home run hitting and the increasing number of teams employing SABR-minded front offices that prioritize on-base percentage and Slugging percentage over batting average and stolen bases, it’s easier than ever for hitters to go deep and rack up RBIs. The following five active players have the best chance at joining the 30-30 club in 2019.

30-30 in the Minor Leagues

In baseball, 30-30 means a player has 30 stolen bases and 30 Home Runs in a season. It is considered a significant achievement, partly because it is rare (fewer than 50 players have done it in the majors in a season) and partly because it requires a special combination of power and speed. Players who achieved 30-30 in the minor leagues include Eric Davis Juan Gonzalez Albert Belle, and Alex Rodriguez.

30-30 in Other Professional Leagues

In Major League Baseball a player who hits 30 home runs and steals 30 bases in the same season is said to have achieved the rare feat of 30-30. Although it is considered a significant accomplishment in baseball, other professional leagues have had players achieve similar or even more impressive numbers.

In the National Basketball Association (NBA), for example, several players have achieved the much more difficult 40-40 mark. The most recent player to accomplish this was Los Angeles Lakers star Lebron James who averaged 27.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game during the 2017-2018 season This feat has only been achieved 14 times in NBA history

In Major League Soccer (MLS), there have been two players who have not only achieved 30-30, but 40-40 as well. The first was New York Red Bulls star Juan Pablo Angel, who did it in 2007 with 19 goals and 10 assists. The second was FC Dallas midfielder Mauro Diaz, who tallied 16 goals and 18 assists in 2016.

Achievements like these are what make professional sports so exciting to watch. It is always impressive to see athletes push themselves to their limits and achieve something that very few people have been able to do.

30-30 in College

In baseball, 30-30 refers to the rare feat of a player hitting 30 home runs and stealing 30 bases in the same season. It’s only been accomplished 18 times in college history, by just 12 different players. Here’s a look at the most recent players to join this select group.

30-30 in High School

30-30 is a very rare feat in high school baseball only achievable by the top .1% of hitters. This hit rate is so elite, that only 4 players have done it in the last 10 years. To put this into perspective, out of the 500,000+ High School baseball players in the United States only 400 have hit 30 home runs and stolen 30 bases in a single season. That’s 0.08%.

If you’re lucky enough to be one of the few who hit 30-30 in high school you’re automatically apart of an elite group of hitters. You’re now among some of the greats to ever play the game including Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds Alex Rodriguez, and Mike Trout All four of these MVP caliber players hit 30-30 at least once in their careers, with Griffey Jr. doing it an astonishing SIX times.

So what does it take to be a 30-30 hitter in high school? For starters, you need raw power and speed. You need to be able to hit for both average and power, while also being one of the fastest runners on your team. It’s not an easy feat by any means, but if you can do it, you’re guaranteed to have a bright future in baseball.

30-30: Achieving the Rare Feat

In baseball, a 30-30 season is when a player hits at least 30 home runs and steals at least 30 bases. It’s a rare feat, and one that has only been accomplished by a handful of players in the history of the sport.

The first player to reach the 30-30 mark was Babe Ruth who did it in 1920. Since then, there have been just 11 other players who have achieved the feat. The most recent was Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays who did it in 2010.

Players who have accomplished the 30-30 feat are typically some of the best all-around players in the game. They have a unique combination of power and speed that makes them dangerous at the plate and on the base paths.

There have been just 13 seasons in which a player has hit 30 home runs and stolen 30 bases. That’s an average of roughly one every five years. So if you’re lucky enough to witness a player achieve this rare feat, you’re seeing something truly special.

30-30 in Baseball: Achieving the Rare Feat