Barry Larkin

Barry Larkin is a National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, Co-Owner and Board Member of Baseball United, and one of the most accomplished shortstops in Major League Baseball history. Spending his entire 19-year MLB career with the Cincinnati Reds, Larkin became the face of the franchise through elite defense, offensive production, leadership, and consistency while earning 12 All-Star selections and helping lead the club to a championship in the 1990 World Series.

Larkin advanced quickly through the Reds organization. By his third full season, he was an All-Star, posting a .296 average with 91 runs scored, 32 doubles, and 40 stolen bases. His championship highlight came when he finished seventh in National League MVP voting after hitting .301 with 30 steals and 67 RBIs, contributing to the Reds' wire-to-wire division win and a World Series sweep over Oakland, during which he hit .353. Larkin’s peak seasons included three consecutive Gold Glove Awards, a National League MVP Award after hitting .319 during a division title run, and becoming the first shortstop—and only the second Reds player—to achieve a 30-home run, 30-stolen base season.

Larkin’s impact on the shortstop position was noted by teammate Ken Griffey Jr., who credited him with changing how teams evaluated and drafted shortstops. Larkin won nine Silver Slugger awards, three Gold Glove awards, and the National League Most Valuable Player Award. Over his 19 seasons, he batted .295 with 2,340 hits, including 441 doubles and 76 triples, drove in 960 runs, scored 1,329, stole 379 bases, and recorded more walks than strikeouts. Baseball writer Bill James ranked Larkin sixth all-time among shortstops in his book, "New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract." Larkin was also named the Reds' captain, the first to hold the title since Dave Concepción.

Despite injuries in the latter part of his career, including neck surgery, Larkin was named an All-Star in his final season. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, becoming the eighth Reds player and 24th shortstop to be honored. Larkin is also among the select group of Hall of Famers who played their entire careers with one club and is one of three to do so for the Cincinnati Reds. His number 11 was retired by the Reds in a ceremony at Great American Ball Park.

After his playing career, Larkin joined MLB Network as a studio analyst and later served as an analyst for ESPN's "Baseball Tonight." He also worked as bench coach for the U.S. team during the World Baseball Classic and managed Brazil's WBC teams. In addition to broadcasting and coaching, Larkin opened Champions Sports Complex in Orlando, a 92,000-square-foot player development and training facility. Larkin’s career is noted for his excellence, leadership, and ongoing contributions to baseball as a broadcaster, coach, and mentor.