Don Mattingly Biography 2025 | Donnie Baseball Full Career, Stats, Managerial Record & Legacy

Don Mattingly — Biography, Career & Managerial Record

Donald Arthur "Don" Mattingly (nicknamed "Donnie Baseball") is an American former Major League Baseball player best known for his stellar career with the New York Yankees and later work as a coach and manager.

Born: April 20, 1961 — Evansville, Indiana, U.S.
Primary roles: First baseman (player), Coach, Manager
MLB playing career: 1982–1995 (New York Yankees)

Early life & background

Don Mattingly grew up in Evansville, Indiana and attended Reitz Memorial High School. He was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 19th round of the 1979 MLB Draft and progressed through the minor league system before making his major-league debut in September 1982.

Playing career (1982–1995)

Mattingly was the Yankees' regular first baseman through much of the 1980s and early 1990s. He earned a reputation for excellent contact hitting, strong defense at first base, and consistently high batting averages during his peak years. Mattingly won the American League Most Valuable Player award in 1985 after a standout season, and he was selected to multiple All-Star teams and won several Gold Glove awards.

Highlights:

• AL MVP (1985)
• 6× All-Star (1984–1989)
• 9× Gold Glove Awards (first base defense)
• Known for high batting averages and low strikeout totals during his peak.

Career statistics (regular season)

Statistic	Value
Games	1,965
At-bats	7,003
Hits	2,153
Batting average	.307
Home runs	222
Runs batted in (RBI)	1,099
On-base % (OBP)	.358
OPS	.829

These career totals reflect Mattingly's major-league regular-season numbers during his time as a player (1982–1995).

Injuries & later playing years

Mattingly's later career was affected by recurring back problems that reduced his power and playing time in the 1990s. Despite injuries, he remained an important veteran presence on the Yankees roster until retiring after the 1995 season.

Coaching and managerial career

After retiring as a player, Mattingly moved into coaching. He served in multiple coaching roles (including hitting coach) before becoming manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers and later the Miami Marlins. He has also worked as a coach for other organizations and, in recent years, held coaching positions at the major-league level.

Managerial record (summary)

Mattingly's managerial career includes multi-season stints and thousands of games managed; win–loss totals and exact records are tracked on official manager statistic pages.

Playing style & legacy

Mattingly is widely remembered as one of the best contact hitters of his era and one of the finest defensive first basemen of the 1980s. Although he never played in a World Series (a quirk of timing for his era), his contributions are celebrated by Yankees fans and baseball historians alike.

Personal life

Mattingly has been involved in baseball as a family man and coach; he is known off the field for his quiet professionalism and longtime connection to the Yankees organization and the sport at large.

Quick facts

Full name	Donald Arthur Mattingly
Born	April 20, 1961 — Evansville, Indiana
MLB Debut	September 8, 1982 (New York Yankees)
Final game	October 1, 1995 (New York Yankees)
Primary team	New York Yankees (player)
Nickname	Donnie Baseball

Further reading & sources

For match-by-match details, complete statistics and managerial records see the official MLB player page, Baseball-Reference and other authoritative baseball sources listed in the footer below.

Sources: MLB official player page; Baseball-Reference; Wikipedia; ESPN — see links and notes below for verification.