Rico Carty, who captured the 1970 National League batting title with a major-league-best .366 for the Atlanta Braves, has passed away at 85. Major League Baseball, the players’ association, and the Braves honored Carty on social media Sunday. A family friend informed ListÃn Diario, a newspaper from Carty’s native Dominican Republic, that he died Saturday night in an Atlanta hospital.
The players’ association described Carty as one of the pioneering Latino stars in Major League Baseball, beloved in his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris, the Dominican Republic, and in Atlanta, where he became a fan favorite.
The Braves expressed that Carty made a lasting impact on the organization, noting that while his on-field achievements will always be remembered, his warm smile and generosity will be deeply missed.
Carty debuted with the Braves in September 1963 and had an impressive rookie season in 1964, hitting .330 with 22 homers and 88 RBIs, finishing second to Dick Allen in NL Rookie of the Year voting. After the Braves moved to Atlanta in 1966, Carty got the franchise’s first hit in its new home on April 12, 1966, against Pittsburgh.
His standout year came in 1970 when he hit .366, with 25 homers and a career-high 101 RBIs, earning a spot in the All-Star Game as a write-in candidate. He joined legends like Willie Mays and Hank Aaron in the NL outfield. Over his 15-year career, Carty batted .299 with 204 homers and 890 RBIs, playing for Cleveland, Toronto, Oakland, Texas, and the Chicago Cubs before retiring after the 1979 season.