Barry Larkin Biography

Barry Louis Larkin, born on April 28, 1964, is an American former professional baseball player who played as a shortstop. He spent his entire 19-year Major League Baseball career with the Cincinnati Reds, from 1986 to 2004. After retiring from professional play, Larkin served in a front-office role with the Washington Nationals and later joined ESPN as a baseball analyst. He earned nine Silver Slugger awards, three Gold Glove awards, and was named the National League Most Valuable Player in 1995. Initially accepting a football scholarship to the University of Michigan under coach Bo Schembechler, he chose to focus solely on baseball during his freshman year. He was honored as Big Ten Player of the Year in both 1984 and 1985. Larkin represented the United States in baseball at the 1984 Summer Olympics.