Battey began his career with the Chicago White Sox but blossomed during his tenure with the Twins when he was recognized as one of the top catchers in the American League by winning three consecutive Gold Glove Awards between 1960 and 1962.

[1] Battey was assigned to the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in the Single-A Western League where he began his baseball career by hitting only a .158 batting average in 26 games.

[3] Although both Sievers and Miñoso combined for three 20-home run seasons, two All-Star appearances, one Gold Glove award in 1960 and 1961 with the White Sox, the rest of the players the team received in trade were largely of the replacement level.

[13] Battey became the starting catcher for the Senators and immediately showed his defensive abilities, leading the American League in assists and putouts for four consecutive years (1960 to 1963).

Building on his breakout 1960 season, Battey ended 1961 with a .302 batting average, sixth best in the American League, and won his second Gold Glove Award.

[1][23] He also set a record for major league catchers by picking off 15 base runners as he won his third consecutive Gold Glove Award.

[24][25] The Twins, long an American League doormat while in Washington, finished a surprising second in the standings with 91 wins, 5 games behind the World Series-winning New York Yankees.

[26] Battey had his finest season at the plate in 1963, hitting .285 while setting career highs in home runs (26), RBIs (84), and slugging percentage (.476).

He placed seventh in American League Most Valuable Player Award balloting (behind Killebrew and winner and fellow catcher Elston Howard).

[1] He was nevertheless selected for his fourth and final All-Star team, and replaced the starting catcher, Tiger Bill Freehan, in the bottom of the game's sixth inning.

[38] Richard Kendall of the Society for American Baseball Research devised a study that ranked Battey as the seventh most dominating fielding catcher in major league history.

[41] In 1961, Battey became one of the first Major League players to wear an earflap on his batting helmet, after twice suffering broken cheekbones when hit by pitches.

Taking 34 credits a semester, he finished his undergraduate degree in Education in 2½ years, while coaching the men's basketball team, and was accorded the distinction of Summa Cum Laude honors.

[8] Battey was also part of a charity program sponsored by Consolidated Edison whereby children were given free bleacher tickets to New York Yankee games.