Top 25 MLB STARTING PITCHERS Of ALL TIME!! GIBSON, SPAHN, MADDUX Etc. Etc. - ELITE ARMS!!!

A starting pitcher is obviously vital to a team's success on any given day, at least until the age of bullpen games.  Still, on most days, it's the most important job on the field, as a strong starting performance gives a team a significant advantage while a poor starting performance can quickly destroy a team's chances for a victory.  The position is so important that as baseball evolved, teams realized the ability of a pitcher to hit well is so insignificant compared to their ability to pitch well, that they need not even practice it – their focus needs to be on pitching and getting hitters out, and so, pitchers became notoriously horrible at hitting until the DH was eventually adopted in the American League, and later across all of MLB, and now pitchers no longer have to hit, unless of course - they're actually good at it.

Throughout the history of baseball, hundreds of starting pitchers have had Hall of Fame careers, making this list extremely difficult.  Making it even tougher is comparing pitchers from the early 20th century to more modern arms. I do take inflated dead ball era numbers into consideration and some of those pitchers, while still considered for the list, might not be ranked as high as pitchers who faced more powerful bats. But ultimately, no matter who I put in the Top 25, I will have to leave off some legendary Hall of Famers. So, I’ll start with 15 quick honorable mentions who were considered for the main list but I just couldn’t quite squeeze them in.

Fergie Jenkins – Jenkins was the 1971 Cy Young Award Winner, and the first pitcher to end his career with at least 3,000 strikeouts and fewer than 1,000 walks.  He finished his career with 267 complete games, a shocking number for some one who pitched as recently as the 70’s and 80’s.

Roy Halladay – Doc Halladay was a 2-time Cy Young Award Winner and 8-time All Star who threw a perfect game in 2010 and later that year, a no-hitter in the playoffs. He led the league in complete games 7 times and is the last pitcher to pitch 260 innings in a season.

Phil Niekro – Niekro was a legendary knuckler, whose rare pitch allowed him to have an exceptionally long career that included 318 wins and 3,342 strikeouts. He was also a fantastic fielder who won 5 Gold Gloves.

Bret Saberghagen – a three-time All Star and 2-time Cy Young Award Winner, Saberhagen had a blazing fastball with pinpoint control. He was the 1985 Worlds Series MVP, going 2-0 with a .5 ERA, allowing just 1 run in 18 innings. In the 2 complete games, he walked 1 single batter. He is a major Hall of Fame snub.

Gaylord Perry – Perry was a 2-time Cy Young Award Winner notorious for his spitball and mind games with hitters. But he also had a strong fastball, deadly curve, and was extremely durable, coming in 6th all time in innings pitched. He is the last pitcher to retire with over 300 complete games.

Mike Mussina – Mussina may have never been the best, but he was among the best for 18 years, consistently winning between 14 and 20 games per season. He made 5 All Star games, won 7 Gold Gloves, and retired with an impressive 270-153 career record with over 3,500 strikeouts.

Tom Glavine – With his mastery of control, changing speeds and strategic intelligence, Glavine won 305 games throughout his 22 year career. He also won 2 Cy Young Awards and made 10 All Star teams, not to mention a World Series MVP in 1995, when he went 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in the Fall Classic.

Curt Schilling – My #1 Hall of Fame snub of all time is currently Curt Schilling, who had an incredible 20 year career in which he finished 2nd for the Cy Young Award 3 times, made 6 All Star Teams, led the league in complete games 4 times and struck out over 3,000 batters. But he was even better in the postseason, winning an NLCS MVP and Co-World Series MVP, going 10-2 with a 2.23 ERA in October, helping the Diamondbacks win their first World Series and helping the Red Sox break the Curse of the Bambino in legendary style.

Don Sutton – Sutton had incredible longevity, pitching 23 seasons, accumulating 5,282 innings pitched, 7th all time. He had his best years in the mid-70’s, when he finished in the Top 5 for the Cy Young in 5 straight years, making 4 All Star teams.

John Smoltz – Smoltzy was an elite 8-time All Star who put his name on the map with a legendary performance in the 1991 World Series, then went on to win a Cy Young in 1996 with a 24-8 record. Injuries forced him to miss a season then move to the bullpen, but he became a lockdown closer, leading the league with 55 saves in 2002.

Red Ruffing - Ruffing was a late bloomer who peaked in his 30’s after being traded to the Yankees. He won at least 20 games for 4 straight seasons, going from an innings-eating middle of the rotation starter to an Ace and Hall of Famer.

CC Sabathia – One of the best arms of the late 2000’s and early 2010’s, 6-time All Star CC Sabathia won a Cy Young in 2007 with the Cleveland Indians, then went on to help the Yankees win the World Series in 2009, going 19-8 in the regular season and then dominating in the playoffs, winning an ALCS MVP.

Smokey Joe Williams – a legend of the Negro Leagues for over 20 years, Williams was a strikeout machine who once struck out 27 batters over 12 innings while allowing a single hit. He threw several no-hitters, including one in an exhibition game against the New York Giants.

Satchell Paige – Paige was an extremely skilled pitcher known for his blazing fastball, pinpoint control, and diverse arsenal of trick pitches. His showmanship and longevity also defined his career, as he pitched professionally for over 40 years across the Negro Leagues and Major Leagues.

Since we’re only focusing on the modern era, I’m not talking about pitchers who primarily had their best years before 1903, but there is one more pitcher who also has to get a mention, and I’ve already said his name several times and will be repeating his name throughout the rest of the video – the legendary Cy Young.

Cy Young

“Cyclone Cy” would easily come in at #1 if we went back to the 19th Century. His career lasted from 1890 to 1911, 22 seasons, but his best years were before 1903. He put up numbers that will never be seen again, due to the way the game has evolved. But there is no doubt that among his peers, nobody was better. Cy Young dominated with a powerful fastball early in his career then incredible control later on. He had remarkable durability and was the ultimate "workhorse". Young won over 30 games 5 times and at least 20 games 16 times, retiring with a still MLB record 511 wins. He set a since broken MLB record with 3 career no-hitters and still holds the record for starts, complete games, and innings pitched. He completed 749 games in his career. Only 2 other pitchers even started that many games – Nolan Ryan and Don Sutton. Cy Young’s legendary status led to the naming of the Cy Young Award, given to the best pitcher in each league every season.

And now let's jump into the Top 25…

25. Bert Blyleven

Although he shockingly made just 2 All Star Teams, Blyleven was a workhorse and dominant starter for 22 years in the big leagues, with double-digit wins in 17 separate seasons. He retired with 287 wins and is in the top 15 all time in innings pitched and career WAR for starting pitchers. When he retired, he was 3rd all time in strikeouts and remains in the top 5 even today.

24. Eddie Plank

One of the best pitchers of the dead ball era, Plank won at least 20 games 8 times and finished his career with an insanely impressive 326-194 record with a 2.35 ERA. He also had a career 1.32 ERA in 7 World Series appearances, helping his A’s win 3 Championships. Plank was the first left-handed pitcher to reach 200 and 300 wins and still holds the record for most career shutouts and most complete games by a lefty.

23. Don Drysdale

An intimidating, hard throwing righty, Don Drysdale was a 9-time All Star and 1962 Cy Young Award winner who was one of the best pitchers in baseball during the 1960’s. That year, he went 25-9 with a 2.83 ERA. He helped his Dodgers win 3 World Series but unfortunately, injuries cut his career short.

22. Mordecai Brown

3-Finger Mordecai Brown had an insane 2.06 career ERA and 6 consecutive seasons with 20+ wins. In 1909, he went 27-9 with a 1.31 ERA and 32 complete games. His unique skillset was primarily defined by his exceptional curveball and sinker, which he developed as an advantage from a mangled pitching hand. His rare grip imparted an unusual spin on the ball, making his pitches highly deceptive during the dead-ball era. He also possessed excellent control and fielding skills. For his career, he went 239-130 with 271 complete games.

21. Juan Marichal

Next up is the Dominican Dandy, who made 10 All Star teams and won 243 games during his 16 year career. Known for his distinctive high leg kick, wide variety of pitches, and incredible stamina, Marichal holds the record for most wins in San Francisco Giants history. He won over 20 games in 6 of 7 seasons, an ERA title in 1969 and retired with 244 complete games, 52 shutouts and over 2,300 strikeouts.

20. Whitey Ford

Yankee Legend Whitey Ford is a 10-time All Star who won the Cy Young in 1961 when he went 25-4. That year, he also won a World Series MVP with 2 shutdown performances – he didn’t allow a single run in 14 innings of work. Ford led the league in wins 3 times and ERA twice. He retired with 236 wins, 2 ERA titles and 6 World Series rings.

19. Ed Walsh – The early 20th Century Hall of Famer Ed Walsh was known for a dominant spitball. He had an insane 6 year peak in which he won over 20 games 4 times including 40 in 1908. But what’s most impressive about Walsh – he has an MLB record for starting pitchers with a minimum of 1,000 innings pitched – a 1.82 career ERA and although he only started 315 games, he completed 250 of them and still compiled nearly 3,000 innings.

18. Carl Hubbell

Hubbell pitched for the New York Giants his entire 16 year career. He was great from the beginning, averaging 17 wins per year his first full four seasons, but in 1933, Hubbell won 23 games with a 1.66 ERA, winning the MVP Award. From that point on, he was absolutely elite, making 9 All Star teams, and winning over 20 games per season for 5 straight years. He won a second MVP in 1936 when he went 26-6. Hubbell retired with 253 wins, a 2.98 ERA, 260 complete games, and 36 shutouts.

17. Grover Cleveland Alexander

Pete Alexander, AKA Grover Cleveland, AKA Alexander the Great was a legendary early 20th century pitcher who had masterful control, a wide variety of breaking pitches and an easy, graceful delivery. He dominated hitters for two decades, and threw over 300 innings in 9 separate seasons. For a 6 year stretch from 1915 to 1920, he had a sub 2 ERA every season. His best numbers were during the dead ball era and he wasn’t quite as dominant in the 1920’s, but Alexander still retired with incredible career numbers – 373 wins, 436 complete games, 30 shutouts and 2,189 strikeouts.

16. Robin Roberts

Just missing out on the top 15 is 7-time All Star Robin Roberts, the best starting pitcher in baseball during the first half of the 1950’s. He threw over 300 innings for 6 straight seasons. Note that no pitcher today even comes close to 300 innings and no one has done it for 45 years. During that 6 year stretch, he never won less than 20 games, threw 24 shutouts, and led the league in strikeouts twice. The Cy Young Award was introduced in 1956, just after his insane peak. He would’ve easily won the award at least twice, maybe three times. Outside of that peak, he still had lots of success, including 10 seasons with double digit wins. He put forth an amazing performance in the 1950 World Series, throwing 10 innings, allowing 2 runs, but his offense only scored 1 and the Phillies lost the game and eventually, the series.

15. Sandy Koufax

Legendary Dodger Sandy Koufax is only this low on the list, because of his relatively short 12-year career cut short by chronic pain in his pitching elbow at the age of 30. He was also an average at best pitcher for his 1st 6 seasons. But over his final five seasons, Koufax went 111-34 with a 1.95 ERA, possibly the greatest 5-year peak for a starting pitcher in MLB history.  For those 5 seasons, he led the league in ERA every year, averaging over 22 wins per season, 3 times with at least 25 wins. He was a strikeout machine, setting a modern MLB record with 382 strikeouts in a single season. He won 3 Cy Young Awards, an MVP, and had a postseason .95 ERA, winning 2 World Series MVP Awards, while helping the Dodgers win 3 titles. Koufax is also second all-time with 4 career no-hitters.

14. Jim Palmer

Jim Palmer was known for his exceptional command, ability to induce weak contact, and a smooth delivery featuring a high leg kick.  During the mid-70’s, no one was better. Palmer won the Cy Young Award in 3 out of 4 seasons, and in 1975, his best year, he went 23-11 with a 2.09 ERA. He led the league in wins for 3 straight seasons, ERA twice, and innings pitched four times. In 1975, he led the league with 10 shutouts, an incredible number as even by that time, shutouts were becoming somewhat rare, although obviously not as rare as today. The 6-time All Star and 4-time Gold Glover helped the Orioles win 3 World Series Championships and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1990.

13. Clayton Kershaw

The now retired Kershaw pitched for 18 seasons, won a Cy Young in 3 out of 4 seasons, led the league in ERA for 4 consecutive seasons, and even won an MVP Award in 2014, going 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA. He is one of just 5 pitchers in the 21st Century with 300 strikeouts in a season and has the lowest ERA in the live-ball era for a pitcher with more than 1,000 innings pitched. Kershaw had some troubles in the playoffs, but still 2nd all time with 213 career postseason strikeouts and he helped the Dodgers win 3 World Series titles. His .699 winning percentage is a modern MLB record for a pitcher with at least 1,500 innings pitched.

12. Steve Carlton

Lefty Steve Carlton was an intimidating starting pitcher whose repertoire included a dominant fastball and slider that helped him strike out 4,136 batters, 4th all time. His rigorous training helped him pitch for 24 seasons, in which he won four Cy Young Awards. He won at least 20 games 6 times and led the league in strikeouts 5 times. He also pitched well in the postseason, helping both the Cardinals and Phillies win World Series championships. Carlton won 329 games and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1994.

11. Pedro Martinez

Pedro Martínez was one of baseball's most dominant pitchers in the late 90’s and early 2000’s due to an elite blend of an electric arsenal, pinpoint command, and exceptional intelligence. He led the league in ERA in 5 out of 7 seasons and won the Cy Young Award in 3 out of 4. In 1999, he won the Pitcher’s Triple Crown with 23 wins, 313 strikeouts and a 1.07 ERA. He was also a key member of the 2004 Boston Red Sox, helping them break the Curse of the Bambino with 7 scoreless innings in Game 3 of the Fall Classic. He retired with 3,154 strikeouts, 15th all time and made it into the Hall of Fame his first year on the ballot in 2015.

10. Nolan Ryan

Next up is the legend himself, the Ryan Express. Nolan Ryan made his MLB debut in 1966 and pitched until 1993 – a nearly 30 year span. His primary skill was unparalleled power centered around an explosive and almost untouchable fastball. He was probably the first pitcher to consistently hit triple digits on the radar gun. The Mets used him as a reliever and starter, but after a move to Angels in 1972, he entered the rotation full time and showed his true potential, striking out 329 batters and setting a still-standing MLB record by allowing just 5.26 hits per 9 innings. He went on to lead the league in strikeouts a record 11 times, maxing out at 383 K’s in 1973, a modern MLB record. The 8-time All Star became the first pitcher to strike out 5,000 batters and remains the lone member of the club. He retired with 5,714 strikeouts, a record that feels completely safe for eternity. Another one of his untouchable records – an absolutely insane seven no-hitters.

9. Bob Gibson

Bob Gibson's legendary career was built on a fierce, intimidating presence, a blistering fastball, pinpoint control, and exceptional overall athleticism. His dominance was so pronounced during the 1968 season that MLB lowered the pitcher's mound the following year. He won the Cy Young Award and MVP that year with a 22-9 record and insane 1.12 ERA. Despite the change, he kept dominating and won another Cy Young in 1970 with a 23-7 record. Gibson made 9 All Star Games, won 9 Gold Gloves, an ERA title and two World Series Championships. What’s even more impressive is he won the World Series MVP both times. Gibson always showed up when it counted and he had a career 1.89 World Series ERA. For his career, Gibson struck out 3,117 batters and compiled 251 wins.

8. Greg Maddux

Hall of Famer Greg Maddux had an elite ability that was defined by exceptional control, superior pitching mechanics, and high baseball intelligence rather than overwhelming velocity. Nicknamed "The Professor," his ability to out-think hitters and consistently hit his spots made him one of the most dominant and efficient pitchers of his era. He was also one of the best fielders to ever pitch and won a record 18 Gold Gloves. Maddux was incredibly reliable and during his 23-year career, he landed on the disabled list just one time. As far his credentials, he made made 8 All Star teams, won four ERA titles and also won four Cy Young Awards – consecutively. He won at least 19 games 7 times, and retired with 355 wins, over 5,000 innings pitched, 109 complete games and even 3,371 strikeouts. He had a 2.25 ERA in the 1995 World Series, when he helped the Braves win it all.

7. Warren Spahn

Another legendary Brave, Warren Spahn was known for his durability, intelligence on the mound, and masterful control, which included a deceptive high leg kick. The 17-time All-Star tied an MLB record by winning at least 20 games in thirteen separate seasons. Eight times he led the league in wins, and he also led the league in strikeouts for 4 straight seasons. He completed games at a pace that was insane even in his time. Spahn led the league in complete games 9 times, 7 consecutively, and retired with 382 complete games, more than any pitcher who appeared in the 2nd half of the 20th century. He won the Cy Young Award in 1957, and finished in the Top 3 5 times. He also threw 3 complete games in the World Series and won a ring with the Braves in 1957. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.

6. Roger Clemens

One of the most dominant pitchers to ever live, Roger Clemens was known for his durability, fierce competitiveness, and intimidating power pitching that relied on both an overpowering fastball and a devastating splitter. He became the best pitcher in the game early in his career with the Red Sox, winning the Cy Young and MVP in 1986 when he went 24-4 with a 2.48 ERA. He won a second MVP in 1987, then a third in 1991. By 1996, he had won four ERA titles, made 5 All Star teams and looked on track to be a first ballot Hall of Famer. After that, he went on to Toronto, where he is alleged to have started using PEDs. Clemens became better than ever, winning back to back Cy Young Awards again, then another with the Yankees, and a record 7th with the Astros. He led the league in strikeouts 5 times and shutouts 5 times, retiring with 352 wins and 4,672 strikeouts. He gets docked a little on this list for the PED usage, since there is a chance that without it, he was on the backend of his career by the late 90’s. The roids gave him a chance to dominate for an additional decade, but they’ve also kept him out of Cooperstown for the time being.

5. Tom Seaver

Moving into the top 5 we have Tom Seaver, whose pitching mechanics and delivery generated immense power from his legs and reduced stress on his arm. This technique was central to his success and longevity throughout his 20-year career. Seaver won a Rookie of the Year in 1967, and then in 1969, he won his first of 3 Cy Young Awards, going 25-7 with a 2.21 ERA. He went on to make 12 All Star Teams and win 3 ERA titles. Seaver was a key member of the 1969 Miracle Mets team and he threw a 10 inning complete game victory in Game 3 of the World Series. He retired with 311 wins, 231 complete games, 61 shutouts, and 3,640 strikeouts.

4. Lefty Grove

Next up, we have Lefty Grove, who was a dominant left-handed pitcher in the first half of the 20th century, known for his elite fastball and intimidating presence on the mound. While his peak with the Philadelphia Athletics was defined by overpowering speed, he evolved into a finesse and control pitcher later in his career with the Boston Red Sox. To kick off his career, he led the league in strikeouts for 7 straight seasons from 1925 to 1931. Grove won nine ERA titles, and won at least 20 games 8 times. In 1931, he had a season for the ages, going 31-4 with a 2.06 ERA. He completed 27 of his 30 starts that year and won the MVP Award. Grove retired with exactly 300 wins and still has the highest win-loss percentage of any 300-game winner at .680.

3. Randy Johnson

It was only a matter of time before I got the Big Unit, Randy Johnson, without a doubt the most intimidating and best pitcher of my lifetime. His pitching skillset was defined by his towering 6’10” frame, a high-velocity four seam fastball and a sharp, late-breaking slider. This electric stuff led to a Hall of Fame 22 year career in which he led the league in strikeouts 9 times, won 4 ERA titles, made 10 All Star teams and took home an incredible five Cy Young Awards. He dominated the late 90’s and early 2000’s, and in 2002, he went 24-5 with a 2.32 ERA, earning his 4th consecutive Cy Young. He, along with Curt Schilling, won the 2001 World Series MVP Award, going 3-0 with a 1.04 ERA, helping the D-Backs win it all. Randy Johnson's notable MLB records include ranking first all-time among left-handed pitchers in career strikeouts, and being tied for the most seasons with 300 or more strikeouts. He also holds the record for most consecutive seasons with 300 or more strikeouts.

2. Christy Mathewson

Next up, a legend of the early modern era, Christy Mathewson kicked off the 20th century with a bang, winning 20 games in 1901 with a 2.41 ERA. It was just the beginning for the legend. For fourteen seasons, Mathewson averaged an unthinkable 26 wins per season, including an astounding 37 wins in 1908. He had exceptional control, and threw an untouchable screwball that helped him put up strikeout numbers never before seen. He led the league in the category in 5 of 6 seasons, maxing out at 267 strikeouts in 1903, a single-season National League record at the time, and a single-season Giants franchise record that stands to this day. Not even Tim Lincecum was able to break it. Mathewson also won 5 ERA titles and retired with a 2.13 ERA, better than any pitcher with at least 4,000 innings pitched. In the World Series, he had a .97 ERA, and in 1905, had a performance for the ages, unfortunately forgotten now since no one who witnessed it is around anymore. Mathewson threw 3 shutouts, and helped his Giants win the championship. Had the award existed, he would’ve been the obvious choice for World Series MVP.

1. Walter Johnson

But coming in at #1, even though he pitched mostly in the dead ball era, has to be the Big Train, Walter Johnson. Johnson was the original flamethrower, and was known for having one of the fastest pitches of his era. It was likely no faster than the average fastball we see out of a typical MLB bullpen in 2025, and probably significantly slower, but in the early 20th Century, it was untouchable. Johnson led the league in strikeouts in 12 separate seasons, maxing out at 313 K’s in 1910. His win totals were off the charts and Johnson averaged 27 wins per season for 10 seasons. His best year was 1913 when he went 36-7 with a 1.14 ERA. He had a sub-2 ERA in 11 seasons and even won two MVP Awards, one in 1913 and one in 1924. He set an unbreakable MLB record with 110 career shutouts, and also won a World Series ring in 1924, helping the Senators beat the Giants with 20 strikeouts and 2 complete games. Johnson retired with 417 wins, 531 complete games, 3,509 strikeouts and a 2.17 career ERA and he comes in at #1 as the greatest pitcher in modern MLB history.

And that does it for today’s ranking; I hope you all enjoyed it – we’re almost done with the positional rankings, just one more to go – the greatest designated hitters of all time; look forward to that one next week. I hope every one has a great day and we’ll talk to ya’ll in the next video.

Top 10 MLB Players Who Were RELEASED, DFA'd or NON-TENDERED Before Becoming SUPERSTARS!!

One of the toughest decisions an MLB front office has to make is which players to give the bad news to – your services will no longer be required. There’s different ways to do it – outright release, designate for assignment, non-tender, waivers, but they all mean the same thing – we don’t want you. Sometimes the player returns to the organization in the minors, sometimes they catch on somewhere else only to be released again, and sometimes they call it a career. And then sometimes, the player signs elsewhere and becomes a massive superstar, leaving the original team that released them looking completely foolish. And today we’ll be talking about 10 players who were released or DFA’d by an MLB team, then went on to have an amazing big league career. This isn’t about players who already had a great career and then were DFA’d when they were older and no longer as good – that happens all the time sadly. This is about younger players who were deemed to not be worthy of a roster spot, but proved themselves in a huge way somewhere else. It’s not an all-inclusive list as there have been hundreds of examples throughout baseball history, so feel free to add more in the comments section, but these are the top 10 that occurred during the last 45 years. So, let’s jump right into it...

10. Liam Hendriks

Liam Hendriks grew up playing baseball in Australia, becoming a premiere High School pitcher in Perth, the Capital City of Western Australia. The Minnesota Twins took notice and signed him to a professional contract on his 18th birthday. He immediately impressed in rookie ball with 2.05 ERA in 10 starts and a Gulf Coast League leading 52 strikeouts. He worked his way up the minor league ladder, dominating each level. In 2012, he went 9-3 with a 2.2 ERA in Triple-A. Unfortunately, his numbers in the big leagues were not so impressive, and after three seasons bouncing up and down from Triple-A, the Twins designated him for assignment, even though he still had minor league options remaining. Hendriks had shown electric stuff, but couldn’t figure it out as a starter, and the Twins never tried him out in the bullpen. The Cubs claimed him off waivers, then almost immediately put him back on waivers, where the Blue Jays claimed him. He again dominated in Triple-A, going 8-1 with a 2.33 ERA and he was the starter for the International League All-Star Team. But the Blue Jays traded him to the Royals, and then the Royals Designated him for Assignment after just 6 appearances. He was traded back to the Blue Jays, who finally tried him out in the bullpen, and Hendriks pitched very well in the role with a 2.92 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 64.2 innings. The Jays traded him to the A’s, where he became a staple in the Oakland bullpen and was eventually named the closer. In 2019, he made his first MLB All Star Game and saved 25 games with a 1.8 ERA. In the shortened 2020, he had a 1.78 ERA and finished in the Top 10 for the Cy Young. He signed with the White Sox on a 4-year, $54 million deal and led the league with 38 saves in 2021 then followed it up with 37 saves in 2022, making back to back All Star teams. Not too bad for a guy who was DFA’d multiple times.

9. Tim Wakefield

Next up is Tim Wakefield, a Pittsburgh Pirates draft pick. He was drafted in the 8th Round in 1988, receiving a $15,000 signing bonus, as a first baseman. Wakefield hit 40 career home runs in college, but after hitting just .189 in Low A Ball, he decided to re-invent himself as a pitcher, but not just any pitcher – he would be a knuckleballer. Wakefield pitched so well in the minors, the Pirates agreed to a full conversion to pitcher and in 1991 in Double-A, he led all Pirates minor league pitchers in wins, inning pitched and complete games. In 1992, he was 10-3 with a 3.06 ERA in Triple-A when the Pirates called him up. He dazzed his rookie year, going 8-1 with a 2.15 ERA, finishing 3rd for the Rookie of the Year. He was also fantastic in the playoffs, beating Tom Glavine twice and throwing a complete game 5-hitter in Game of the NLCS. You’d think that would’ve been good enough for a place in the Pirates rotation for years to come, but after a rough start to the 1993 season in which he struggled with command, the Pirates sent him down. They kept him in the minors all year in 1994 then released him in 1995 shortly after the strike ended. It was an understandable decision as he went 5-15 with a 6.51 ERA in Triple-A in 1994, and it seemed he was just a flash in the pan success. But that wasn’t the case. The Red Sox signed him and Wakefield worked with knuckeball legends Joe and Phil Niekro. He went 16-8 with the Red Sox in 1995 with a 2.95 ERA. From there, he was a key member of their rotation for 17 years, and helped them to win two World Series Championships. He made the All Star team in 2009 and retired with 200 wins and 2,156 strikeouts.

8. Dave Stewart

Right-handed pitcher Dave Stewart was drafted out of High School by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1975. He dominated A ball in 1977, going 17-4 with a 2.15 ERA and was in Triple-A by the end of the season. Despite continuing to pitch well, the Dodgers only gave him limited opportunities in the big leagues until they were forced to put him on the big league roster or release him in 1981 when he ran out of minor league options. He barely made the team, but spent the season in the bullpen, pitching very well with a 2.49 ERA and even picked up 6 saves. He continued to pitch well, mostly out of the bullpen, for the Dodgers, until they traded him to the Rangers in a controversial move as many fans thought Stewart was the team’s best pitcher. “I’ve been doing so little in L.A. that this is the best thing for me,” said Stewart. He was put into the rotation and went 5-2 with a 2.14 ERA down the stretch. However, Stewart struggled in 1984, going 7-14 with a 4.73 ERA. In 1985, he was sent back to the bullpen and after one particular rough appearance, he was booed by the Rangers fans. Stewart said “I’d say to those idiots, ok partner, come out and see how you do.” The Rangers traded him to the Phillies in September of 1985. Then, in May of 1986, after struggling with a 6.57 ERA, they released him. It looked like it might be a career for Dave Stewart. But the Oakland A’s offered him a contract. He had one more shot and he took it.. literally, as he decked Cleveland manager Pat Corrales during a bench clearing brawl, resulting in a 5 game suspension. But after that, he pitched well the rest of the season, and earned a 2-year, $500,000 contract. Starting in 1987, Stewart became a star, winning at least 20 games in 4 straight seasons. During that 4-year stretch, he never finished lower than 4th for the Cy Young, led the league in complete games twice, and won a total of 84 games. He made the All Star Game in 1989, the same year he helped lead the A’s to a World Series title, with a 1.69 ERA in the World Series. He later won another ring with Blue Jays in 1993, winning the ALCS MVP along the way with a 2.03 ERA in the series. It was quite the career recovery after it looked like it was all over when the Phillies released him back in 1986.

7. Kevin Gausman

Current Toronto Blue Jays Ace Kevin Gausman was at one time a potential first round bust after some rough years in the big leagues. He was drafted in the 1st round by the Baltimore Orioles in 2012 out of Louisiana State and pitched well in the minors, although he didn’t exactly dominate. He made his big league debut in 2013 and bounced up and down from Triple-A that year, never getting completely comfortable anywhere. It was the same story year after year until he finally got an extended shot in 2016, and he went 9-12 with a 3.61 ERA. He showed signs of greatness, at one point pitching 21 consecutive scoreless innings. He was the 2017 Opening Day starter for the Orioles but that season, went 11-12 with a 4.68 ERA. In 2018, the Orioles traded him to the Atlanta Braves for prospects and international signing money. With Atlanta in 2019, Gausman struggled in 16 starts, going 3-7 with a career worst 6.19 ERA. He was designated for assignment. Gausman was claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds and put in the bullpen. He went 0-2 with a 4.03 ERA in 15 games, and although the Reds could’ve brought him back in 2020, they non-tendered him, essentially letting him go for nothing, and he became a free agent. At this point, Gausman was a former first round pick who never completely panned out, never made an All Star team, and had been both DFA’d and non-tendered. But another team thought he still had something left, and the San Francisco Giants signed him to a one-year deal. In the Covid-shortened 2020 season, he showed serious stuff, striking out 79 batters in 59 innings with a deadly splitter that he had now learned to use masterfully. The Giants offered him the $18.9 million qualifying offer and he accepted, returning in 2021 to go 14-6 with a 2.81 ERA and 10.6 strikeouts per 9 innings. He made his first All Star team and finished 6th for the Cy Young, helping the Giants win a franchise record 107 games. He signed a 5-year, $110 million deal with Toronto and finished 9th for the Cy Young in 2022, made another All Star team in 2023, and just helped the Jays win the AL pennant in 2025, with a dominant performance in ALDS and ALCS. He’s certainly come a long way since being DFA’d back in 2019.

6. Max Muncy

The Los Angeles Dodgers just recently picked up their 2026 option on Max Muncy, agreeing to pay the slugger $10 million to return to LA. But his career was on a completely different path about 10 years ago. Muncy was drafted in the 5th round of the 2012 Draft by the Oakland Athletics. He showed some impressive power in 2013 between High A and Double-A, crushing 25 bombs and 25 doubles while driving in 100 runs with a .273 batting average. He made his big league debut in 2015, but hit just .206 with 3 homers in 102 at bats. In 2016, he hit .186 with 2 homers in 51 games and the A’s likely decided he wasn’t big league material. They designated him for assignment, and he cleared waivers, meaning no other team wanted his services. They sent him to the minor league camp during 2017 Spring Training, then released him all together just as the season was to begin. He could’ve retired right then and there and no one would’ve thought anything of it. Instead, Muncy signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers and in Oklahoma City, hit .309 with 12 home runs. He was sent back to OKC to start the 2018 season but was quickly promoted after a hot start, and he started homering at a blistering pace, breaking a Dodgers record with 20 homers in his first 183 at bats. He was selected to participate in the home run derby, although he didn’t quite make the All Star team. He ended the year with 35 bombs, then hit 35 more in 2019, proving it was no fluke. Muncy has been a regular in the Dodgers lineup ever since, has made two All Star teams and currently has 214 career home runs and counting. It’s crazy to think he not only was DFA’d by the Oakland A’s, but cleared waivers, was sent to the minors then released completely before his amazing career resurgence with Los Angeles.

5. Justin Turner

Veteran third baseman Justin Turner just completed his 17th big league season and has put together an impressive career that seemed very unlikely to happen back around 2013. He was drafted in the 7th Round of the 2006 Draft by the Cincinnati Reds and quickly impressed in rookie ball, hitting .338 in 60 games while showing his versatility by playing every infield position and the outfield. He continued to rake in the minors, but the Reds decided to use him as a trade piece, sending him to the Orioles for veteran catcher Ramon Hernandez. Turner was sent to Triple-A and hit .300 in 108 games, but hit just 2 homers. The Orioles promoted him but he went 3 for 22 during his first cup of coffee. The next year, after going 0 for 9, the Orioles decided that Justin Turner ain’t it, and they designated him for assignment. He was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets, and hit .333 with their Triple-A team, showing more power with 11 home runs. He got an extended shot in 2011 and set a Mets Rookie Record for most consecutive games with an RBI. Still, Justin Turner’s career never really took off with the Mets, and after 3 seasons there, he was non-tendered, making him an unrestricted free agent during the 2013-2014 offseason. His career was in jeopardy until Dodgers bench coach Tim Wallach saw Turner hitting at a Cal State Fullerton alumni game. Wallach was impressed and asked Turner if he was getting any interest from other teams since the Mets let him go. Turner was honest and said he had zero offers from any one. Wallach convinced the Dodgers to sign Justin Turner to a minor league deal, and he made the 2014 LA Dodgers team out of Spring Training. Injuries gave him more playing time than expected, and Turner took full advantage, hitting .340 with 7 home runs and 43 RBIs in 288 at bats. He earned a one-year, $2.5 million deal, became the starting third baseman, and hit .294 with 16 homers in 2015, then tore it up in the playoffs, hitting .526 in the NLDS. In 2016, he smashed 27 home runs, then in 2017, he had his best year yet, hitting .322 while making his first All Star team. Justin Turner had become a top-tier player, and helped the Dodgers win the World Series in 2020, hitting .320 with 2 homers in the World Series. He moved onto Boston and hit 23 home runs with 96 RBIs in 2023, before spending time with Seattle, Toronto and then this year, the Chicago Cubs.

4. J.D. Martinez

Another low round pick, J.D. Martinez wasn’t taken until the 20th Round of the 2009 Draft out of Division 2 Nova Southeastern University by the Houston Astros. He was an amazing hitter in college, but could he hit professional pitching? Martinez immediately showed the Astros what he could do, hitting .341 in 2010 between Single and Double A. In 2010, still in Double-A, he was hitting .338 with 13 home runs when the Astros promoted him. He showed potential in the big leagues, hitting .274 in his first 54 games, but ended up bouncing up and down over the next couple years until the Astros decided Martinez wasn’t going to be part of their future during 2014 Spring Training. They outrighted him off the Major League Roster and released him. Martinez had to settle on a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers, but after a hot start in Toledo, they promoted him back to the big leagues and Martinez hit .315 with 23 home runs, immediately cementing himself into the Tigers everyday lineup. In 2015, he made his first All Star Team and hit .282 with 38 homers and 102 RBIs. He hit over .300 for 4 straight seasons, moving on to the Diamondbacks, then Red Sox, where he became a critical piece of their lineup in 2018 when they won it all. He led the league with 130 RBIs and 358 total bases, and finished 4th for the MVP. He made 4 All Star teams with Boston, and then another with the Dodgers in 2023. The 6-time All Star and 3-Time Silver Slugger’s baseball career appears to be over, but he is now planning a professional career as a pickleball player.

3. Jose Bautista

Jose Bautista was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 20th Round of the 2000 MLB Draft out of Chipola College in Florida. In his first full season of minor league ball with the Hickory Crawdads, he hit .301 with 14 homers and a .402 on-base-percentage. He continued to play well in the minors, but before he was added to the 40-man roster, the Baltimore Orioles picked him up in the Rule 5 Draft, adding him to the 2004 Opening Day Roster. He then bounced around like a hot potato that season, getting DFA’d, sent to waivers, and traded multiple times. The Orioles DFA’d him after just 11 at bats, although he had 3 hits. He was claimed by the Rays, who DFA’d him after 12 at bats and sent him to the Royals, who traded him to the Mets. Before the Mets even put him in a game, just minutes after the trade, they traded him back to his original team, the Pirates, who got a second chance to enjoy the services of this future All Star. They actually used him for a couple years, and Bautista was decent, hitting .254 with 15 home runs in 2007. It wasn’t good enough apparently and the Pirates traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays, where he would finally realize his full potential. In 2010, he led the league with 54 home runs, drove in 124 runs, won a Silver Slugger and finished 4th for the MVP. The Jays gave him a 5 year, $54 million extension and he kept crushing the baseball. He made 6 straight All Star teams, averaging 38 homers a year, leading the league in RBIs twice, while finishing in the Top 10 for the MVP 4 times. He hit a dramatic game winning bomb in the 2015 ALDS, resulting in one of the most famous bat flips of all time.

2. Kyle Schwarber

Kyle Schwarber was a 1st round, 4th overall pick, by the Chicago Cubs in 2014. He was a top prospect, who hit .344 with 18 home runs in his first 72 games in the minor leagues. He continued to tear up the minors in 2015, forcing a call up to Chicago. He became a regular in 2015 and absolutely crushed the ball in the playoffs, setting a Cubs record with 5 postseason bombs. Unfortunately, a left leg injury kept him out for nearly all of 2016, although he did appear in the World Series as a pinch hitter and DH, hitting .412, helping the Cubs win their first World Series since 1908. It seemed Schwarber’s career was on the right track despite the injury, but in 2017, after a slow start, he was demoted to Triple-A. He returned to the Cubs after the All Star Break, and finished the season strong. Schwarber continued to be a huge home run threat, smashing 26 in 2018 then 38 in 2019. Then, in 2020, the Covid-Shortened season, Schwarber never really got going and hit just .188 with 11 home runs. Fortunately for the Cubs, he was still under their control for the 2021 season, where he would surely bounce back with a full season. But, actually, the Cubs didn’t want him – they shockingly non-tendered Kyle Schwarber, simply letting him go for nothing, and instead signed Joc Pederson, who they traded to the Braves mid-season. Schwarber signed with the Nationals and with them and the Red Sox, he hit .266 with 32 home runs, and made his first All Star team. But he got even better after signing a four-year, $79 million contract with the Phillies. He won a Silver Slugger in 2022, with a league leading 46 home runs, and then smashed 6 homers in the postseason, 3 in the World Series. In 2024, he led the league in walks and then this year, had his best season yet, leading the league with 56 home runs and 132 RBIs, while making his 3rd All Star team. At the All Star Game, he impressed the world with 3 home runs in 3 swings during the first ever swing-off, giving the National League the victory. He is now set for a huge payday in free agency.

1. David Ortiz

Coming in at #1 has to be Hall of Famer David Ortiz, who was first signed as an international free agent by the Seattle Mariners in 1992. While still in the lower minor leagues, he was traded to the Minnesota Twins to complete an earlier trade. Ortiz at that time, was the player to be named later. In 1997, he hit 31 home runs and 124 RBIs in the minor leagues between high A, Double-A, and Triple-A. Ortiz made his big league debut in 1997 and hit .327 with a homer in his first 49 at bats. Still, the Twins kept him mostly in Triple-A the next couple years. In 1999, he crushed 30 home runs with 110 RBIs for the Salt Lake Buzz. He finally got an extended shot in the bigs in 2000, and hit .282 with 10 homers and an impressive .364 on-base percentage. In 2001, he started the year hot but a wrist fracture derailed his season and he hit just .234 overall. In 2002, he bounced back, especially in the second half when he hit .297 with 15 home runs and 42 RBIs. He hit his first but definitely not last walk off home run in September, and hit a clutch double in the ALDS. The Twins had control of Ortiz for 2002 and all the signs where there that he was a star in the making. However, the Twins decided they didn’t want to pay him the relatively small $2 million salary he would’ve been owed, and instead, released him. The story goes that in the offseason, Pedro Martinez had a chance encounter with Ortiz at a restaurant in the Dominican Republic, and was reminded of the time Ortiz crushed a home run off him. He convinced the Red Sox, who needed a 1st baseman, to sign Ortiz and they offered him a one-year deal. Ortiz thanked the Red Sox by hitting .288 with 31 home runs and 101 RBIs, finishing 5th for the MVP and immediately making the Twins look stupid. He went on to get even better and over 14 years in Boston, he made 10 All Star teams and won 7 Silver Sluggers, averaging 35 home runs per season. He finished in the Top 10 for the MVP 7 times and helped the Red Sox win three World Series championships with multiple walk off hits and clutch home runs. He won the World Series MVP award in 2013 with .688 average and 2 home runs. David Ortiz retired as the greatest designated hitter to ever play the game and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022, about 20 years after he was released by the Twins.

Top 15 DESIGNATED HITTERS In MLB History

Welcome back to the final positional ranking video; and today we’re going to rank the top 15 Designated Hitters of all time; maybe someday we can do these again in 10 or 15 years as more amazing active players retire; it’s been a lot of fun diving into baseball history and trying to rank all these amazing players. Today, we go with an interesting position – the DH, a position where defense doesn’t matter at all and these players don’t even need to bring a glove to the ballpark. Their entire role revolves around batting effectively, and they are typically expected to have above-average hitting statistics compared to position players.  And preferably, they should be able to hit with lots of power. The only rules for this list are that the player played at least 500 games as a DH and hasn’t appeared on another positional ranking, so if you’re looking for Dave Winfield, check out the top right-fielders video. I’ll also give a little extra bonus for players who had their best seasons as a Designated Hitters. Let’s get into the list.

15. Billy Butler

Billy Butler was identified by the Royals as a primary DH right away and he played 76% of his games as the designated hitter his rookie year of 2007 when he hit .292. He quickly became a staple in the Royals lineup and hit .301 in 2009 with 21 bombs. Butler consistently hit around .300 with power, and made the All Star Team in 2012, a year he won the Silver Slugger Award for the position of Designated Hitter. He smashed 29 homers with 107 RBIs and a .313 batting average. His numbers dropped in 2014 and he ended up with the Oakland A’s, where he hit just .251 in his last full season. Butler retired after a short stint with the Yankees in 2016. He only played 10 years total, but hit .290 with 147 homers, 96 as a DH.

14. Brian Downing

Long-time California Angel Brian Downing played 20 years in the big leagues and was known for his disciplined plate approach, which resulted in more walks than strikeouts throughout his career. Originally a catcher, he reinvented himself as a powerful outfielder and DH after breaking his ankle in 1980. Downing, who had only averaged 6 home runs person season, suddenly crushed 28 bombs in 1982. He averaged 24 homers a year for 7 years, and hit a career high 29 in 1987, the year he transitioned to a full time DH. That season, he also led the league with 107 RBIs. Downing hit 159 of his 275 homers as a DH and retired with over 2,000 hits and 1,000 RBIs.

13. Hal McCrae

Long-time Royal Hal McCrae embraced the role of the DH in 1976, a season in which he hit .332 with a league-leading .407 on-base-percentage. In 1977, he played in all 162 games, 153 as a DH, and led the league with 54 doubles while crushing 21 homers. He was their primary DH for over 10 years and made three All Star games, and he also won a Silver Slugger in 1982 when he again led the league in doubles with 46 and was also #1 in RBIs with 133. He consistently hit around .300 with pop, and was also clutch in the postseason for both the Reds and Royals, hitting .292 with 14 doubles. He was the Royals Designated Hitter in 1985 when they won the World Series, although he saw limited action in the Fall Classic that year due to a thigh injury. He is second all-time with 393 career doubles as a Designated Hitter.

12. Travis Hafner

Up next is Travis Hafner, who played nearly exclusively as a DH, only playing 1st base in 6% of his games. He was the 1996 Texas Rangers 31st Round Pick out of Cowley Community College in Arkansas, and forced his way up the minor league ladder with insane numbers including a .342 average with 22 home runs in Triple-A. Hafner ended up in Cleveland, where he punished pitchers for 4 seasons from 2004 to 2007, averaging 32 homers and 109 RBIs per season. He had an OPS over 1.000 in back-to-back seasons and it’s a complete mystery how he never made an All Star Team. Injuries slowed down his career after that insane peak, but he still hit double digit bombs in 5 more seasons, finishing his career with 213 home runs, 200 of them as a DH.

11. Edwin Encarnacion

An underrated power-hitter who hit more than half of his 424 career home runs as a designated hitter, Edwin Encarnacion had a 16-year career in which he had 10 seasons with 20+ home runs. He made his debut in 2005 with the Reds, and quickly became an every day player but had his real breakout season with Toronto in 2012 when he crushed 42 home runs with 110 RBIs, playing 82 games as a DH. He made 3 All Star Games over the next 4 years before heading to Cleveland where, as a full time DH, he crushed 70 homers in 2 seasons. Encarnacion is 54th all time in home runs, above all-time great power hitters like Al Kaline, Duke Snider, and Johnny Bench.

10. Chili Davis

Chili Davis came up as an outfielder with the San Francisco Giants in the National League, where there obviously was no DH in the 1980s. As a Giant, he made two All Star teams and averaged about 17 homers a year for 6 seasons. Then, he signed with the California Angels, where he got his first taste as a DH, although he was still primarily an outfielder. It was the Twins who converted him into a full time Designated Hitter in 1991 and he hit .277 with a career high 29 home runs and 117 RBIs. He smashed two home runs in the ‘91 World Series, helping the Twins win a title in one of the greatest Fall Classics of all time. Davis returned to the Angels in 1993 and smashed at least 20 home runs for four straight seasons before heading to Kansas City, where he hit 30 homers for the first time in his career. He finished off his career as the Yankees part time DH, winning back to back rings, smashing 19 bombs in 1999, giving him 350 career home runs, 206 as a Designated Hitter.

9. Victor Martinez

Long-time Detroit Tiger Victor Martinez combined plate discipline, contact and power from both sides of the plate. He originally came up with the Cleveland Indians as a catcher, and quickly became a star, hitting .283 with 23 bombs and 108 RBIs in 2004. He got even better from there, smashing 25 homers with 114 RBIs in 2007, finishing 7th for the MVP. The Tigers signed him to a 4-year deal starting in 2011 and converted him to a full time DH. He thrived in the position, hitting .303 with 103 RBIs. Martinez had his best year in 2014, when he finished 2nd for the MVP, leading the league with a .409 on-base percentage while hitting 32 homers and driving in 103 runs. For his career, he made 5 All Star teams and had 2,153 hits with a .295 batting average. As a DH, he hit .317.

8. Don Baylor

The powerful Don Baylor didn’t become a regular DH until signing as a free agent with the California Angels in the late 70’s. He had already established himself as a solid player with some power and fantastic baserunning abilities, but he wasn’t a superstar. Then, in 1979, the Designated Hitter role allowed him to play in all 162 games for the first time in his career, and he smashed 36 homers while leading the league with 120 runs and 139 RBIs. Baylor made his first All Star team and won the MVP Award. He went on to be a full-time DH for the New York Yankees and won two Silver Sluggers. Then, with Boston in 1986, he won a third Silver Slugger, crushing 31 home runs. He hit .346 in the ALCS, a memorable series in which Dave Henderson hit that famous home run off Donnie Moore to give the Red Sox the lead in the 9th inning of Game 5. The Red Sox went on to win the series, and people remember the Henderson home run, but they couldn’t have won it without Baylor. He also hit .385 in the 1987 World Series, helping the Twins win it all. Baylor is 7th all time with 225 homers as a DH and 6th in RBIs with 789.

7. Nelson Cruz

Power-hitting DH Nelson Cruz played for 19 years in the big leagues. He didn’t play his first full season until the age of 26, but, thanks to the DH role, was able to keep playing until he was 43. Cruz was an outfielder for first half of his career, and established himself as an excellent power hitter who could also hit for average. He hit .332 with 33 bombs in 2009 with the Texas Rangers, and made his first of 7 All Star Teams. In 2014, the Baltimore Orioles tried him out as a DH in 89 games and his bat responded well as he crushed 40 home runs with 108 RBIs, finishing 7th for the MVP. From that point on, the DH was his primary position and he won 4 Silver Sluggers in the role while smashing 40+ home runs 3 more times with the Mariners and Twins. He ended up hitting 263 home runs as a DH, 4th all time, and with 464 total career homers, over 2,000 hits and .274 batting average, he’s got borderline Hall of Fame numbers, but a 2013 PED suspension will definitely keep him out.

6. Jim Thome

Thome came up as a third baseman with the Cleveland Indians in 1991 before moving over to 1st, where he played for many years. He was on-base machine who also had big power. Thome made three straight All Star teams in the mid-90’s and from 1994 to 2004, an 11 year period, he smashed an average of 38 home runs per season, with a maximum of 52 in 2002. Persistent back and elbow issues forced him to become a full time DH by 2006 and in that role, he continued to rake, crushing 42 homers with 109 RBIs for the White Sox, while making his 5th All Star Team. He hit between 20 and 35 homers on four more occasions as a full time DH. His biggest seasons came before the switch to DH, which is why he comes in a little lower on the list, but Thome played his final 7 seasons as a DH, allowing him to surpass 600 career homers. He made it into the Hall of Fame in 2018.

5. Harold Baines

Harold Baines played the majority of his 22 year career as a Designated Hitter. He had incredible consistency and longevity, much of it thanks to not having to play the field. Baines was an outfielder for 7 years with the White Sox and he consistently hit over 20 homers per season with an average around .300. He converted to a Designated Hitter in 1987 and continued the trend, hitting .293 with 20 homers. He won a Sliver Slugger in 1989, hitting .309 with the White Sox and Rangers, and went on the DH for the A’s, Orioles, and Indians, returning to the White Sox again twice. His piled up 1,039 RBIs as a DH, second all time, and smashed 384 career homers, 64% of them as a Designated Hitter. He’s also second all time in hits as a DH with 1,789. Baines was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

4. Paul Molitor

Up next is Paul Molitor, who didn’t become a full time DH until 1991, his 14th big league season. Before that, he played mostly third base but also some at second, shortstop and even the outfield. Entering the ‘91 season, he was a 3-time All Star who had hit over .300 6 times, including 1987 when he hit .353 with a league leading 41 doubles. But after converting to DH full-time, he had his best year, leading the league in hits, runs, and triples, while crushing 17 homers. In 1993, he hit a career high 22 home runs for the World Champion Toronto Blue Jays, and won a World Series MVP with a .500 batting average, 2 homers, and 8 RBIs in the series. As a DH, Molitor made 4 straight All Star teams, and in the strike-shortened 1994, he hit .341. In 1996 with the Twins, Molitor led the league with a career high 225 hits, hitting .341 again, this time over a full season, as he played in 161 games. He won two Silver Sluggers as a DH and retired with 3,319 hits, 1,613 as a DH, 4th all time, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

3. Edgar Martinez

Career Seattle Mariner, Edgar Martinez, came up as a sweet-swinging third baseman who could hit for average like few others while also supplying some power. He made his first All Star team in 1992 when he hit a league leading .343 with 46 doubles. He was a doubles machine and in 1995, his first year as a full time DH, he hit one of the famous doubles of all time in the 11th inning of Game 5 of the ALDS. That year, he led the league in doubles, runs, batting average, on-base-percentage, and OPS. As a Designated Hitter, Martinez just raked year in and year out, driving in over 100 runs in 6 out of 7 seasons, and he won 4 Silver Sluggers as a DH. He hit over .300 ten times in his career and retired as one of just 3 players with over 1,000 RBIs as a Designated Hitter. For his career, Martinez hit .312 with 309 homers and 2,247 hits. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

2. Frank Thomas

Coming in at #2 is the Big Hurt, Frank Thomas, who crushed 521 home runs in his career with a batting average of .301. He played 971 games as a first baseman, but even more – 1,404 games – as a Designated Hitter. Thomas debuted in 1990 and won back to back MVP awards in 1993 and 1994, quickly establishing himself as a premiere superstar. He made five straight All Star teams, and won a batting title with a .347 mark in 1997. Thomas was good for about 30 to 45 home runs every season. In 1998, he became a full time DH, and continued in the role for 11 years. In the year 2000, he crushed 43 homers with 143 RBIs, while hitting .328 with an OPS over 1.000, finishing second in the MVP race to Jason Giambi. He had another monster season in 2003, with 42 bombs and 105 RBIs. Then, with the A’s in 2006, had his last great year with 39 homers and 114 runs driven in. Frank Thomas is currently 2nd all time with 296 homers as a DH, although Shohei Ohtani will probably pass him next year. Thomas was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.

1. David Ortiz

But coming in at #1 as the greatest DH in the history of the game has to be Red Sox legend, David Ortiz, who was used as a DH from the beginning with the Minnesota Twins, although he also spent limited time at 1st base throughout his career. He put himself on the map as a superstar after being released by the Twins in 2002. He signed as a free agent with Boston and immediately hit .288 with 30 home runs, finishing 5th for the MVP. Big Papi had arrived and in 2004, he made his first of 10 All Star teams. Ortiz averaged 35 homers a year for 14 years with the Red Sox. He finished in the Top 10 for MVP 7 times, in the top 5 five times, and won a record 7 Silver Sluggers as a DH. He was a critical piece of three Red Sox championships – one in 2004 to break the Curse of the Bambino and then two more – in 2007 and 2013. He won an ALCS MVP in 2004 and a World Series MVP in 2013 when he hit .688 with 2 home runs and an OPS just short of 2.000, a legendary performance. He had multiple walk off homers and clutch hits in the postseason, and retired on the top of the list as a DH in multiple categories including RBIs, runs, hits, doubles, triples, homers, and walks. Ortiz is the only player with over 500 career home runs as a designated hitter – 521 of his 541 bombs came as a DH. So, it’s obvious why he comes in at #1.

And that’ll do it for today’s list, the final positional list, check out the playlist above for more of these rankings and what do you think of the DH list? Will we get more amazing Designated Hitters in the future now that it is in both leagues? Will Ohtani shatter all of Ortiz’s records someday? Let me know in the comment section down below and I look forward to talking to ya’ll in the next video.

The Top 15 MLB Center-Fielders Of ALL TIME!! GRIFFEY, PUCKETT, MANTLE ETC. ETC.

Welcome back to another Humm Baby Baseball ranking and today, we’re talking about the greatest center-fielders to ever play the game, and this position is usually reserved for one of the team’s better players. A center-fielder is essentially the captain of the outfield, and the position typically requires leadership skills and an advanced baseball IQ. Additionally, exceptional speed and range are needed to cover the largest area of the outfield, and a strong arm is also helpful. These qualities oftentimes result in an incredibly strong and athletic player who can also handle a bat, and on today’s list, we’ll be talking about some of the greatest hitters to ever live. So, get ready for a ton of Hall of Famers, all-time legends and absolute generational talents. But there are also some massive Hall of Fame snubs on this list, as for some reason the writers who vote for potential Hall of Famers hate center-fielders. If some one obvious is missing on the list, there is a possibility the player played even more games at another position, for example, Andre Dawson played over 1,000 games in center-field but played even more in right-field, so he ended up in that video. It’s also possible the player is still active, like Mike Trout, who will obviously retire as a top 15 center-fielder, but I’m only focusing on retired players. The other possibility is I messed up and left some one off. (YOU BLEW IT!!) But I’ll do my best not to do that, so let’s jump into today’s list, but first – a few quick honorable mentions --

Jimmy Wynn

The Toy Cannon is one of the most underrated ballplayers in MLB history and barely missed out on the top 15. He just 5’9”, but boasted enormous power and had an extremely strong arm. He crushed at least 20 homers 8 separate times. Wynn made just 3 All Star teams but deserved to make a lot more. For example, in 1969 he wasn’t an All Star, but led the league with 148 walks, smashed 33 homers, stole 23 bases and had a 7.1 WAR, just 1 below Willie McCovey, who took home the MVP.

Earl Averill

One of the great forgotten centerfielders, Averill hit the ground running in his rookie season of 1929, hitting .332 with 18 bombs. He only got better from there and averaged 23 homers a year for his 9 seasons, 3 times hitting over 30, while consistently hitting well over .300. He played in 6 straight All Star games, the first 6 to exist, and finished in the top 5 for MVP 3 times. Injuries derailed his career in the late 30’s and early 40’s, but Averill was still good enough to make the Hall of Fame, although it took 34 years after his retirement for the Veteran’s Committee to finally elect him.

Johnny Damon

Damon was never the biggest superstar in the game, but he helped his team win games year after year by combining speed, contact hitting and pop while staying on the field. For 16 straight seasons, he never played in less than 141 games in a single season, an extremely impressive feat. Damon stole 408 bases, including a league leading 48 in 2000, hit over .300 5 times, walked over 1,000 times and collected 2,769 hits, surprisingly close to 3,000. He was also a clutch hitter in the postseason, and helped both the Red Sox and Yankees win World Series titles.

Willie Davis

Dodgers fans who were around in the 60’s and 70’s will never forget the impact of Willie Davis, who could pretty much do it all. He had exceptional speed, strong defensive abilities and a solid bat with some power. He played 18 seasons, accumulated 2,561 hits, 398 steals, and over 1,000 runs scored. Davis even crushed 182 homers including 21 in 1962. He won 3 Gold Gloves, and played centerfield for two World Series championship Dodger teams. Despite his amazing career, Davis was snubbed not only for the Hall of Fame, but for the voting process itself – he was shockingly never even put on a ballot.

Max Carey

During the 1910’s, Long-time Pittburgh Pirate Max Carey was the premiere base-stealing threat in National League. He led the league in steals 10 times, consistently nabbing from 40 to 60 plus bases per season. He was a very good hitter as well, but after an alteration to his batting stance in the mid-20’s, he suddenly became elite, hitting .343 in 1925. He was the best hitter for the Pirates in the World Series that year, and in the deciding game, had four hits including 3 doubles against Walter Johnson. He is still in the Top 10 All Time with 738 career stolen bases.

Oscar Charleston

An absolute legend of the negro leagues, Oscar Charleston certainly would’ve made the top 15, maybe even top 5, had he been allowed to play in the Major Leagues, but since it’s impossible to know exactly where he would’ve ended up, I have him as an extremely honorable mention. According to the great Buck O’Neil, Oscar Charleston was like “Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth and Tris Speaker rolled into one.” During the 1920’s, Charleston regularly hit over .400, including insane batting averages of .433 in 1921 and .427 in 1925. He also hit for massive power during a time when home runs were not the norm. He led the league in home runs 5 times, including 20 bombs in 1925, which was unheard of at the time due to the much shorter Negro League schedule. Charleston could also fly and regularly stole at least 20 bases per season during his prime. Charleston was elite in everything he did on a baseball field and even went on to become a great manager. He passed away in 1954 and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1976.

Now let’s get into the top 15…

15. Larry Doby

Three months after Jackie Robinson’s debut, center-fielder Larry Doby broke the color barrier in the American League, and instantly proved he belonged. He hit .301 with 14 home runs his rookie season of 1948, then followed it up with 24 homers in 1949 and his first All Star nod. Doby hit at least 20 homers in 8 straight seasons including a league leading 32 in 1952 and 1954. He made 7 consecutive All Star teams, and finished 2nd for the MVP in 1954, a year in which he led the league with 126 RBIs. He was a key member of the most recent Cleveland team to win a World Series in 1948, and he hit .318 with a homer in the World Series. Doby had a fantastic eye as well, working plenty of walks, retiring with a .389 on-base-percentage. He was voted into the Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee in 1998.

14. Dale Murphy

Dale Murphy led all of Major League Baseball in home runs and RBIs during the entire decade of the 80’s. Somehow, he is still on the outside of Cooperstown looking in. Murphy was drafted 5th overall by the Braves in 1974 out of High School and it took a few years to get established in the big leagues, but when he did, there was nobody better. He made his first All Star team in 1980 and by 1982, he was a superstar. Murphy hit 36 home runs in back to back seasons, won the MVP and Silver Slugger both years, while leading the league in RBIs. From 1982 to 1987, he almost never missed a game, won 5 straight Gold Gloves, 4 straight Silver Sluggers and was absolutely an elite talent in the game. Knee issues plagued his career by 90’s and Murphy’s production declined quickly, explaining his absence from Cooperstown, but he was great for almost a decade, making 7 total All Star teams, and at his peak he was one of the greatest all around center-fielders to ever play the game.

13. Jim Edmonds

Next up is Jim Edmonds, one of the biggest Hall of Fame snubs of all time and a center-fielder who was elite both with the glove and the bat. He somehow got bumped off the ballot after one year.  A human highlight reel in centerfield, Edmonds won eight Gold Gloves, but he was also a serious hitter, finishing his career just 7 home runs shy of 400.  For his first six seasons in St. Louis, he averaged 35 home runs a year.  He helped the Cardinals win the World Series in 2006 and hit 13 career postseason home runs.  He was also a patient hitter, working plenty of walks, retiring with an on-base percentage of .376 and an OPS over .900. Edmonds career WAR of 60.4 is tied with the great Harmon Killebrew and is higher than the previous 3 centerfielders on today’s list and is higher than many other Hall of Famers including Yogi Berra, Mike Piazza, and Willie Stargell.

12. Kirby Puckett

All-time Twins legend Kirby Puckett was an elite hitter and defender for over a decade, starting in 1984 when he finished 3rd for the Rookie of the Year Award after hitting .296. He looked like a fantastic contact hitter with great speed and elite defense. Then, he became more than singles hitter in 1986 when he crushed 31 home runs, while bumping his batting average up to .328. He also stole at least 20 bags in back to back seasons. From 1986 to 1995, he was one of the premiere talents in the game, and during that span, he never missed an All Star Game, won 6 Gold Gloves, 6 Silver Sluggers, and finished in the Top 10 for MVP 7 times. He led the league in hits 4 times, RBIs once in 1994, and he even won a batting title with a .339 average in 1989. He was on his way to another elite season in 1996 when he was hitting .344 in Spring Training. Then, he woke up one morning without vision in his right eye due to sudden, severe glaucoma . Puckett was placed on the Disabled List for this first time ever and was eventually forced to retire as his vision could not be restored. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001, his first year on the ballot.

11. Richie Ashburn

Patrolling center-field for the Philadelphia Phillies during the decade of the 1950’s was the great Richie Ashburn, who was known for his exceptional range and speed. He could track down fly balls no one else could reach while maintaining an elite fielding percentage throughout his career. His 5,803 career putouts ranks third among center fielders in Major League Baseball history. He also used that speed to steal 234 bases during his career, including a league leading 32 his rookie year. Ashburn could also handle the bat, and consistently turned singles into doubles and doubles into triples. He also hit 8 career inside the park home runs. He won two batting titles, one with an incredible .350 average in 1958. For his career, he hit .308 with 2,574 career hits. The 6-time All Star was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee in 1995, 2 years before he passed away.

10. Kenny Lofton

Entering into the Top 10, we have a few of the biggest Hall of Fame snubs ever, starting with the great Kenny Lofton, who shockingly didn’t even get the 5% required to stay on the ballot. On the JAWS ranking for center-fielders which measures Hall-of-Fame worthiness, Lofton is 10th All-Time and ranked above several Hall of Famers. He simply helped his teams win ballgames by getting on base and wreaking havoc on the basepaths while playing elite defense for 17 years. Lofton led the league in stolen bases for 5 straight seasons, maxing out at 75 steals in 1996. He could also rake and hit .349 in 1994 and hit over .300 8 times. Even in his final MLB season in 2007, he hit .296 with 23 steals and a .367 on-base-percentage. His career on-base-percentage of .372 is better than George Brett and Paul Molitor. He stole 34 bases in the postseason as well. Lofton made 6 All Star teams, won 4 Gold Gloves, had over 2,400 hits and retired with an average of .299.

9. Carlos Beltran

Carlos Beltran has already made 3 Hall of Fame ballots and is 0 for 3 so far. He was a Rookie of the Year winner and an excellent defender and hitter who played for 20 years, accumulating 435 home runs and 2,725 hits. He was a 9-time All Star, 3-time Gold Glover, 2-time Silver Slugger and drove in over 100 runs 8 times. Beltran was never the best at any one thing, but did everything well, including baserunning earlier in his career, stealing over 40 bases twice. He hit at least 20 home runs 12 times and with a career high 41 bombs in 2006. Beltran lost many votes due to his involvement in the 2017 Houston Astros cheating scandal. He was a 40-year old player at the time in the last year of his career, so whatever cheating took place certainly didn’t change the fact that he had a Hall of Fame career. He has a good chance to get elected in 2026, however, and I’m hoping it happens.

8. Andruw Jones

And coming in at #8 is 10-time Gold Glover Andruw Jones, an even bigger snub than Beltran and Lofton in my opinion. He was a master in centerfield, consistently making amazing plays that seeemed to defy physics. Some advanced metrics suggest he is the best defensive center fielder ever. But Jones was also elite with the bat and he smashed over 430 home runs in his career, more than Cal Ripken Jr. and Mike Piazza. He finished 5th for the Rookie of the Year in 1997 and by 2007, had won his 10th Gold Glove and averaged 33 bombs a year throughout his first decade in the big leagues. Unfortunately, Jones struggled with injuries later in his career, stringing together 5 mediocre years to finish it off. This hurt his Hall of Fame chances as the voters are not the sharpest tools in the shed and could only remember the tail end of Jones’ career. But Andruw Jones had more Defensive Wins Above Replacement than any outfielder in the history of the game – including Willie Mays and was a premiere power hitter for a decade. He finished 2nd for MVP in 2005, leading the league with 51 homers and 128 RBIs, and for me, he easily ranks as a Top 10 Centerfielder all time.

7. Duke Snider

One of the biggest stars in the game during the mid-1950’s was Duke Snider, who became the Dodgers regular center-fielder in 1949, a year in which he hit .292 with 23 homers. From there, he only improved and made his first All Star team in 1950. He hit .321 that year and led the league with 199 hits, beginning a streak of 7 consecutive All Star appearances. He averaged 31 home runs a year for 9 straight years, led the league in home runs in 1956 with 43 bombs, and led the league in runs for three straight seasons. He was also a top-notch defender, known for his ability to run, throw and make sensational catches. He suffered a series of injures in the late 50’s and had knee surgery in 1957. After the move to LA in 1958, Snider never regained his prior form although he made one more All Star team with the Mets in 1963. He retired with a career .295 batting average, 407 home runs, and a .919 OPS. He likely would have won a few Gold Gloves, but the award did not begin until 1957, just after his prime. Snider was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1980.

6. Joe Dimaggio

The Yankee Clipper, Joe Dimaggio, made his big league debut in 1936, in the same lineup with Lou Gehrig. He set a rookie franchise record with 29 home runs that season, a record that was not broken until Aaron Judge came along in 2017. He also made the All Star team, his first of 13 – and he played in 13 seasons. In other words, Dimaggio was an All Star every single season he played. He led the league with 46 homers in 1937, won his first MVP in 1930 with a league leading .381 batting average, then won a second MVP in 1941, a season in which his most famous achievement took place – an unbreakable 56-game hitting streak that stretched from May 15th to July 17th. Then, in the prime of his career, he missed 3 straight seasons due to World War II. He came back strong, though, and won a 3rd MVP in 1947. Dimaggio also had two second place finishes for the award. He was considered a strong fielder, though modern defensive metrics suggest he was above average but not elite. He did have a very strong and accurate arm and his incredible bat made up for any defensive shortcomings anyway. Dimaggio retired with a .325 batting average, .977 OPS, 361 home runs and 2,214 hits. If not for WW2, he would’ve easily hit around 450 homers and surpassed 2,500 hits. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1955, but the writers unbelievably snubbed him on two ballots before finally electing Joltin’ Joe.

5. Ken Griffey Jr.

Now we move into the Top 5, which include nothing but the best, and it starts with the Kid – Ken Griffey Jr., who grew up around baseball as the son of 3-time All Star Ken Griffey, who made his MLB debut when Junior was 3 years old. By the time he was in High School, he was the biggest prospect in the country, displaying incredible skills both defensively and offensively. He was drafted first overall by the Mariners, destroyed the minor leagues, and made his big league debut at age 19. He was an immediate sensation. In 1990, his first full season, he hit .300, won a Gold Glove, and made his first of 13 All Star teams. His dad was also still playing and in one of the most amazing moments in MLB history, the pair hit back to back home runs for the M’s. Jr. was sensational in the field, but absolutely raked at the plate and his power increased throughout the early 90’s, going from 22 home runs to 27 then to 45 in 1993. He was also a base-stealing threat in his early years, stealing at least 15 bases 8 times. In 1997, Griffey Jr.’s skillset reached its peak as he crushed 56 home runs with 147 RBIs, winning the MVP Award. He followed that season up with 56 more bombs and led the league in homers for 3 straight years, while consistently playing elite defense and making highlight reels. He ended up with 10 Gold Glove Awards. Jr. later played with the Reds and White Sox before returning to Seattle to finish off his amazing career, which included 630 home runs and 2,781 hits. He was voted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.

4. Tris Speaker

Coming up next is the Gray Eagle, a complete player who still holds many MLB records to this day – the great Tris Speaker, who played most of his career with Boston and Cleveland. He was one of the best fielders in the history of the game, with blazing speed and freak athleticism. Speaker would play extremely shallow to defend against singles, with the confidence to chase down fly balls over his head to prevent extra base hits. But as good as he was defensively, Speaker might’ve been even better with the bat, and he had a .345 career batting average. He was a doubles machine, leading the league in the category 8 times. He also hit an incredible 222 career triples, maxing out at 22 in 1913. His speed was off the charts and unsurprisingly he also stole a lot of bases – 432 in total. Speaker even led the league in home runs in 1912. For most of his career, there was no MVP award, but it did exist from 1911 to 1914, and he got votes every time, winning the award in 1912, a season in which he had a league leading .464 on-base percentage. Speaker still holds the MLB record for career doubles, outfield assists, and unassisted double plays. He is 5th all time 3,514 career hits and was inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of its second ceremony, the Class of 1937.

3. Ty Cobb

One of the early legends of the game, Ty Cobb, AKA The Georgia Peach, played 24 years in the Major Leagues, 22 with the Detroit Tigers, and set an insane 90 MLB records throughout his career. He still has more batting titles than any other player, and it all started in 1905, when he made his debut at just 18 years old. Jealous veterans subjected him to hazing, destroying his bats, tying knots in his clothing, while verbally abusing him. This only fueled the young star, who emerged as not only the best player on the Tigers, but as one of the premiere players in the game. In 1907, he .350 with 119 RBIs and 212 hits, each a league best. And Cobb continued to put up numbers that no one could touch. He led the league in batting average in 12 out of 13 seasons, surpassing .400 multiple times, while stealing bases at a ridiculous pace. He stole 53 bases one year, then 76, then 83, then 96 in 1915. He played the game all out every day, with a fire never before seen. Cobb led the league in hits 8 times, triples 4 times, and doubles 3 times. On four separate occasions, Cobb reached 1st, stole 2nd, stole 3rd, then stole home, another one of his many records. He regarded baseball as “something like a war,” and every single game for him felt like life or death. Casey Stengal said "I never saw anyone like Ty Cobb. No one even close to him. He was the greatest all time ballplayer. That guy was superhuman, amazing.” Cobb hit .366 for his entire career, a stunning number, and also had an MLB record 4,189 hits, a record that stood until Pete Rose became the new hit king. He was one of the first 5 inaugural inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

2. Mickey Mantle

Up next we have the Commerce Comet, one of the greatest sluggers to ever walk the planet. Mickey Mantle was an incredibly talented switch-hitter who caught the attention of Casey Stengel during Yankees Spring Training in 1951 when he crushed tape-measure home runs from each side of the plate. He made the big league team, but struggled in his rookie year and was sent back to the minors. He almost quit, but reconsidered after his father said “I thought I raised a man. I see I raised a coward instead. You can come back to Oklahoma and work the mines with me.” Mantle stuck with baseball, made it back to the Yankees, and broke out in 1952 with a .311 batting average and league leading .924 OPS. He had unbelievable speed and explosiveness, but much of that declined after severe right knee injury sustained in the ‘51 World Series. Even with the injury and a torn ACL, Mantle went on to have an incredible career, becoming a generational superstar. He won back to back MVPs in 1956 and ‘57, winning a Triple Crown in ‘56 with a .353 average, 52 home runs and 130 RBIs. He won a third MVP and a Gold Glove Award in 1962. Mantle also led the league in walks 5 times, retiring with a .421 on-base-percentage. He made 20 All Star Teams, hit 536 career home runs, and batted .298 – all during a career that was plagued with injuries. He helped the Yankees to win 7 World Series titles and hit 18 World Series home runs. Mantle is an absolute legend and one of the greatest baseball players to ever live. He was inducted into Cooperstown in 1974.

1. Willie Mays

But coming at #1 is none other than the legendary Willie Mays, possibly the greatest all-around player in the history of the game. He won a Rookie of the Year Award in 1951 and by 1954, was the best player in the game despite missing nearly two full seasons due to military service. He hit .345 in ‘54 with 41 home runs, and took home his first MVP Award. From there, Mays was elite year after year, hitting for average and power, playing incredible defense while stealing a ton of bases. He led the league in steals for 4 straight seasons, averaged over 35 home runs per season for a decade, and led the league in multiple offensive categories every year. In 1957, the Gold Glove Award was introduced and Willie Mays won the award for 12 straight seasons. He won a second MVP award in 1965 with 52 home runs, a .317 average and 112 RBIs. Mays topped 100 RBIs 10 times and became the only player to ever hit 50 homers and 20 triples in the same season. He tied an MLB record with 4 home runs in a single game, made one of the most iconic catches in the history of the game in the 1954 World Series, and is the only player to ever reach 3,000 hits, 300 home runs and 300 steals while hitting over .300. He far exceeded some of those numbers, reaching 660 home runs in his career, 3,293 hits, and 339 steals. Although this list has some amazing legendary players, there was no one else but the Say Hey Kid, Willie Mays, who I could put as the #1 greatest center-fielder to ever play the game.

But let me know your thoughts down below; who else would you add to the list? Thanks so much for checking out the video and we’ll talk to ya’ll in the next one.

Top 15 MLB Right-Fielders of ALL TIME

Welcome back to another MLB top 15 position video and today we’ll be talking about some of the greatest right fielders to ever play the game. Right field is the farthest position from third base, usually meaning the right fielder needs to have an extremely powerful arm. Oftentimes, that’s not the only thing powerful about a right-fielder, as many of the greatest hitters of all time played the majority of their games as the position. On today’s Top 15, every single player is in the Hall of Fame. To be eligible for the list, a player has to be retired, has to have played in at least 1,000 games in right field and it had to be the position they played more than any other. But before getting into the Top 15, I have 5 quick honorable mentions.

Sammy Sosa

Sosa is 10th all time with 2,015 games played in right field and is 1st all time with 576 home runs as a right-fielder. The 1998 MVP hit over 60 home runs in a season 3 times, also a record. However, it’s hard to tell how good he would’ve been without the ‘roids. Sosa was below average defensively, although he did have a strong arm with 127 career assists. His career WAR of 58.6 is relatively low compared to other great right-fielders. But, he definitely deserves a mention for his insane peak.

Gary Sheffield

9-time All Star Gary Sheffield began his career as a shortstop and third baseman, but settled into right-field in 1994 with the Florida Marlins. He was one of the most feared hitters in the game, consistently hitting near .300 with big power. Sheffield had exceptional bat speed and impressive plate discipline. He retired with 509 home runs, a .394 on-base percentage and a .907 OPS. His 60.5 WAR ranks 19th among right-fielders

Dwight Evans

One of my top Hall of Fame snubs of all time, Dwight Evans barely missed out on the Top 15. He brought an incredible combination of power, patience and elite defense to the ballpark every night. Evans won 8 Gold Gloves, led the league in walks 3 times, and hit at least 20 home runs in 11 separate seasons. He retired with a .370 on-base percentage and 385 home runs. He is a borderline Hall of Famer with his bat alone, but the 8 Gold Gloves should definitely have put him over the top.

Vladmir Guerrero

Although he finished his career as a full-time DH, Guerrero played 1,605 games as a right-fielder with one of the most powerful arms in the game. But his main skillset was definitely his bat, and Guerrero had elite hand eye coordination that allowed him to put wood on the ball no matter where the pitch was thrown. He consistently hit well over .300 with power, crushing 449 career bombs. Guerrero made 9 All Star teams, won 8 Silver Sluggers, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2018.

Dave Parker

“The Cobra” was one of the most dangerous sluggers in baseball and also had a rocket for an arm. He won an MVP, 3 Gold Gloves, an All Star Game MVP, two World Series Rings and back-to-back batting titles. He was a key member of the Pirates championship team in 1979, hitting .333 in the NLCS and .345 in the World Series. He had 2,700 hits and 143 outfield assists in his career. Parker was just recently elected to the Hall of Fame, but sadly he also passed away in June. Rest in Peace Cobra.

Now, let’s jump into the Top 15...

15. Ichiro Suzuki

The fact that Ichiro comes in at the bottom of this list tells you just how good these players are. Ichiro came over to the United States after a stellar 9 year career in Japan, making his MLB debut at age 27. He had a season for the ages, winning the Rookie of the Year and MVP, hitting .350 with 242 hits and 56 stolen bases. It was just the beginning for Ichiro, who played in 19 separate seasons in the big leagues, leading the league in hits 7 times, and he made 10 straight All Star Games while winning 10 straight Gold Glove Awards. He reached 3,000 hits with a .311 career average. Who knows what career records he could’ve broken had he started his career back in 1992 when he began his pro career in Japan. But regardless, Ichiro is one of the greatest right-fielders to ever play the game.

14. Andre Dawson

The Hawk, Andre Dawson, played center-field for the first few years of his career with the Expos, but moved to right in 1984, where he played for the rest of his career. He was one of the most feared hitters in the game from the beginning, as he won the Rookie of the Year in 1977 and after signing with the Cubs in 1987, became one of the best in the game. That year, he won the MVP with 49 bombs and 137 RBIs. He was also a fantastic fielder and won 8 total Gold Gloves, half of them as a right-fielder. He ended his career with 438 home runs, 2,774 hits, and an .806 OPS. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2010.

13. Larry Walker

5-Time All Star Larry Walker could pretty much do it all. He obviously had big power, and hit 383 career home runs. He led the league in his MVP season of 1997 with 49 bombs. He could also hit for average like few others, leading the league in batting average 3 times, maxing out with a .379 mark in 1999. He also had a great eye, worked consistent walks, and was an elite fielder, winning 7 Gold Gloves. He retired with 150 career assists, 20th on the All Time list for right-fielders. He was even a great baserunner, with 11 seasons of double-digit steals including 33 in 1997. He stole 230 career bases, hit .313 and retired with a .965 OPS. Few players helped their teams win ballgames like the legendary Larry Walker, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

12. Dave Winfield

Up next is the 7-time Gold Glover and 6-Time Silver Slugger, Dave Winfield, whose reign of terror against pitchers began in 1977 when he made his first of 12 straight All Star Teams. That year, he crushed 25 homers and began a streak of 15 seasons, with the exception of the strike shortened 1981, in which he would crush at least 19 bombs. He drove in at least 100 runs 8 times and finished in the Top 10 for the MVP 7 times, although he never won the award. But he had incredible longevity, playing for 22 seasons. He was an impact player even later in his career, crushing 2 home runs in the 1992 ALCS for the Blue Jays, helping them reach and eventually win the World Series. He retired with 3,110 hits and 465 home runs and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001.

11. Sam Crawford

The legendary Sam Crawford was the best fielding and throwing right-fielder in the game during his time and he retired with an insane 191 assists, 5th all time. The speedy right-fielder played for 19 years and set all types of MLB records, many which still stand today. He led the league in triples 6 times, and RBIs 3 times, surpassing 100 6 times in his career. He even had pop for his era, crushing a league leading 16 home runs in 1901, an incredibly high number for the dead ball era. He was also a prolific basestealer, stealing at least 20 bases 9 times, with a maximum of 42 in 1912. Crawford, to this day, has an MLB record 309 triples, a record that may stand forever, as a player would need to average 16 triples a year for 20 years to break it, and no one has hit 16 triples in a season since Jose Reyes in 2011. I would say Crawford’s record is safe.

10. Harry Heilmann

Moving into the Top 10, we have one of the most overlooked players in MLB history because he played alongside Ty Cobb for a decade, Harry Heilmann, AKA Slug, was one of the best hitters in the game during his time. He is currently 15th all time with a .342 career batting average and he won four batting titles during his career, once topping .400 with a .403 mark in 1923. He also had solid power for his time, hitting double digit bombs 9 times, including 21 homers in 1922. On July 8th, 1921, he hit a home run over the centerfield wall in Detroit that, according to reports at the time, “actually made the patrons gasp in astonishment.” It was reported to have traveled 610 feet, certainly an exaggeration. Detroit’s grounds keeper said it was closer to around 500 feet. Heilmann was also a great fielder and certainly would’ve won some Gold Gloves if they existed back then. He had 175 career assists, 11th all time among right-fielders. Heilmann never won an MVP, competing with the likes of Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, and Walter Johnson, but he finished in the Top 5 four times. He was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1952.

9. Paul Waner

Another forgotten superstar of the late 20’s and early 30’s, Paul Waner AKA Big Poison was an immediate sensation for the Pirates in 1926 when he hit .336 with a league leading 22 triples his rookie year. He followed that up with an MVP season in which he hit .380 with 131 RBIs. He continued to hit well over .300 nearly ever season, and he hit double-digit triples for 10 straight years. Waner was known as one of the best defensive right fielders in baseball, with amazing speed and an extremely strong and accurate arm that led to 238 right-field assists, 3rd in the history of the game and a National League record to this day. He threw out at least 15 runners in 8 separate seasons. He became the 7th member of the 3,000 hit club and retired with 3,152 hits. He had a .333 career batting average and .401 on-base percentage. His 191 triples are 10th all time and his 605 doubles are 14th. He was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1952.

8. Tony Gwynn

Next up, we have one the greatest hitters to ever live, Padres legend Tony Gwynn. The Padres knew he was a pure hitter with solid potential when they took the local kid in the 3rd round out of San Diego State in 1981, but they had no idea just how good he would become. Gwynn immediately tore up the minor leagues, hitting .462 in Double-A, forcing a call up by 1982. He quickly became a regular in the Padres lineup, and led the league in 1984 with a .351 average and 213 hits, finishing 3rd for the MVP. He continued to rake his entire career, making 15 All Star Teams, winning 8 batting titles, and he also played excellent defense in right-field, taking home 5 Gold Glove Awards. He led the league in hits in 7 separate seasons and in batting average 8 separate seasons, finishing his career with 3,141 hits and a .338 career batting average. He was easily elected to the Hall of Fame on his first ballot in 2007.

7. Reggie Jackson

A powerful slugger with a flair for the dramatic, Mr. October, Reggie Jackson, crushed 563 home runs in his illustrious career and that doesn’t count his 18 postseason bombs, many extremely dramatic, including 3 in one World Series game. He began his career with the A’s and made his first of 14 All Star teams in 1969, a season in which he hit 47 home runs with an OPS over 1.000. Jackson hit .310 with a home run in the 1973 World Series, helping the A’s take home the championship. He followed up with another solid World Series performance in ‘74, helping his team win back to back championships. He did the same for the New York Yankees and was unstoppable in both the 1977 and 1978 fall classics. In ‘77, he hit .450 with 5 bombs then in ‘78, hit .391 with 2 bombs and 8 RBIs. Jackson had a flamboyant personality and often crashed with his managers, most notably Billy Martin. He wasn’t the best defender and did strike out a lot, but it was all worth it for his incredible power and ability to come through when it counted. Jackson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

6. Al Kaline

Coming in at #6 is Al Kaline, who played 22 years in the big leagues, accumulating over 3,000 hits with 399 homers and a .297 batting average. He was a force at the plate since his rookie year and in 1955, he led the league with a .340 batting average while crushing 27 homers with 102 RBIs. He hit over .300 in 9 separate seasons, consistently hitting between around 20-29 homers. He had a good eye and worked 1,277 walks, resulting in a .376 on-base percentage. He was also one of most exceptional defenders in the game, retiring with a .987 fielding percentage and 146 assists. From the inception of the Gold Glove in 1957, he won one in ten out of eleven seasons. He would’ve likely won at least 2 or 3 more if they existed earlier in his career. In 1968, Kaline hit .379 with 2 home runs and 9 RBIs in the World Series, helping his Tigers win it all. Kaline retired as one of the greatest players in the history of the game, and was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1980.

5. Roberto Clemente

Now we move into the Top 5 for some of the most decorated and legendary ballplayers of all time, and they all played right field. At #5 is the Great One, Roberto Clemente, whose career was tragically cut short on December 31st, 1972 when he perished in a plane crash attempting to deliver aid packages to Nicaragua, which was affected by a massive Earthquake. When he died, Clemente was already a baseball legend, having played for 18 years with the Pittsburgh Pirates as an absolute superstar offensively and defensively. He had his breakout season in 1960 when he hit .314 with 16 homers, making his first of 15 All Star Teams, but the next year, he was even better, leading the league with a .351 average. He won 4 batting titles in his career, and finished in the Top 10 for MVP 8 times, winning the Award in 1966. As a defender, Clemente was absolutely stellar, possibly the greatest defensive right-fielder ever. He had a cannon for an arm and was ridiculously accurate as well. He had 256 career assists, second in the history of the game for a right-fielder. He was also known for spectacular catches, many times leaping or sliding to catch balls that seemed uncatchable. Clemente was simply was one of the best to ever play the game, and when he died, he had exactly 3,000 hits, a .317 batting average and 12 Gold Gloves. Clemente was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973 in a Special Election.

4. Frank Robinson

Next up is Frank Robinson, who lit up the league out of nowhere in his rookie year of 1956 with Cincinnati, hitting .290 with 38 bombs and a league leading 122 runs. He unanimously won the Rookie of the Year Award and continued to crush the baseball for 21 years, hitting at least 30 home runs 11 times while hitting for average. He led the league in OPS in 4 separate seasons, each eclipsing the 1.000 mark. In 1961, he won his first MVP, still with the Reds, by hitting .323 with 37 bombs, and a league leading .611 slugging percentage. He won another MVP in 1966, his first year with Baltimore, in a season for the ages – Robinson won the Triple Crown, hitting .316 with 122 RBIs and a career high 49 home runs. Robinson ended his career with 586 bombs and a .294 average and he also became the first black manager in MLB history in 1975, but he was also still a player, and went deep in his first at bat as manager. Robinson was also an elite defender and he won a Gold Glove in 1958, and he even stole over 200 bases in his career. He got his plaque in the Hall of Fame in 1982.

3. Mel Ott

During the 1930’s the best power hitter in the National League hands down was New York Giants right-fielder Mel Ott. He led the league in homers 6 times and was also one of the most patient hitters in the game, leading the league in walks 6 times and on-base percentage four times. He played for 22 years, all for the Giants, and retired with 511 home runs, 2,876 hits, 1,708 walks and a .304 batting average. He was an elite defender with an insane arm, retiring with 235 assists, still 4th in MLB history for a right-fielder. He made the first All Star Team in 1934 and went on to make a total of 11, and got MVP votes in 13 seasons, but never won the award. He might be the greatest MLB player of all time who played while the MVP award existed, and never actually won it. In 1942, he led the league in WAR, runs, home runs, walks, and OPS, but finished 3rd for the MVP behind Enos Slaughter and pitcher Mort Cooper. Ott is still 20th all time in career WAR with a 111 WAR, higher than Mickey Mantle. Ott was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1951.

2. Hank Aaron

Hammerin’ Hank Aaron needs no introduction. He was simply a once-in-a-lifetime generational talent who put together an insanely impressive career in which he made an MLB record 25 All Star teams, 13 Top 10 MVP seasons, 3,771 hits and at the time he retired an MLB record 755 home runs. Aaron was elite from day one with the Milwaukee Braves, and he won his MVP award in his 4th season, 1957, when he hit .322 with 44 home runs and 132 RBIs. He was incredibly consistent, year after year, crushing at least 20 home runs a year for an absolutely crazy 20 straight seasons, and he usually hit well over 30. Aaron was a 5-tool talent who could defend, throw, hit for power, hit for average and run – he stole over 20 bases in 6 separate seasons and retired with 179 right-field assists, 9th in the history of the game. He had a .305 career average, 2,227 RBIs and still holds the MLB record with 6,856 total bases, a record that may never be touched. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.

1. Babe Ruth

But at #1 has to be the greatest of all time, Babe Ruth, who played 1,128 games in right field. No player ever separated himself more from his peers than Ruth, who started his career as a pitcher, and he was elite, winning 23 games in 1916 with a league leading 1.75 ERA. But he was too good of a hitter to be a pitcher, and in 1919, he moved to the outfield full time and put up numbers no one ever thought possible before. Ruth smashed an MLB record 29 home runs with 113 RBIs, and he was just getting started. In 1920, he broke his own record with 54 homers, then broke it again in 1921 with 59. His offensive numbers dwarved those of every other player, and he also hit for average, hitting well over .300 nearly every season, maxing out an an incredible .393 mark in 1923, the year he won the MVP award. At that time, players were only allowed to win one MVP. Had that not been the case, Ruth could’ve won as many as 10 MVPs. Earlier in his career, Ruth had speed and was an above-average defender, but as he focused more on hitting and gained weight, his defensive skills declined. Still, Ruth’s offensive numbers more than made up for it and he ended his career with 714 home runs and a .342 batting average. To this day, Babe Ruth holds the MLB record for career slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+, and WAR. He is 3rd all time in walks, 3rd in home runs, and even 13th in batting average. And he has to come in at #1 as the greatest right-fielder, and let’s be honest, compared to his peers, the greatest MLB player of all time.

And that is going to do it for today’s video ranking the greatest right-fielders in MLB history; let me know your thoughts down below. I hope you enjoyed the video; if so check out the playlist above which has my entire series, ranking every position in the game; I still have a few more to go, look forward to my ranking of the greatest left-fielders coming up next. Until then, enjoy the playlist and we’ll talk to you in the next one.

Top 15 MLB Left-Fielders of ALL TIME

Welcome back to another MLB top 15 position video and today it’s time to talk about some of the greatest modern day left-fielders to play the game of baseball, and it’s one of the most impressive lists yet. To be eligible, a player has to be retired, played the best years of their career after 1903, has to have played in at least 1,000 games in left field, more than another position – for example, Babe Ruth played 1,047 games in left field, but he played even more in right field and so that’s the ranking in which you’ll find the Salton of Swat. This list is going to contain some controversial names, and at least a couple big time left fielders have had connections to PEDs, making this list very tough… but, it has to be done. So, without any further ado today, I’m going to do my best to make a fair ranking of the greatest left fielders of all time – let me know your thoughts in the comment section down below and let’s jump into today’s list..

Honorable Mention. Minnie Minoso

Minnie Minoso, The Cuban Comet, played over 1,500 MLB games in left field, exciting crowds with his electric play. He began his pro career in Cuba then the Negro Leagues before singing with the Cleveland Indians in 1948. He was traded to the White Sox early in the 1951 season, his first full season. That year, he made the All Star team, led the league in triples and stolen bases while hitting .326 with a .422 on-base percentage. Minoso became an instant star, and continued to rake year in and year out, hitting over .300 in 8 separate seasons, while working lots of walks and also consistently leading the league in hit by pitches. He was also fantastic defensively, winning 3 Gold Glove Awards. He retired in the mid-60’s with a modern MLB record 197 hit by pitches, over 2,000 hits and a .299 batting average. Counting his time in the Negro Leagues, Minoso was a 13-time All Star. He made two brief comebacks – once in 1976 when he went 1 for 8 as a DH and pinch hitter, then again in 1980 at nearly 57 years old, he made two pinch hit appearances for the White Sox, officially playing professional baseball in 5 separate decades. He was dropped from the Hall of Fame ballot multiple times, but was finally elected by the Golden Era Committee in 2022.

15. Zack Wheat

Wheat played 19 years in the big leagues, 18 for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and he was one of the most consistent hitters in the league throughout his career. Wheat was a 5-tool talent before that term was coined. He hit over .300 in 14 separate seasons, inducing a league leading .335 in 1918. In 1924, he hit .375, but lost the batting title to Rogers Hornsby, who hit a ridiculous .424. He was a base stealing threat early in his career, averaging 19 steals per year for 7 straight seasons. Wheat was also an elite defender, leading NL left fielders in fielding percentage twice. He had a powerful arm, which helped him lead left fielders in putouts 7 times, and although his home run numbers would be considered below average today, he finished in the Top 10 several times and was considered a power hitter during his day. His career 132 home runs ranked 8th all time when he retired, and he is also 4th all time with 2,328 games played in left field. He made it into the Hall of Fame in 1959.

14. Jim Rice

8-Time All Star Jim Rice became an instant MLB star in 1975 when he hit .309 with 22 home runs, finishing second for the Rookie of the Year Award. In 1977, he had 407 total bases, the first MLB player with 400+ total bases in a season in nearly 20 years. He led the American League in the category for 3 straight seasons, a feat that had only been accomplished by Ty Cobb. Rice won the MVP award in 1978, crushing 46 home runs with 139 RBIs and a .315 batting average and made 4 straight All Star teams from 1977 to 1980. He repeated that feat from 1983 to 1986. He played his entire 16 year career with the Red Sox, following a tradition of great Boston left-fielders, including more names that will come up later on this list. Jim Rice was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

13. Joe Medwick

Long before Vladmir Guerrero and Pablo Sandoval, there was a Joe Medwick, a free swinger with elite hand eye coordination. He could hit almost any pitch. Medwick broke into the big leagues in 1932 and quickly became an everyday player for the Cardinals. He played the game as hard as anyone, and was extremely competitive, to the point of controversy at times. But he was also elite. He won the Triple Crown in 1937, taking home the MVP award with 31 bombs, 154 RBIs and a .374 batting average. He surpassed 100 RBIs for 6 straight seasons, made 7 consecutive All Star teams and finished in the Top 10 for MVP 4 times. Medwick also set a single season National League record with 64 doubles in 1936, a record that still stands. Shortly after a trade to Brookyln in 1940, Medwick was drilled in the head by a pitch by that put him in the hospital for nearly a week. Benches cleared as the beaning was believed to be intentional. Medwick eventually recovered, and returned to baseball, but never played as well as he did in the late 30’s. His last great season was in 1944 when he hit .337 with the Giants. He became a Hall of Famer in 1968 with a career .324 average and 2,471 hits.

12. Lou Brock

All-time Cardinals legend Lou Brock is mostly known for his 938 stolen bases, an MLB record at the time he retired. His speed was what made him a star and Brock led the league in steals in 8 out of 9 seasons, including 1974 when he stole a modern MLB record 118 bases. However, Brock was also a fantastic hitter who retired with a .293 batting average and .343 on-base percentage. He hit over .300 8 times, including his final season in 1979 when he hit .304. He had 3 additional seasons falling just short of .300, with a .297, .298 and .299 season. During his career, he had seasons in which he led the league in runs, doubles, triples, and at bats. He made 6 All Star Teams and was also an elite hitter in the postseason, hitting .391 in the World Series with 4 home runs in 87 at bats. He was a key player for the Cardinals during their 1964 and 1967 Championship seasons and finished his career with over 3,000 hits and exactly 900 RBIs. Lou Brock was easily elected into the Hall of Fame in 1985, his first year on the ballot.

11. Tim Raines

One of the most underrated MLB talents for decades, switch-hitter Tim Raines, AKA “Rock”, was one of the best leadoff hitters and baserunners in MLB history. He wasn’t drafted until the 5th round by the Montreal Expos but he sped through the minor leagues, literally, stealing 64 bases in 1980 while hitting .354 in Triple-A. He finished 2nd for the Rookie of the Year in 1981, leading the league with an incredible 71 steals. He went on to lead the league in the category for 4 consecutive seasons, maxing out at 90 steals in 1983, and he didn’t get thrown out much. Raines holds the highest stolen base success rate of any player with 400 or more stolen bases at an 84.7% success rate.  He could also hit, and led the league in 1986 with a .334 batting average. He made seven straight All Star teams with Montreal, led the league in doubles in 1984, won a Silver Slugger in 1986 and in his prime, was simply one of the most productive players in the game. Even after his best years, he continued to steal a ton of bases, with at least 40 stolen bases in 11 out of 12 seasons. He went on to have productive years with the White Sox, Yankees and A’s before finishing his career with the Orioles and Marlins, compiling 23 total big league seasons, 808 steals, 2,605 hits and a .294 batting average. Although it wasn’t until his 10th time on the ballot, Raines was finally voted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.

10. Billy Williams

Chicago Cubs legend Sweet Swingin’ Billy Williams played in his first full season in 1961 and won the Rookie of the Year, hitting .278 with 25 bombs. The next year, his average jumped to .298 and he made his first of 6 All Star Teams. Williams was consistently good for 20-40 home runs, and a batting average near .300. He hit at least 20 homers for 13 straight seasons, maxing out at 42 in 1970, a year in which he hit .322 with a league leading 220 hits. He finished 2nd for the MVP, a feat he accomplished again in 1972 when he won a batting title with a .333 average and an OPS over 1.000. Williams wasn’t the best defender early on, but gradually improved throughout his career and was eventually considered above average. He retired with 2,711 hits, 426 home runs, 1,475 RBIs, a .290 average and .361 on base percentage. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987.

9. Ralph Kiner

Ralph Kiner’s MLB career might have started sooner if not for WW2 as he spent two years in the Navy, enlisting the day after Pearl Harbor. Fortunately, he wasted no time in the minors afterwards, making his big league debut in 1946 at the age of 23, and he led the league in home runs with Pirates. Kiner went on to the lead the league in big flies for 7 straight seasons, becoming the premiere power-hitter in the game. He crushed 51 bombs in 1947 and 54 in 1949, falling just 2 short of the NL record set by Hack Wilson. Kiner became the fourth MLB player to have at least four 30-home run, 100-RBI seasons in their first five years. He also knew the strike zone well and led the league in walks 3 times, consistently getting on base. He made 6 straight All Star teams and looked primed to become one of the greatest players to ever live. Unfortunately, a back injury cut his career short and Kiner retired at the age of 32, barely achieving the 10-year minimum to be eligible for the Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 1975, with 369 career home runs and a .946 OPS. Although he wasn’t able to have much longevity, Kiner had one of the most impressive peaks in MLB history.

8. Willie Stargell

Wilver Darnell Stargell made his MLB debut in 1962 with the Pirates but didn’t play his first full season until 1964, a year in which he made the All Star team and hit .273 with 21 homers. It was just the beginning for Pops, who hit 27 bombs in 1965, then 30 in 1966. His batting average also improved every year from .243 to .273 to .315. By the early 70’s, he was an absolute megastar, crushing a league leading 48 bombs in 1971, finishing 2nd for the MVP. He finished in the Top 3 for the award in three consecutive seasons, but didn’t win won until 1979 when he tied with Keith Hernandez. He hit more home runs than any other player during the 1970’s and played his entire 21-year career with the Pirates, crushing 475 home runs with a .282 batting average, and 1,540 RBIs. He became known for his tape measure bombs, seven of which left Forbes Field and several others which reached the upper deck at Three Rivers Stadium. He became the first player to ever send a baseball completely out of Dodger Stadium. He was a key member of two Pirates championship clubs, one in 1971, and another in 1979, his MVP season, in which he also hit .400 with 3 home runs in the World Series. Stargell wasn’t known for his defense, but it was good enough to get by, especially with his insane offensive production. The 7-time All Star was easily inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.

7. Manny Ramirez

Up next is the first steroid-connected guy, the famous, or infamous, Manny Ramirez, who without a doubt was a gifted ballplayer with tremendous power and a pure hitting ability that was evident from his early years with Cleveland. Manny was one of many incredible talents on those mid 1990’s Indians teams, and he finished second for the Rookie of the Year in 1994 before breaking out in ‘95 with an All Star season in which he hit .308 with 31 homers and 117 RBIs. A star was born and his stats would continue to improve from there. In 1999, Manny led the league with 165 RBIs, a .663 slugging percentage and insane 1.105 OPS. He won 8 straight Silver Sluggers, 9 total, and hit at least 30 home runs in 12 out of 13 seasons. After signing as a free agent with the Red Sox, Manny continued to crush the baseball and helped them break the Curse of the Bambino by hitting .412 in the 2004 World Series. Although even back then, he had plenty of Manny Being Manny controversial moments, his career was clearly on a Hall of Fame trajectory. But then, in 2009, while with the Dodgers, he was suspended 50 games for violating the league’s PED policy. In early 2011 with the Tampa Bay Rays, he was nailed again, and was facing a 100-game suspension when he decided to retire. Ramirez never played in another MLB game. For Manny, it’s hard to pinpoint an exact moment he started taking PED’s, but in my opinion, he would’ve been a Hall of Famer if he never touched them, as he was clearly an elite hitter and superstar from his early years with Cleveland. He ended up with 555 home runs, 12 All Star appearances and a .312 career batting average. Due to his two suspensions, he has not been elected to the Hall of Fame.

6. Goose Goslin

Up next, we’re going back to the 1920’s and 30’s with Goose Goslin, an elite hitter and defender who played in the big leagues for 18 years. Goslin was a 5-tool talent who had incredible speed, a pure bat, and power as well. He led the league in triples twice and had eleven seasons in which he hit at least .300. He won a batting title in 1928 with a .379 batting average. Goslin had big power potential, although the numbers didn’t always show it because he played at the mammoth Griffith Stadium. Still, he crushed at least 17 home runs in four separate seasons, mostly on the road, when he was traded to the St. Louis Browns in 1930 and suddenly smashed a career high 37 home runs. He ended his career with 248 bombs. He could also steal bases, with 176 career steals including 27 in 1925. He was fantastic in the field as well and used his powerful arm to lead the AL in assists five times and putouts four times. He remains in the top 5 all time in the American League in putouts and assists and is 22nd all time with 173 career triples. In 1924, he hit .344 with 3 home runs in the World Series, helping the Washington Senators win it all, then hit .308 with 3 more homers in the 1925 Fall Classic, although his team fell short that year. He did win one more ring with Detroit in 1935 and ended up hitting 7 home runs in 129 World Series at bats. Goslin is ranked higher than one might expect because of his overall contributions to his teams in every facet of the game. He was completely snubbed by the writers for the Hall of Fame, who couldn’t even get him to 1% on the 1948 ballot. Goslin was elected unanimously by the Veteran’s Committee in 1968.

5. Al Simmons

The legendary Al Simmons made an instant impact with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1924 when he hit .308 his rookie year with 103 RBIs. It was just the beginning for Simmons who broke out in 1925 with a league leading 253 hits and 392 total bases. He also crushed 24 homers, finishing 2nd for the MVP in his second season. He would go on to have at least 200 hits in 6 separate seasons, while hitting for power. He was a clutch hitter who drove in at least 100 runs in 11 straight seasons and 12 overall. He finished in the Top 10 for the MVP eight times but somehow never won the award. He was also elite in the postseason, hitting .300 with 2 homers in the 1929 World Series, then .364 with 2 more bombs in the 1930 Fall Classic. The A’s won both times. In 1931, although they lost, Simmons hit .333 with yet again 2 more home runs. Simmons was also an excellent defender in left field, retiring with a .982 fielding percentage and exactly 5,000 putouts. He retired as one of the best hitters in MLB history, with a .334 career average and four seasons above .380. He crushed 307 home runs and had a career .915 OPS. Simmons was inducted into Cooperstown in 1953.

4. Carl Yastrzemski

Moving into the top 3, we have Carl Yastrzemski, who played 1,912 games in left field, each and every one for the Boston Red Sox. He proved to a worthy successor to another legendary Red Sox left fielder who we’re about to talk about, except Yaz was even better defensively. He had a powerful arm and became an expert in dealing with the Green Monster in left field. He won seven Gold Gloves and lead his team in assists seven times. But he was also elite with the bat and Yastrzemski consistently hit around .300 with power. He won 3 batting titles, including one in 1967, a magical year in which he won the triple crown, hitting .326 with 44 home runs and 121 RBIs. He obviously won the MVP that year. Yastrzemski had incredible longevity as well, and played for 23 years, rarely missing a game, and was excellent the entire time, even making the All Star team – his 18th – in his final season in 1983. Yastrzemski had a great eye as well and led the league in walks twice. He retired with an on-base percentage of .379 to go along with 452 home runs and 3,419 hits. He even stole 168 bases. Carl Yastrzemski was one of the best and most complete players to ever pick up a bat and he comes in at #3 on today’s list of the best left fielders of all time. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.

3. Rickey Henderson

Coming in at #3, we have Rickey Henderson, the greatest base stealer and leadoff hitter in MLB history. But before his first MLB steal, the A’s themselves made an amazing steal by drafting Rickey in the 4th round of the 1976 MLB draft. He destroyed the minor leagues, crushing the baseball while stealing bases at a pace not seen in decades. He stole 95 bases in 1977 with the Modesto A’s. He made his big league debut in 1979 and in first full season in 1980, he stole a hundred bases and made All Star Game while hitting over .300 with a .408 on-base-percentage. His insane speed also made him an incredible fielder and he won a Gold Glove in 1981. He became the best leadoff hitter in the game, working walks at an incredible pace but also had a knack for crushing bombs to kick off a game, and he broke the MLB record for the most leadoff homers. He would go on to lead the league in steals 12 times in his career, racking up an MLB record 1,406 stolen bases. He also won an MVP in 1990, a season in which he hit .325 with 28 homers and 65 steals. Henderson had insane longevity and played for 25 years in the league, breaking the MLB walk record as well. He helped two teams win World Series championships – the A’s and Blue Jays, and won an ALCS MVP in 1989. The accolades of Rickey Henderson and way too long to list, but he is without a doubt one of the greatest left fielders to ever live and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

2. Ted Williams

At #2 is Yastrzemski’s predecessor, the great Ted Williams, who gets ranked slightly higher than Yaz only because his offensive prowess was just that amazing. In fact, many consider Ted Williams to be the greatest hitter to ever live. It was instantly apparent Williams was special when drove in a league leading 145 runs his rookie year in 1939, finishing 4th for the MVP. He would’ve easily won the Rookie of the Year had the award existed at that time. By 1941, he was absolutely unstoppable, leading the league in almost every offensive category. He hit .406 with 37 home runs, an insane .553 on-base percentage and an OPS of 1.287. He probably should’ve won the MVP Award but understandably lost to Joe Dimaggio, who broke an MLB record with a hit in 56 consecutive games. But Ted Williams was definitely on his way to winning several MVPs when World War II broke out. Williams missed 3 seasons in the prime of his life serving his country. When he returned, though, he didn’t miss a single beat. In 1946, his first year back, he won the MVP, leading the league in runs, walks, on-base percentage, slugging and WAR. He could get on base like no one else, hit for an extremely high average and belt plenty of home runs. And he rarely swung out of the strike zone, leading the league in walks 8 times in his career. He won a second MVP in 1949, a year he also won his second Triple Crown, hit at least .400 3 times and retired with a .344 batting average, 521 home runs and a 1.116 OPS for his entire career. To put that in perspective, Shohei Ohtani’s OPS in his 50/50 season was 1.036, lower than Ted William’s career OPS. Another insane stat – Ted Williams never had an OPS lower than 1.000 in a single full season in his career. No amount of words can express how freakishly good Ted Williams was at hitting, so good that despite being an average defender in left field, he comes in 2nd all time on today’s list.

1. Barry Bonds

But, hopefully no one’s surprise, coming at #1 I had to go with the great Barry Bonds, who is obviously a controversial figure to say the least, but he is without a doubt the greatest baseball player I’ve ever watched in person, and even before he got a little boost in the late 90’s/early 2000’s, Bonds was on his way to becoming the greatest left fielder to ever play the game. Bonds had his first monster season in 1990 with the Pittsburgh Pirates when he hit .301 with 33 bombs and 114 RBIs, while also winning a Gold Glove and stealing 52 bases. His all-around talent was off the charts, and Bonds won his first but certainly not last MVP that season. He would also go on to win 8 Gold Gloves in 9 years, becoming the premiere defender in left field, using his strong baseball instincts and amazing athleticism to get to the ball quickly and make extraordinary plays. He won a second MVP in 1992, with 34 home runs and 103 RBIs while leading the league in walks, runs, on-base percentage and slugging. Then, after signing with the Giants, he won his 3rd MVP in 1993, hitting a career high 46 homers with an OPS of 1.136. Bonds continued to be the best player in the game throughout the 90’s, cementing himself as a future Hall of Famer. Of course, we all know the story after that. Bonds went from being the best player in the game and a future Hall of Famer to becoming a Cyborg with numbers only seen in video games. He won 4 straight MVPs in the early 2000’s, broke the single season home run record with 73 bombs in 2001, became the first MLB player to put up a single season OPS north of 1.400, and eventually broke Hank Aaron’s all time home run record. Obviously, that portion of Bonds career has been clouded due to PEDs, but even if we tone down those numbers to what he would’ve put up without the extra help, I still believe Barry Bonds would’ve ended up as the greatest left fielder ever, and as a Giants fan, you don’t really expect me to put Barry Bonds anywhere than #1, do you? So Barry Bonds comes in as the greatest left fielder of all time, but if you wanna punish him for the PEDs, by all means Ted Williams would also be a respectable choice, so let me know your list down below; what is your top 5 or top 10?

I hope you all enjoyed the video; hit that thumbs up and subscribe button if you did and we’ll talk to you all in the next ranking.

Top 10 STEROID/PED MLB Hall of Fame SNUBS!!

Welcome back to another Humm Baby Baseball countdown and we’ve got a special and controversial one today – a snubs video but only involving MLB players with some type of PED connection. These are players who have been left out of the Hall of Fame due primarily or in most cases exclusively because of that connection. I’ve covered in depth some of my biggest MLB Hall of Fame Snubs including greats like Andruw Jones, Don Mattingly and Dwight Evans among many others, who for some reason or another have been rejected by the voters and are still on the outside of Cooperstown looking in. But I’ve always left off players with P.E.D connections, because we already know why they’re not in, and whether some of them should be allowed in or not is highly debated.

There are some fans who believe any player who ever took steroids or PEDs of any kind should never be allowed in the Hall of Fame under any circumstances. Others say, hey – MLB and former commissioner Bud Selig didn’t try to stop it, they didn’t enforce any rules against it, and a huge percentage of the league was doing it, so just consider it a particular era of the game – the Steroid Era – and vote the great players in who deserve it just like they did in every other era. But then, what about the more recent players who actually failed steroid tests, and were suspended for it? Again, opinions vary. Do they deserve harsher treatment since they actually failed a steroid test? Or does it matter? The debates continue to rage on.

For me, it’s a case by case basis. If a player appears on a Hall of Fame ballot, then that player is officially eligible and broke no rule so serious as to merit a ban. So, just as I would do for any player, I would follow the Hall of Fame’s guidelines for voters and use previously voted in players as precedence in how I should vote. The guidelines say

Voting shall be based upon the player’s record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played.

So, according to those instructions, record and playing ability are considerations along with sportsmanship, character and integrity – and this is where Hall of Fame voters are able to justify not voting for some of the all time greats we’ll talk about today. Taking steroids is certainly a mark against a player in those categories, but nowhere does it say they have to be perfect human beings. There are many players in the Hall of Fame who have broken rules before and many with serious character flaws. Many if not most players will do whatever they can do gain an edge, and if it’s up to those who run the game to make sure there are enforced rules in place to stop it. Gaylord Perry was famous for throwing the illegal spitball for much of his career, and he was elected to the Hall of Fame. Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby even wrote an article titled “You’ve Got to Cheat to Win,” in which he claimed he cheated every chance he could and saw cheating in almost every game. I’m not condoning cheating, but the point is, players have done it throughout baseball history and will do so until measures taken to stop it, and when they’ve had Hall of Fame careers, they’ve been allowed in the Hall of Fame.

In the 90’s and 2000’s, absolutely nothing was done to curtail the use of steroids. Furthermore, there are without a doubt multiple players in who have already in the Hall of Fame who have done steroids. One might be David Ortiz, who reportedly tested positive for PEDs in 2003, when a series of tests was given to MLB players and was supposed to be secret, but it eventually leaked. Ortiz was given a pass by the voters, but they were not so gracious with other players. For these reasons, more and more fans are leaning towards the opinion that at least some of these great players should be in, and I completely agree. However, a player who gets suspended over and over once testing was implemented should be more harshly judged, since they intentionally violated MLB rules that were clearly in place, as opposed to what happened during the Steroid Era. So let’s get started with today’s top 10 MLB players with PED connections that deserve to be in the Hall of Fame and I’ll explain briefly why they are suspected of steroids, their career accomplishments and why I think they should be considered for Cooperstown. But first, I have one honorable mention, who probably doesn’t quite make my Hall of Fame ballot, but how could I do a steroid-related video without mentioning

Jose Canseco

Jose Canseco

We have to start with the Godfather of the Steroid Era, Jose Canseco. Growing up in the late 80’s, there was no bigger name in baseball, and my friends and I used to buy packs of baseball cards just hoping to pull a Jose Canseco. He made baseball history, becoming the first player to crush 40 homers and steal 40 bases, and he also won a Rookie of the Year, MVP Award and four Silver Sluggers. Canseco crushed 462 homers in his career, just 38 short of the magic 500. Unfortunately, he got just 1.1% of the vote on the Hall of Fame ballot, and later wrote a book that completely exposed MLB for the steroid era. He also named names of several teammates who Canseco alleged did steroids. In the book, he described his own process of taking steroids, and didn’t hold back whatsoever. The book didn’t make Canseco many friends and all but guaranteed he would never sniff Cooperstown. But should he get in?

Well, he definitely had the stardom – Canseco was an absolute superstar for years, and made 6 total All Star Teams. Statistically, though, despite the home run total, he is borderline with a .266 career average, 1,877 hits, and no gold gloves. On top of the steroids and the book, he also had lots of controversies and arrests throughout his career, which hurts regarding the character clause. Ultimately, although I wouldn’t mind seeing a Jose Canseco plaque in the Hall of Fame, the reality is there’s no way Jose Canseco should get in while some of the other names I’m about to get to are still on the outside. So, although I’m a Canseco fan and love listening to his videos, like the one where he challenges Aaron Judge to a home run contest, I would have to say in all seriousness, for the time being, Canseco is not a Hall of Famer, although if the name of the museum was accurate, he would definitely belong as there was nobody more famous during his prime as Jose Canseco. Now, let’s get to my Top 10 Snubs.

Manny Ramirez

10. Manny Ramirez

Starting off, we have Manny Ramirez, who actually failed not one, not two, but three steroid tests. The first was the same 2003 test that David Ortiz failed. Had this been his only failed test, the voters would’ve had to elected him, since they gave Ortiz a free pass for the same test. But Ramirez went on to fail two more, one that resulted in a 50 game suspension, and another that led to his retirement. For this reason, I understand voters leaving his name off the ballot, especially since they are only allowed 10 names. But Manny was an unbelievable hitter even as a youngster, likely before he ever touched steroids. He hit .308 with 31 home runs and 107 RBIs his first full season at just 23 years old in 1995.

By the end of his career, statistically anyway, Manny was easily a first ballot Hall of Famer. He is part of the 500 Home Run club with 555 career bombs, and retired with an extremely impressive .312 batting average. He was a 12-time All Star, 9-time Silver Slugger, World Series MVP and even won a batting title in 2002 with a .349 average. He finished in the Top 10 for MVP 9 times although he never won the award. But he was known as being very quirky during his career, and his odd behavior led to the phrase “Manny Being Manny.” But that quirkiness turned into misbehavior and he was involved in many controversies on top of the 3 failed steroid tests. For this reason, if I had a ballot, he would be one my last choices, and would usually get left off, but I do believe Manny would’ve had a Hall of Fame career had he never done steroids, and so if some of the better players on this list ever start getting in, I wouldn’t mind seeing Manny get in as well.

Jason Giambi

9. Jason Giambi

Giambi is one of the few PED-connected players who played throughout the entire steroid era of the 90’s and 2000’s, and continued his career into the 2010s. He ended up playing for 20 years, retiring after the 2014 season. Giambi hit 440 career bombs, but also excelled at getting on base, leading the league in walks four times and retiring with a .399 on-base-percentage and over 2,000 hits. He also has an MVP on his shelf, winning the award in 2000 with 43 home runs and 137 RBIs, which was before he started juicing according to his testimony.

Unlike most of the big names of the steroid era, Giambi apologized for using steroids during his career and urged other players to do the same. He was named in the BALCO investigation, and admitted to using steroids during the offseasons from 2001 to 2003. “I was wrong for using that stuff,” he told USA today in 2007, “What we should have done a long time ago was stand up – players, ownership, everybody – and say, ‘We made a mistake.’”

He continued to put up big numbers after he stopped juicing, smashing 32 home runs for the Yankees in 2008. Giambi always had a great eye to go along with a pure and powerful bat, but there’s no telling what his stats would’ve looked like without steroids. But he owned up to his mistake and apologized, then went on to have a great 20-year career. He also seemed to be a great teammate who was well-liked, otherwise there’s no way he would’ve stayed in MLB through his age 43 season. All told, he wouldn’t be one of the first names I put on a ballot, but if I had room, I would definitely check Jason Giambi’s name for the Hall of Fame.

Andy Pettitte

8. Andy Pettitte

Up next is Andy Pettitte, whose connection to PEDs has definitely helped keep him out of the Hall of Fame. He was straightforward about his use of HGH to help heal from an injury during 2002, and I personally believe that Pettite was not some one who was juicing throughout his career. He seemed honest and apologetic, and when he did it, HGH wasn’t even banned in MLB. As for his career, Pettitte had 256 wins, but it was his postseason performance that puts him over the top. He is the game’s all-time leader in playoff wins and innings pitched and is fourth in strikeouts behind Clayton Kershaw. A huge part of that is the Yankee teams he played for, but Pettitte still had to pitch well in the biggest moments and he consistently did that. As for the bulk of his career, he won over 20 games twice, struck out 2,448 batters, and ended his career with more wins than any pitcher in a Yankee uniform besides Whitey Ford and Red Ruffing, both Hall of Famers. Pettitte’s career WAR of 60.2 is higher than many big-name Hall of Famers including Whitey Ford, so Andy Pettite is another name I would put on my ballot if I had room, and in fact he was on my unofficial 2021 ballot, but he got just 13.7% of the vote that year. He did make some progress, though, getting 27.9% on this year’s ballot.

Rafael Palmeiro

7. Rafael Palmeiro

Palmeiro retired with 569 homers and 3,020 hits, normally more than enough for easy induction into the Hall of Fame. He was a fantastic hitter from his early years with the Cubs when he made the All Star team in 1988 and hit .307 with 41 doubles, although his power didn’t really show up until he was with the Texas Rangers in the early 90’s, the notorious steroid-driven team that had Canseco, A-Rod, Pudge, and Juan Gonzalez. He smashed 37 bombs in 1993, and the power continued with Baltimore with he hit 39 homers in 1995 and again in 1996. Back with Texas, he had perhaps his best year in 1999 with 47 homers and a .324 average.

He was also a smooth fielder and won three Gold Gloves. Palmeiro was named in Canseco’s book as a steroid-user and he appeared at a Congressional Hearing vehemently denying it, wagging his finger and saying he never used steroids, period. A few months later, he was suspended for failing a steroid test, but continued to claim he never intentionally put a banned substance into his body. It’s hard to believe that based on his failed test, Canseco’s book, and his sudden power surge when he joined the early 90’s Texas Rangers. It’s impossible to know what type of career he could’ve had without the ‘roids, but he was a first round pick, top prospect, and natural hitter from his early days, who had a chance to have a Hall of Fame career and develop big power without the extra help. As it stands, he is still one of just 7 members of the 3,000 hit, 500 home run club, which includes Willie Mays and Hank Aaron, so although I wouldn’t put his name above the next 6, Palmeiro is some one I would definitely vote for.

Alex Rodriguez

6. Alex Rodriguez

The only reason A-Rod is this low on the list is because he, like Manny, did steroids while testing was in full force and more than once, failed a test. If he had borderline stats like Jason Giambi or Jose Canseco, there is no way I could support him for the Hall of Fame. However, Alex Rodriguez was a generational talent whose numbers rank among the best in the history of the game. He was elite from his early years with the Seattle Mariners, before he ever touched steroids, crushing 36 home runs and 54 doubles in 1996, with a league-leading .358 batting average, finishing 2nd for the MVP at just 21 years old. He continued to put up massive numbers in Seattle, before signing a record-breaking deal with the Texas Rangers.

It was then he first started using steroids, and his stats blew up even bigger. He led the league in homers each of 3 seasons in Texas and took home the MVP in 2003. He was also an elite defender, winning back to back Gold Gloves, before moving on to the New York Yankees, where he won two more MVPs. It was in 2009 that his steroid use came to light, and he admitted to using them during his time with the Rangers. But then, in 2014, he was nailed again for steroids in part of a Biogenesis Scandal, and was subsequently suspended for a year. He still returned to crush 33 home runs at 40 years of age in 2015, proving his incredible talent. A-Rod ended his career with 696 home runs and a .295 average, but he would’ve probably hit over 500 without steroids, although we’ll never know for sure. Despite the steroid failures, Rodriguez was still one of the greatest players of all time, and although I would check the other names ahead of him on his list first, if I had room on my ballot, I would still vote for Alex Rodriguez, who got 37.1% of the vote on this year’s ballot.

Gary Sheffield

5. Gary Sheffield

Up next is Gary Sheffield, who got close but fell short with 63.9% of the vote in 2024 when he fell off the ballot. As a ballplayer, there is little doubt – he is definitely Hall of Fame worthy. Sheffield smashed 509 home runs, which historically would be enough alone to get a player in the Hall of Fame. But he also had 2,689 hits, a .292 average, 9 All Star selections, 5 Silver Sluggers and a batting title in 1992 when he hit .330. He finished in top 3 for MVP 3 times, once finishing second in 2004. He might not be a first ballot Hall of Famer, but there’s no doubt he has the numbers to get in.

But, he had a PED-connection, stemming from workouts with Barry Bonds in the early 2000s, during a time MLB did not test for steroids. He admitted to using some of the cream Bonds was using to help his muscles recover, and found out later that was a type of steroid. Sheffield also reportedly bought a small amount of vitamins from BALCO. He has one of the more flimsy connections to PEDs and it’s probable he was only taking them during the 2002 season with the Atlanta Braves. The vast majority of his career stats should be considered legit, and Sheffield was a massive talent from his early years in the 80’s with Milwaukee and he went on to become one of the best players in the early history of the Marlins.

Sheffield is a perfect example of how voters will pick and choose who they will forgive regarding steroids and who they won’t. He was surrounded by steroid users and made a couple mistakes during a short period of his career, but it shouldn’t keep him out of the Hall of Fame, especially if other players like Ivan Rodriguez, Jeff Bagwell, Mike Piazza and David Ortiz are all in, all of whom have had some type of connection to PEDs. Sheffield is definitely a major Hall of Fame Snub in my opinion.

Sammy Sosa

4. Sammy Sosa

Next on the list is a tough one, as Sammy Sosa clearly put together a Hall of Fame career statistically, but it’s likely he wouldn’t have been a Hall of Famer without the juice. He was a more or less average player with the Rangers and White Sox before his first big season in 1993 with the Cubs when he hit 33 home runs. He went on to have a solid 5 year period of averaging 34 homers and 100 RBIs from 1993 to 1997. This type of production alone could’ve led to a Hall of Fame career for Sosa. But then, he became a video game player in 1998, when he and Mark McGwire revived the sport and brought in millions of new fans as they chased the single-season home run record of 61, held by Roger Maris. Sosa ended up with 66 bombs and the MVP Award. McGwire ended up with the record with 70.

But it wasn’t a one and done season for Sosa. He continued to crush home runs at a ridiculous pace, smashing at least 60 home runs two more times and averaging 58 per season for a 5 year period. He eventually joined the exclusive 600 home run club, and finished his career with 609 round-trippers to go along with 2,408 hits and 1,667 RBIs.

Interestingly, the only evidence against Sosa is a positive test from the leaked 2003 list, the same list that had David Ortiz on it. So, David Ortiz got a complete pass and was inducted on his first ballot no less, while Sammy Sosa was snubbed on every ballot until he fell off. If the Hall of Fame wants to give the benefit of the doubt to players like Ortiz, Piazza, Pudge Rodriguez, and so on, then that should be the standard for every one – so, Sammy Sosa, with 600 career home runs, 7 All Star selections, and an MVP, should be in as well.

Mark McGwire

3. Mark McGwire

Moving into the top 3, we have another generational talent in Mark McGwire, a man born to hit home runs. He drilled 32 bombs for the USC Trojans in 1984 and was drafted 10th overall by the A’s. He had one of the most impressive rookie years ever seen in 1987, smashing 49 bombs with a league leading .618 Slugging Percentage, winning the Rookie of the Year Award. McGwire became an instant superstar and made 6 straight All Star teams, until injuries started to hamper his career around 1993. He played in just 74 games over a 2 year period, but he got healthy, his bat exploded and McGwire smashed 52 bombs in ‘96, then 58 in 1997. In 1998, with the St. Louis Cardinals, he crushed 70 bombs, breaking the single season home run record, then followed it up with 65 in 1999. McGwire hit 583 career bombs, made 12 total All Star teams, 3 Silver Sluggers, and even a Gold Glove.

He was named in Canseco’s book and appeared in the Congressional Hearing, where he famously declined to answer any questions, saying he did not want to “talk about the past.” However, he eventually did admit to steroid use during his career, although he said he didn’t need it for performance; rather to recover quickly from injuries and stay on the field more. There’s no doubt McGwire had all the talent in the world as far as hitting home runs, and he would’ve been a great power hitter without steroids, although just how great is unknown. Nevertheless, based on his accomplishments and the fact that he played during a time no testing was done and no measures were taken to prevent steroid use, I definitely support McGwire’s entry into Cooperstown and he deserves a plaque, although not before these next two legends of the game.

Roger Clemens

2. Roger Clemens

Perhaps the greatest pitcher to ever live, Roger Clemens was identified early as a potential superstar. He was drafted in the first round by the Boston Red Sox in 1983, and just 3 years later, he won the Cy Young and MVP with an absolutely dominant year in 1986, when he went 24-4 with 2.48 ERA and 238 strikeouts. He followed it up with another Cy Young Award in 1987, then won a 3rd in 1991. By 1996, his last year with Boston, he had already put together a Hall of Fame career, setting multiple records including a 20 strikeout 9-inning game. He even tied Cy Young with the most shutouts in Red Sox history. It was that year he did the impossible and struck out 20 batters in a single game for the second time. All this was done before he touched steroids.

But Clemens then he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, where he likely first started taking ‘roids. He immediately won a 4th Cy Young award in 1997, leading the league with 2.05 ERA with an also league-leading 292 strikeouts and 21 wins. In 1998, he won the award again. If there was any doubt that Roger Clemens was among the greatest pitchers to ever live, that doubt was gone. And he just kept dominating, winning his 6th Cy Young with the New York Yankees then a 7th in 2004 with Houston. No pitcher has won more Cy Young Awards. He retired with 354 wins, 46 shutouts, and 4,672 strikeouts.

Clemens never tested positive for steroids and never admitted to steroid use, even denying it under oath, but his personal trainer Brian McNamee testified that he regularly injected Clemens with steroids from 1998 to 2001. Clemens was indicted and charged with perjury, but McNamee’s testimony changed throughout the years. His inconsistency led to Clemens acquittal. Other evidence against Clemens included a steroid distributor named Kirk Radomski handing over shipping receipts that showed HGH was mailed to Roger Clemens home in 2002 and 2003, but his wife, Debbie, testified that that shipment was for her as she was taking HGH to prepare for a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit shoot.

The entire story is way too long to get into here, but at the end of the day, Roger Clemens was one of the greatest pitchers in the history of baseball even before he was alleged to have started taking steroids. His greatness as a ballplayer should make up for his shortcomings and mistakes, including his psychotic moments. Clemens is one of the greatest starting pitchers of all time and deserves a plaque in Cooperstown.

Barry Bonds

1. Barry Bonds

But to no one’s surprise, coming in at #1 has to be Barry Bonds, one of if not the best hitter to ever live. Bonds, like Clemens, could’ve retired at a certain point in time before he ever touched steroids and would’ve easily been inducted into the Hall of Fame on his first ballot. He was a 6th overall selection out of Arizona State, then won his first two MVPs with the Pittsburgh Pirates, before signing with the Giants. In 1993, he hit 46 home runs with a .336 batting average, winning a 3rd MVP. Bonds was also a 5-tool talent who won 8 Gold Gloves and stole at least 25 bases 11 times. He could do it all at an elite level and was considered the best player in the game throughout the 1990’s.

By most accounts, he never touched steroids until around 1999. In 1998, Bonds led the league with an 8.1 WAR, crushing 37 homers with 28 steals, a .303 average and a Gold Glove, but the baseball world was paying much more attention to Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa as they chased the single-season home run record.

Based on the fact that there was no testing and no enforcement at the time, it would’ve been incredibly impressive if Bonds just took the high road and continued to play clean while he never got the attention he deserved. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be what happened as Bonds turned into an absolute monster entering into the 2000s. In his mid 30’s, he suddenly hit a career high 49 home runs in 2000 then had a season for ages in 2001, breaking McGwire’s record, finishing with an unbelievable 73 home runs. He had the most dominant 5-year period ever before seen, winning 4 straight MVPs, 5 straight Silver Sluggers, while leading the league in walks and OPS+ every season, all in his mid-to-late thirties when most players slow down significantly.

Bonds eventually ended his career with 762 home runs, 2,558 walks, 162.8 WAR and an amazing 168 intentional walks, all MLB records. But it was in 2004, around when the crackdown on steroids began, that the San Francisco Chronicle alleged that Bonds received Steroids from BALCO. Later, Gary Sheffield said he was introduced to BALCO and the testosterone-based cream by Bonds while in training before the ‘02 season. Bonds eventually admitted to receiving the cream & clear from his trainer, Greg Anderson, but didn’t know they were steroids. Books like the “Game of Shadows” were released, detailing the use of steroids and other drugs by Bonds. Investigations later revealed a BALCO screening test by Bonds in the year 2000 that tested positive for Steroids, but Bonds never failed a test during official MLB testing that started in 2003

Based on the stats, appearance, and evidence, it’s pretty tough to deny Barry Bonds was taking something during the early 2000’s when he became an absolute cyborg, but there is also no doubt he was one of the best baseball players ever born long before he touched steroids. He was a 3-time MVP on his way to being the first MLB player to ever hit 400 home runs and steal 400 bases, a feat he would’ve easily accomplished without the juice. Like I said at the start of this video, MLB has determined in their own rules, even today, that taking steroids does not result in the banning of a player like gambling on baseball does. So, why do voters treat this as a cardinal sin that should keep every player out forever no matter how good they were or no matter what they accomplished on the field, even before they took steroids? I can understand some of the names on today’s list being kept out due to steroids, but I’ll never understand how one of if not the greatest baseball player to ever live is still being snubbed – and he is my #1 PED-connected snub of all time, and perhaps the greatest snub of all time, period – Barry Lamar Bonds.

The Top 15 MLB THIRD BASEMEN In MLB HISTORY

Welcome back to another Humm Baby Baseball countdown and today we’re talking about the best 15 third basemen in modern MLB history. Third base, known as the hot corner, is one of the toughest position on the diamond, requiring elite reflexes and a powerful arm. They don’t typically have the agility and range of a shortstop, meaning third basemen are oftentimes larger and more physically imposing players who are expected to bring more power as a hitter, and so third basemen can typically hit the long ball with frequency. Players need to have played at least 1,200 games at the position to qualify, so look for players like Edgar Martinez and Paul Molitor on the DH video and Cal Ripken Jr. and A-Rod on the shortstop video, and also this list doesn’t include active players. Before getting to today’s main list, there are several honorable mentions I have so let’s run through a few great third basemen who just missed the Top 15.

Evan Longoria

One of my favorite players, Evan Longoria looked like a future Hall of Famer after making 3 straight All Star Games and winning 2 Gold Gloves with the Rays his first 3 seasons, but as it turned out, he never made another All Star team, although he did win a 3rd Gold Glove in 2017. Still, Longoria continued to be a consistent power hitter, playing elite defense year and year, and retired with 342 homers.

David Wright

After his first 6 full seasons, David Wright looked like a possible future Hall of Famer, making 5 straight All Star Teams, winning two Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers, while hitting for power and average. Sadly, his career was cut short due to a series of debilitating injuries and spinal stenosis, leading to an early retirement.

Ron Cey

Dodger Legend Ron Cey hit at least 22 home runs in 10 out of 11 seasons, driving in over 100 runs twice while making 6 All Star Teams during his 17-year career. He never won a Gold Glove but was always solid defensively and hit .350 with a home run in the ‘81 Fall Classic, taking home the World Series MVP Award.

Robin Ventura

Although he’s mostly remembered for getting beat up by Nolan Ryan, Robin Ventura was a great third basemen, winning 6 Gold Glove Awards while being a consistent hitter throughout his career. He hit 294 career homers with a .362 career on-base percentage and made two All Star teams.

Carney Lansford

Lansford was a complete player who didn’t have massive power but did hit 19 home runs in 3 separate seasons. He was extremely fast for a third baseman and stole 224 career bases, but his main skill was hit pure hitting ability. Lansford won a batting title in 1981 with a .336 average and ended his career with over 2,000 hits.

Gary Gaetti

Gaetti played for 20 years in the big leagues and brought elite defense with consistent power year after year. During the 80’s, he won four consecutive gold gloves, and smashed at least 20 home runs eight times, three times surpassing 30. Gaetti retired with 360 bombs.

Aramis Ramirez

A player who was probably better than most fans remember, Aramis Ramirez had over 2,300 hits in his career, more than many legendary Hall of Famers including Joe Dimaggio and Willie McCovey. He also hit .283 with a .341 on-base percentage and crushed 386 career home runs, driving 1,417 runs. He even finished in the Top 10 for MVP 3 times. Unfortunately, he was not known as a great defender and never won a Gold Glove. If he was a better defender, he might’ve had a shot at the Hall of Fame.

Ken Caminiti

Ken Caminiti, was an elite defender and extremely powerful hitter for years, playing mostly for the Astros and Padres. He won three straight Gold Gloves and averaged 30 homers per year during his peak from ‘95 to ‘98. After retiring, he admitted to using steroids during the 1996 season in which he crushed 40 homers and won the MVP. Caminiti struggled with drug abuse and tragically died from an overdose in 2004.

Bill Madlock

Hitting machine Bill Madlock consistently hit well over .300 year after year throughout his most of his career, winning a total of four batting titles, more than any player in MLB history who is not in the Hall of Fame. He hit .354 in 1975 with the Cubs, his second full season, and made his first of three All Star teams. Madlock ended his career with a .305 average and over 2,000 hits.

Tim Wallach

Wallach excelled defensively and offensively for the Montreal Expos in the 80’s and early 90’s, winning 3 Gold Glove Awards while being a consistent power threat at the plate. He led the league in doubles twice and hit at least 20 home runs 5 times in his career, including 23 homers in 1994 with the Dodgers. Wallach made 5 All Star teams and had over 2,000 career hits.

Sal Bando

For about decade, Sal Bando was one of the best third basemen in the game, smashing over 20 home runs almost every season while playing excellent defense. He almost never missed a game and made 3 straight All Star teams in the mid-70’s and a total of 4 in his career. Bando averaged 21 homers per year for an 11 year period and finished in the top 4 for MVP 3 times, finishing 2nd in 1971.

George Kell

Kell played in the 40’s and 50’s and made 10 All Star teams throughout his 15 year career. During his time, he was one of the best third basemen in the game, playing great defense with a consistent bat. He hit .306 for his career with 2,054 career hits and 870 RBIs, but did not have much home run power. He was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee in 1983.

Home Run Baker

There was a time Hall of Famer Home Run Baker would’ve easily come in at #1, but that was about 100 years ago. In his time, he was one of the biggest home run threats in baseball – hence the nickname. He led the league for four consecutive seasons in homers, but that number was only about 10 per season, although his RBI numbers are still impressive, including 130 in 1912. He played for just 13 seasons, retired with a .307 average, over 1,800 hits, 96 homers, and a .363 World Series average. Compared to his peers, he was the best third baseman in the game at the time.

Now, let’s jump into the Top 15

15. Matt Williams

4-time Silver Slugger Award Winner and San Francisco Giants legend Matt Williams was an absolute superstar in the 80’s and 90’s, consistently hitting 30+ homers per season. He led the league with 122 RBIs in 1990 and in 1994 was on track to challenge Roger Maris’s single season record of 61 homers when the season ended due to the player strike. He led the league with 43 bombs that year and finished 2nd for the MVP. Williams was also an elite defender and won four Gold Gloves, playing for the Giants, Indians, and Diamondbacks. He went on the become a manager, won a Manager of the Year Award with the Nationals, and is now the third base coach for the Giants.

14. Graig Nettles

A master defender and clutch power hitter, Graig Nettles played for over 20 years and made hundreds of spectacular plays at the hot corner, winning two Gold Gloves in 1977 and 1978. He also consistently hit over 20 home runs per year, maxing out at a league leading 32 in 1976. He hit 376 total bombs in his career, made 6 All Star teams and hit .500 in the 1981 ALCS, taking home the ALCS MVP. Despite an amazing career, Nettles fell off the Hall of Fame ballot in 1997 with less than 5% of the vote, likely due to his relatively low .248 career batting average.

13. Ken Boyer

An elite offensive and defensive player, Ken Boyer won 5 Gold Gloves with 11 All Star Selections.  He won the MVP in 1964 for hitting .295 with 24 bombs and an MLB-best 119 RBIs while leading the Cardinals to the World Series. He retired with over 2,000 hits, a .287 career average, an MVP and a career WAR higher than multiple Hall of Famers including Yogi Berra and Harmon Killebrew, but somehow he got completely overlooked on the Hall of Fame ballot.

12. Buddy Bell

One of the greatest defensive third basemen of all time, Buddy Bell won 6 consecutive Gold Gloves in the late 70’s and early 80’s. He was also no slouch at the plate, collecting 2,514 career hits, more hits than any third basemen not in the Hall of Fame. He also hit over 200 career homers during his 18 year career. Bell never made the postseason, which likely hurt his Hall of Fame chances, but based on his contributions offensively and defensively along with his total numbers, he should’ve gotten a lot more consideration.

11. Pie Traynor

Career Pittsburgh Pirate Pie Traynor was an offensive force in the big leagues for over a decade in the 20’s and 30’s. He drove in over 100 runs in seven separate seasons, hit over .300 10 times, and led the league in triples in 1923. He had some power, but played in the massive Forbes Field, which limited his home runs. Traynor played excellent defense and made the first two All Star games that existed in 1933 and 1934. He retired with over 2,400 hits and a career .320 batting average. He also got MVP votes in 9 separate seasons although he never won the award. Traynor retired as the greatest third basemen of all time, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1948.

10. Darrell Evans

Moving into the Top 10, My #1 most underrated player in MLB history, Darrell Evans was a fantastic defender and excellent hitter who brought power and an elite eye to the plate for over 20 years in the big leagues. He made just two All Star teams but should’ve made many more. Evans would be much more valued today for his ability to work a walk, retiring with 1,605 walks and a .361 on-base percentage, but he also had big power, crushing over 400 career home runs, including at least 40 in two separate seasons. He was completely snubbed on the Hall of Fame ballot, falling off after one year.

9. Ron Santo

Ron Santo was a multi-talented player who could field like few others, but also had big power along with an incredible knack for getting on base. He was the best fielding third baseman in the National League during the 60’s and won 5 straight Gold Gloves, but also led the league in on-base percentage twice and led the league in walks 4 times. Santo smashed at least 20 home runs 11 times and retired with 342 round trippers and a career on-base percentage of .362. He also made 9 All Star Teams, but on the Hall of Fame ballot, he got a stunning 3.9% of the vote in 1980, falling off the ballot. Fortunately, the committee voted for him at a 93.8% rate, but unfortunately, he had already passed away.

8. Scott Rolen

Next up, we have a relatively new Hall of Famer, Scott Rolen, who was probably the best defensive third baseman of the 2000s. He won a Rookie of the Year award in 1997 then his first of 8 career Gold Gloves in 1998. He made so many sparkling plays throughout his career, but could also rake, smashing 316 career homers with a .281 average. Rolen hit over 20 home runs for 8 straight seasons, and retired as one of the best third basemen ever. He was still snubbed on the ballot for many years before finally getting elected to the Hall of Fame in 2023.

7. Adrian Beltre

At #7 it’s Adrian Beltre, who dominated offensively and defensively for well over a decade for the Dodgers, Mariners, Red Sox, and Rangers. Beltre was a solid player during his first 5 seasons but didn’t look like a future Hall of Famer until 2004 when he smashed 48 bombs with a .334 average, winning a Silver Slugger and finishing second for the MVP. Although he never matched that season, from there on he became a star, consistently hitting for power and average while also playing elite defense. He won 5 Gold Gloves in his career and made four All Star teams, not making his first one until 2010 at age 31. But he kept playing well into his late thirties, retiring with 477 home runs and a .286 average. He had 3,166 hits, including an MLB record 2,987 as a third baseman.

6. Brooks Robinson

Now, we move to some of the absolute undeniable legends of the game, starting at #6 with Brooks Robinson, the Human Vacuum Cleaner, simply the greatest defensive third baseman to ever live. Many of the great American League third basemen on today’s list did not win many Gold Gloves during the 60’s and 70’s, because Brooks Robinson simply won them all. From 1960 to 1975, Brooks Robinson won the Gold Glove every single season, a total of 16 Gold Gloves. He also made 18 All Star teams and could hit, leading the league with 118 RBIs in his MVP year of 1964. He also crushed at least 20 homers 6 times, and retired with 2,848 hits. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1983.

5. Chipper Jones

A rare switch hitting third baseman, 8-time All Star Chipper Jones put up some of the best offensive numbers ever seen from a third baseman, combining power and average from both sides of the plate for nearly 20 years. He made 5 All Star teams in 6 years and the one he missed was from the year he won the MVP, 1999, when he hit .319 with 45 home runs. Jones consistently hit close to if not over 30 homers year after year and retired with 468 total homers and a .303 batting average. He had 5 seasons in which his OPS exceeded 1.000, an incredible feat at the MLB level. In 2008, he won a batting title with a .364 average. He was not known as the best defender, but he could make sparkling plays and had smooth hands which helped him make the classic barehanded grab and throw play as well as anybody. Overall, as of now, Chipper Jones comes in as a top 5 third baseman of all time.

4. George Brett

Moving on to #4, we have the Royals legend, Hall of Famer George Brett who finished his career with 3,154 hits, 317 home runs, a .315 batting average and even over 200 stolen bases. He made 13 consecutive All Star teams and won two batting titles, including in 1980 with he hit .390. That year, he also smashed 24 bombs and led the league in average, on-base, slugging, and OPS, taking home the MVP Award. He also hit .337 in the postseason, won an ALCS MVP and won a World Series ring in 1985. Brett continued to hit at an elite level and play spectacular defense at third base throughout his career and he won a Gold Glove in 1985, a year he finished in second for the MVP. He finished in the top 3 for the MVP four times. Brett was easily inducted into the Hall of Fame on his first ballot in 1999.

3. Wade Boggs

Then there’s a man born to swing a bat, Wade Boggs, who was not drafted until the 7th round out of High School, but hit over .300 every season in the minors, forcing a call up then immediately hit .349 with just 21 strikeouts in 381 plate appearances in 1982 with the Red Sox. From there, he never stopped hitting, with a league leading .361 average in ‘83, his first of 5 career batting titles, and .368 average in 1985, a year he collected 240 hits, the most hits in a season by an MLB player since 1930. On top of his incredible bat, Boggs could also defend, winning back to back Gold Gloves in the 90’s, and he likely would’ve won more if not for Buddy Bell and Gary Gaetti. Boggs retired with over 3,000 hits, a .328 career batting average, and a .415 on-base percentage. He was easily inducted into the Hall of Fame on his first ballot.

2. Eddie Mathews

Up next, barely above Boggs, I’m going with Eddie Mathews for his incredible power combined with an elite ability to bet on base and a fantastic glove on defense. His batting average won’t compare to Boggs, but he did smash 512 career home runs. He led the league in homers twice with 47 in 1953 and 46 in 1959, but he also led the league in walks four times. He retired with a .376 on-base percentage, 12 All Star Selections, and two World Series championships. He got MVP votes in 10 separate seasons, finishing second twice, and for a trivia question answer, Eddie Mathews was the only player to play for the Boston Braves, Milwaukee Braves and Atlanta Braves. He was a feared power hitter who played excellent defense for about 15 years, and comes in as the second best third baseman of all time.

1. Mike Schmidt

But coming in at #1 to no one’s surprise hopefully is the legendary Mike Schmidt, the greatest third baseman in MLB history, who retired with 548 career home runs. He played for 18 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, and brought elite power to the plate every single season for 15 years, leading the league in round trippers 8 times between 1974 and 1986. He set an MLB record with 515 home runs as a third baseman, and also tied an MLB record with 4 home runs in a single game. He was also disciplined and worked plenty of walks, leading the league 4 times in the category and led the league in multiple seasons in on-base percentage, slugging, and OPS. Aside from the incredible bat, he was one of the best defenders of all time, winning 10 career Gold Gloves. Schmidt won back to back MVPs in 1980 and ‘81, then won a third MVP in 1986. He also had four career postseason bombs and helped the Phillies win it all in 1980 with a .381 average and 2 bombs in the World Series, and he did win the World Series MVP award. For me, it’s not even close, the greatest third baseman in the history of the game has to be Mike Schmidt and it’s a title he might just hold forever.