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.