Pounding into the list at #7 is “Hammerin’” Hank Aaron. Aaron’s career embodies the intersection of longevity and production. His career statistical output is almost too voluminous to believe. He is baseball’s all-time leader with 2,297 RBIs. Only four other players have even reached 2,000. He’s the all-time leader in extra-base hits with 1,477. Only six other players have even reached 1,200. He’s the all-time leader in total bases with an astounding 6,856 which are 722 more than anyone else. Aaron’s 755 home runs are the second-most in history and were the all-time record for 33 years. His 3,771 hits are the third-most in history, behind only Pete Rose and Ty Cobb. His 2,174 runs are tied with Babe Ruth for fourth-most in history. He’s also in the top-five in career runs created and intentional walks, and the top-20 in slugging percentage and doubles. Given Aaron’s place at the top or near the top of so many categories, there’s a seemingly limitless combination of numbers that nobody else has achieved.  He’s the only player with 3,000 hits and 750 home runs. He’s the only player with 2,250 RBIs and 2,150 runs. He’s the only player with 1,400 extra-base hits and a .300 batting average. He’s the only player with 700 home runs, 600 doubles, and 90 triples. He’s the only player with 2,100 RBIs, 2,100 runs, and 240 stolen bases. We could spend the next hour listing different unique combinations that Aaron produced,  but the one that stands out the most is simply his career stat line. It is unrealistic to think we’ll ever see another player reach 750 home runs, 3,700 hits, 2,100 RBIs, 2,200 runs, and 6,800 total bases. Nobody else has ever come close and it’s likely nobody will. While his career totals are otherworldly, his resume is heavy on elite seasons as well. Aaron won the 1957 NL MVP, had eight top-5 MVP finishes and his 13 top-10 MVP finishes trail only Stan Musial for the most all-time. His 19 seasons receiving MVP votes are the most in history. He led the league in totals bases nine times, extra-base hits five times, home runs, RBIs, doubles, and slugging percentage four times, and his 13 consecutive seasons of at least 100 runs ties Lou Gehrig and Alex Rodriguez for the most in history. Aaron holds the record with 20 20-home run seasons and shares the record with 15 30-home runs seasons (Alex Rodriguez). Aaron led the Braves to two World Series appearances and hit three home runs to go with a 1.200 OPS in the 1957 World Series, leading the Braves over the Yankees in a 7-game thriller.

Schooling the last at #9 is “The Professor” Greg Maddux. Maddux’s control of the strike zone is unrivaled in baseball history. He led the league in BB/9 a remarkable nine times which is the most since MLB formed in 1903. Since 1909, no other pitcher has done it even six times. While Maddux’s control was his calling card, truly historic seasons are the hallmark of his resume. There have only been four seasons in history that have produced at least 200 innings and a 260 ERA+ and Maddux accomplished it in back-to-back seasons in 1994 and 1995 in what is arguably the greatest two-year stretch by a starting pitcher ever. Maddux’s 1995 season might be the greatest in history. His 19-2 record still stands as the all-time single-season record for winning percentage (min. 21 starts). He had four seasons with at least 200 innings, no more than a .98 WHIP, and at least a 187 ERA+ which ties Walter Johnson for the most in history. Often lost in the glow of Maddux’s peripherals is the fact that he was a workhorse. Maddux led the league in innings pitched for five consecutive seasons which ties Robin Roberts for the longest streak in history. Since 1914, Maddux is the only pitcher with 5,000 career innings and at least a 132 ERA. He won four consecutive Cy Youngs Awards (1992-1995) which is tied with Randy Johnson for the longest streak in history. He also finished in the top-5 of the Cy Young voting nine times which trails only Roger Clemens for most ever. Maddux’s 355 career wins are the 2^nd most since 1912. Maddux led his team to the playoffs in 13 of his 23 seasons, reached the World Series three times, and was phenomenal in two starts in the 1995 World Series, propelling the Braves to the championship.

Spiking in at #13 is “The Georgia Peach” Ty Cobb. Cobb is a bygone of the deadball era where hitters stubbornly emphasized contact over power even after Babe Ruth started demonstrating the virtue of power in 1918. Cobb himself railed against the home run reportedly remarking that anyone could hit a home run if they tried. While Cobb and his contemporaries were complicit in putting the dead in deadball, there is no doubt he was the king, ruler, and emporer of pre-1920s baseball. Nobody in baseball history dominated an era like Cobb did. He led the league in OPS+ 12 times, batting average 11 times, and hits eight times. All are the most or tied for the most in history. He led the league in OPS+ nine consecutive seasons which is the most all-time. He led the league in slugging percentage eight times, on base percentage seven times, and stolen bases six times, all are among the top-5 in history. Cobb’s .366 career batting average is #1 all-time, eight points ahead of anyone else. He’s #1 all-time in non-home run extra-base hits. He’s #2 in runs, hits, triples, and offensive WAR. He’s in the top ten in on-base percentage, RBIs, doubles, total bases, and runs created. There are too many one-of-a-kind accomplishments on Cobb’s resume to name them all but some stand out above the rest. He’s the only player in history with 2,200 runs, 1,900 RBIs, and 800 stolen bases. He’s the only player in history with 4,000 hits and fewer than 700 strikeouts. He’s the only player ever with 4,000 hits and 2,000 runs. Cobb had seven seasons with a .370 batting average and at least 50 stolen bases. No other player has more than two. Cobb had 217 more career stolen bases than strikeouts. To put that in perspective, Max Carey is the only other player in history with more stolen bases than strikeouts and his margin is 43. Cobb stole home 54 times. No other player did it more than 33 times. He’s the only player in MLB history to hit over .408 twice, and he’s the only player in history with an on-base percentage of at least .450 in seven consecutive seasons.

Swattin’ into the list at #19 is Cardinals legend Stan “The Man” Musial. Musial’s career was magnificent for a number of reasons but the most remarkable is his presence on the all-time leaderboard in virtually every major offensive statistic. Musial is second all-time in total bases, third in runs created, doubles and intentional walks, 4th in hits, 7th in offensive WAR, 8th in RBIs, 10th in runs, 13th in OPS and walks, 16th in slugging percentage, 19th in triples, 23rd in on-base percentage, 30th in batting average and 32nd in home runs. He is the only player in history in the top-35 of each category. Musial’s hit/power tool and plate discipline are arguably the best ever as he is the only player in history with 3,600 career hits and a .559 slugging %. He’s also the only player in history with more than 1,500 career walks and fewer than 700 strikeouts. Stan “The Man” led the league in runs created nine times, doubles eight times, and extra-base hits seven times; all are the most in history. Musial had five seasons of at least 80 walks, 40 or fewer strikeouts, and at least 30 home runs which are the most in history. He’s the only player in history with 420 total bases and fewer than 35 strikeouts in the same season.  Stan’s three MVPs are tied for the 2nd most all-time as are his seven top-2 MVP finishes. Musial led the Cardinals to three World Series titles and four appearances.  

Giving hitters nightmares at #22 is the Sandman Mariano Rivera. Rivera is the most dominant relief pitcher in baseball history, the most dominant pitcher in postseason history, and there’s a strong argument to be made that he’s the most impactful pitcher of all time. His 652 career saves are the most in history. Only one other reliever has even reached 500 career saves. His 205 career ERA+ is the highest in history and—in one of the most remarkable statistics in all of sports—the gap between Rivera and second place is equal to the gap between second place and 314^th place (min. 1,000 innings).  Rivera’s career 1.00 WHIP is the lowest since the deadball ERA. It’s hard to believe that as dominant as Rivera was in the regular season, he was significantly better in the postseason. Among players who pitched at least 40 postseason innings, Rivera’s .71 ERA and .76 WHIP are the lowest of all time and by a significant margin. His 42 postseason saves are more than the next two players on the postseason saves list combined. His 8-1 postseason record is good for a .889 winning percentage which is the best in postseason history among pitchers with at least six decisions. Rivera is #1 all-time in Baseball Reference’s postseason win probability added statistic. His 11.7 mark is more than the next three on the list combined. He’s also #1 all-time in Baseball Reference’s championship win probability added stat with a crater size gap over second place. Rivera’s postseason dominance translated into seven World Series appearances and five World Series titles for the Yankees. He was named the 1999 World Series MVP and the 2003 ALCS MVP.

Terrorizing the list at #25 is “The Beast” Jimmie Foxx. Babe Ruth deservedly gets credit for being the king of the 20^th century, but Foxx wasn’t far off. A quick glance at his placement on the all-time statistical leaderboard reveals a hitter worthy of his nickname. Foxx is 4th all-time in slugging %, 5th in OPS, and 10th in on-base percentage and RBIs. It’s obvious we’re dealing with a serious player here. A deeper look brings Foxx’s explosive bat even more into focus. Foxx and Ruth are the only two players in history with 500 home runs, 1,900 RBIs, and a .325 batting average. In 1932, Foxx produced the only season in history with at least 151 runs, 169 RBIs, 58 home runs, and 213 hits.  In 1938, he produced the only season in history with at least 50 home runs, 175 RBIs, and a .462 on-base percentage. Foxx is the only player in history to have two seasons with at least 48 home runs, 163 RBIs, and 204 hits. His 12 consecutive seasons of at least 30 home runs and 105 RBIs are the most all-time and his three seasons of at least 48 home runs and 163 RBIs are the most all-time. His 11 seasons of 115 RBIs are tied for most in history with Lou Gehrig and his 4 seasons with at least 156 RBIs are also second to Gehrig. Foxx’s three seasons with at least 163 RBIs are second behind Gehrig, and his two seasons with at least 169 RBIs are the second-most behind, who else, Lou Gehrig. Foxx’s bat was equally destructive in the postseason as he led the Philadelphia A’s to three consecutive World Series appearances including back-to-back titles in 1929 and 1930 in which he hit .341 with a .683 slugging percentage across 44 plate appearances.

Dazzling the list at #26 is “The Franchise” Tom Seaver. Seaver famously led the Miracle Mets—a team that had not finished better than 9th in the National League in its seven seasons of existence—to the 1969 World Series Championship. His capstone performance was a 10-inning complete-game victory over the Orioles in Game 4, giving the Mets a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. Seaver’s ’69 regular season was largely responsible for the Mets making the playoffs in the first place as he went 25-7, leading the league in wins while also winning the NL Cy Young and finishing runner up in the MVP race. While 1969 was a stellar year for him, Terrific Tom’s career was just getting started on the superlatives. He would follow up his first Cy Young with two more in 1973 and 1975 on his way to eight top-5 finishes. Only Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, and Randy Johnson have more. Seaver is 6th all-time in strikeouts and 7th all-time in shutouts and WAR. He’s the only pitcher in history with at least 310 wins and fewer than 206 losses, 3,500 strikeouts, and 200 complete games. He’s the only pitcher in history with 3,500 strikeouts, fewer than 4,000 hits allowed, and an ERA under 3.00. He’s the only pitcher in history with more than 60 shutouts, 230 complete games, and 3,600 strikeouts.  He’s the only pitcher since 1915 with 300 career wins and an ERA under 3.00. His nine consecutive 200-strikeout seasons are the most in history, and he joins Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux as only three pitchers since 1914 with at least a 127 career ERA+ over 4,200 innings.

Speeding in at #28 is the ultimate leadoff man Rickey Henderson. Rickey’s career was so unique that simply trying to describe it is an exercise in fun.  Rickey’s 1,406 career stolen bases are the most in MLB history and a whopping 468 ahead of Lou Brock for second place. There are only 47 players in history who even reached 468 stolen bases as a career total. The gap between Rickey and Brock is bigger than the gap between Brock and 45^th place. Rickey’s 2,295 career runs are the most in history. His 2,190 non-intentional walks are also the most in history. He’s the only player in history with 3,000 hits and 2,000 walks. He’s the only player in history with 3,000 hits, 2,000 runs, and a .400 on-base percentage. Just to put into perspective how remarkable Rickey’s career was, if we cut in half his career hits, runs, walks, stolen bases, and home runs total, there is only one player in major league baseball history to reach those marks (Tim Raines). Rickey is the only player in MLB history with 100 walks, 100 stolen bases, and 100 runs in a single season and he did it three times. He joins Stan Musial as the only two players in history with 3,000 hits, 295 home runs, and a .400 OBP. He led the league in stolen bases a record 12 times including in 1998 when he reached an astonishing 66. Rickey was the table-setter for eight playoff teams and two World Series champions while also being named the 1989 ALCS MVP.

Lumbering in at #29 is Florida Marlins and Detroit Tigers hit-man Miguel Cabrera. Miggy brought the total package of patience, power, and an elite hit tool to the batter’s box during his stellar peak that extended from 2004-2016. During this time, he won back-to-back AL MVPs, finished in the top-5 seven times and the top-10 nine times. He holds the record for most seasons with 175 hits and 100 RBIs (12). His 10 consecutive seasons with at least 320 total bases is the second-longest streak of all-time behind only Willie Mays. He’s the only player since 1949 to lead the league in batting average four times and home runs twice. In 2012, he became the first player in 45 years to win the Triple Crown. He’s on pace to become the first player in history with 3,000 hits, 500 home runs while hitting above .305. and the first player in history with 500 home runs, 600 doubles while hitting above .305. It remains to be seen where Miggy will finish on all-time lists but he’s poised to enter the top-15 in hits, home runs, RBIs, doubles, extra-base hits, total bases, and runs created, and he’s already 9th all-time in intentional walks. Not to be outdone in the postseason, Miggy helped lead the Marlins to the World Series title in 2003 while also setting the record for most postseason home runs, hits, RBIs, and runs by the age of 20. He led the Tigers to four consecutive playoff appearances for the first time in franchise history and a World Series appearance in 2012.

Swinging in at #33 is “the Kid” Ken Griffey Jr. At 19 years old in the spring of 1989, Griffey was arguably baseball’s most hyped phenom ever. By the summer, he was a superstar. In just 455 at-bats, Griffey produced the first and only 60-RBI, 60-run, 15-home run, and 15 stolen base-season by a teenager. In 1993, he produced the first and only 45-home run, 100-RBI, 100-run, and 17 SB-season by a 23-year-old. Griffey would be robbed of full seasons in 1994 and 1995 by a strike and injuries but his per-game averages remained elite setting up a 1996 season that would be the start of a stretch unparalleled in baseball history. From 1996 to 1998, Griffey became the first and only player in history with three consecutive seasons of 120 runs, 49 home runs, and 140 RBIs. From 1996 to 1999, he became the only player in history with four consecutive seasons of 120 runs, 48 home runs, and 134 RBIs. There have only been nine seasons in history with 48 home runs, 134 RBIs, 120 runs, and 15 stolen bases, and Griffey has four of them. By the age of 30, Griffey was well on his way to breaking Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record. Unfortunately, Griffey’s 30s would be plagued by injuries as he only managed to reach 600 plate appearances just once in his final 10 seasons. As disappointing as it was for fans to see injuries prevent Griffey from making a run at Aaron’s record, his career production is still among the most impressive in history. He’s 7th all-time in home runs and 8th all-time in extra-base hits and intentional walks.    

Coming in at #35 is Red Sox extra-base machine, David Ortiz. Given that Big Papi didn’t reach 600 plate appearances in a season until he was 28, it’s astonishing that he was able to put together a hall of fame regular-season resume while also becoming a postseason legend. Ortiz’s production per plate appearance was always impressive but it wasn’t until 2004 that he put together a full season’s worth of at-bats, and the results were stellar. His first three seasons with 600+ plate appearances produced at least 41 home runs and 137 RBIs, joining Babe Ruth, Sammy Sosa, and Ken Griffey Jr as the only four players in history to hit those totals in three consecutive seasons. In 2005 he started a streak of three consecutive seasons with at least 115 runs, 115 RBIs and, 85 extra-base hits, becoming the first player to do so since 1932.  Ortiz joins Lou Gehrig and Sammy Sosa as the only players in history with four consecutive seasons of at least 85 extra-base hits. He joins Albert Pujols as the only two players in history with 540 career home runs and 630 doubles, and he’s 8th all-time in extra-base hits. Ortiz’s regular-season dominance continued until the day he retired as he became the first player in his 40s to lead the league in doubles. His 48 doubles were 13 more than any other player in their 40s. He also became the first player in his 40s to lead the league in RBIs. His 127 RBIs were 19 more than any other player in their 40s. He also holds the record for most home runs by a 40-year-old with 38. Of course, Ortiz is most known for being one of the greatest postseason players in MLB history. He’s in the top ten in the postseason in hits, runs, RBIs, home runs, doubles, extra-base hits, and walks, and he’s #1 all time in win probability added. He was named the 2004 ALCS MVP and the 2013 World Series MVP, leading the red sox to three World Series titles.

Muscling in at #36 is “the Big Hurt” Frank Thomas. Thomas combined patience, power, and an elite hit tool to put together a truly unique career at first base.  He won back-to-back AL MVPs for the White Sox in 1993 and 1994, finishing in the top-4 six times and the top-10 nine times. He led the league in on-base percentage, runs created, and walks four times, and OPS+ three times. He’s the only player since 1959 with at least 1,000 career plate appearances to hit .300 with a .419 OBP and a .554 slugging %. Thomas joins Babe Ruth and Ted Williams as the only three players in history with 520 home runs, 1,600 walks, and fewer than 1,400 strikeouts. He’s the only first baseman since 1930 with a least 500 home runs and a .419 on-base percentage. He’s the only player since 1960 to hit at least .300 with 500 home runs and an OPS+ of 156., and he joins Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds as the only three players in history with 10,000 career plate appearances, a 156 ops+ and 1,600 walks.

Hittin’ the list at #38 is Cardinals starter Bob Gibson. Gibson’s legendary performance in the 1964 World Series helped propel the Cardinals over the Yankees in a 7-game thriller, but it was his performance in the 1967 World Series that would solidify him as one of the best big-game pitchers baseball has ever seen. Gibson won all three of his starts yielding just three earned runs over 27 innings. His complete game, 10 strikeout performance in Game 7 propelled the Cardinals to victory.  Gibson’s brilliance over nine World Series starts places him right at the top of the list of greatest postseason pitchers in history. He’s the only pitcher to throw 30 strikeouts in a single World Series, and he did it twice. He also holds the 5th highest single World Series strikeout mark for good measure.  He holds the record for career K/9 innings in the World Series (min. 30 innings) and his eight complete games in the World Series are the most since 1940. He’s the only pitcher since the dead-ball era to average at least nine innings per start in the World Series (min. five starts). Gibson’s heroics weren’t just limited to the postseason. His 1968 Cy Young-winning regular season is arguably the greatest season by a pitcher since the dead-ball era. His 1.12 ERA in ’68 is the lowest single-season ERA by a starting pitcher since the dead-ball era (min. 150 innings). His .853 WHIP in ’68 is the lowest single-season WHIP by a starting pitcher since the dead-ball era (min. 275 innings). It remains the only season in baseball history that yielded 300 innings, a 1.12 ERA, and a .853 WHIP. After winning another Cy Young in 1970, Gibson joined Sandy Koufax as the only two pitchers in history with at least two Cy Youngs, two World Series MVPs, and a regular-season MVP.

Curving in at #40 is Dodgers lefty Sandy Koufax. The Man with the Golden Arm had arguably the greatest four-year stretch in Major League Baseball history at any position. Koufax helped lead the Dodgers to three World Series titles, becoming one of only three players in history to win two World Series MVPs. Koufax is the only player in history with two World Series MVPs over a three-year stretch. He won the 1963, 1965, and 1966 Cy Young awards becoming the only player in history with three Cy Young awards and two World Series MVPs, and he accomplished it over just four seasons. Koufax is the only player in history to lead the league in ERA for five consecutive seasons. He’s also the only player in history to lead the league in H/9 for five consecutive seasons. No player in history led the league in WHIP for more consecutive seasons than Koufax’s four. He’s the only pitcher since 1945 to win at least 25 games three times in a four-year stretch. His 382 strikeouts in 1965 are second all-time and just one shy of Nolan Ryan’s single-season record.  His .825 career World Series WHIP is the lowest in history among pitchers with at least 40 innings, and he’s the last pitcher to throw two shutouts in a single World Series.

Coming at #43 is the namesake of Major League Baseball’s pinnacle award for pitching, Cy Young. Young is pretty much the major league leader in every pitching category, holding the top spots in career wins, losses, games started, complete games, innings, hits allowed, and earned runs allowed. His 7,356 career innings are over 1,400 more than any other pitcher in history. Behind Young’s massive volume is one of the most frugal pitchers ever when it comes to issuing walks. Young led the league in BB/9 a record 14 times, five more than any other pitcher. He led the league in strikeout-to-walk ratio a record 11 times and no other pitcher led the league in WHIP and shutouts more often. Young’s 16 20-win seasons are the most in history and his streak of 14 consecutive seasons of 20-wins is the longest in history. Young also led the Boston Americans—soon to be Boston Red Sox—to victory in 1903 in the first-ever World Series between the American League and the National League.

Doubling onto the last at #44 is The Gray Eagle Tris Speaker. Speaker’s 792 career doubles make him baseball’s king of the two-bagger. He led the league in doubles a record eight times and holds the record for 30, 40, and 50-double seasons. Few players in history can equal Speaker’s lofty place in the record books where he stands 5th all-time in hits, 6th in batting average and triples, 9th in WAR, and 11th in on-base percentage. He has the most 145-hit seasons and the most consecutive 145-hit seasons in history. He’s the only player in history with at least 1,300 career walks and fewer than 400 strikeouts. He’s the only player in history with 3,000 career hits and 400 stolen bases with fewer than 400 strikeouts. He’s the only player in history with 3,500 hits and 750 doubles, and he’s the only player in history with 3,500 hits and 300 sacrifice hits. No player in MLB history has more seasons with both a .370 batting average and a .460 on-base percentage than Speaker’s six (Babe Ruth also has six). Speaker played in three World Series leading his team to victory on all three occasions.

Winding up at #45 is Orioles ace, Jim Palmer. Prior to the 19-year-old Palmer showing up in Baltimore in 1965, the Orioles had won zero world titles and made one World Series appearance. During his 19 seasons with the O’s, Palmer helped lead them to three World Series titles in six appearances. Palmer’s shutout of Sandy Koufax and the defending World Series champion Dodgers in Game 2 of the 1966 World Series got the ball rolling on Baltimore’s dynasty. Palmer would play an integral part in Baltimore’s subsequent playoff success. His eight postseason wins are the most in franchise history and his 2.61 postseason ERA is the 4^th best all-time among pitchers with at least 120 career postseason innings. Palmer was even better in the regular season. He won the AL Cy Young in 1973, 1975, and 1976 and finished runner-up in 1977 and 1982 on his way to eight top-5 finishes.  Palmer’s eight 20-win seasons are the most by any pitcher since 1955 and he has the most 290-inning seasons since 1970. Palmer is one of only four pitchers since 1935 with 265 career wins and a .638 winning percentage.

Sliding in at #46 on the list is SpongeBob’s favorite baseball player, “The Flying Dutchman” Honus Wagner. Wagner was the original “greatest of all time” when Major League Baseball was officially formed in 1903. While his reign at the top was usurped by Ty Cobb by 1910, Wagner’s imprint on the sport is still felt today as his 1909 T206 baseball card has been the most sought after on the market for over a century. Few players in history appear in baseball record books as often as Wagner.  He’s third all-time in triples, 8th in hits, and 10th in doubles and stolen bases. Among shortstops, he’s the all-time leader in hits, doubles, triples, stolen bases, WAR, batting average, and OPS+. Wagner led the league in WAR for position players 11 times, batting average and OPS eight times, doubles, extra-base hits, and runs created seven times, total bases and slugging % six times, on-base percentage and RBIs four times, triples three times, and hits and runs twice. Wagner was the star of the 1909 World Series as he led the Pirates to the title over the Tigers, throwing one last salvo at Cobb before the changing of the guard.

Joining the list at #50 is Boston slugger Carl Yastrzemski. Yaz spent 23 seasons with the Red Sox which are tied with Brooks Robinson for the most seasons spent with a single franchise. Yaz didn’t just play for 23 seasons, he was a productive player for 23 seasons, amassing 18 all-star game appearances, and receiving MVP votes in 14 different seasons. Yastrzemski is the only player in history with 3,400 career hits and 1,800 walks. He’s also the only player in history with 3,000 hits, 1,800 RBIs, 1,800 runs, and 1,800 walks.  Yaz is in the top-10 all-time in hits, doubles, walks, and total bases and he led the league in on-base percentage five times, OPS+ four times, runs, and doubles three times while also winning three batting crowns. He joins Babe Ruth and Ted Williams as the only players in history with 1,800 career walks, 1,100 extra-base hits, and fewer than 1400 strikeouts. He joins Hank Aaron and Stan Musial as the only players in history with 3,400 career hits and 1,100 extra-base hits, and he joins Musial and Albert Pujols as the only players in history with at least 645 career doubles and 450 home runs. Yaz won the AL Triple Crown in 1967 on his way to the league MVP, and he hit .352 with a .438 on-base percentage in two World Series appearances.

Teeing off at #59 on our list is Vladimir Guerrero. Vlad “The Impaler” was every bit as feared as his 15th-century counterpart, terrorizing pitchers with his combination of power, speed, and plate discipline. Vlad’s impact is reflected by the uniqueness of his accomplishments. He’s the only player to debut since 1960 with at least a .318 career batting average and a .553 career slugging percentage. He’s the only player to debut since 1960 with a career batting average of at least .318 and a career OPS+ of 140. He’s the only player since 1950 with at least 400 career home runs and fewer than 1,000 strikeouts. He’s the only player since 1950 with at least 400 career home runs and a .318 batting average. He’s the only player since 1950 with at least 970 career extra-base hits, an OPS+ of 140, and fewer than 1,000 strikeouts. He’s the only player in history with a career .318 batting average, 400 home runs, and 180 stolen bases and he’s also the only player in history with at least 200 hits, a .330 batting average, 40 stolen bases, and 39 home runs in a single season. Vlad is 7th all-time in intentional walks, leading the league five times which is tied for the 4th most in history. He was named the 2004 NL MVP and finished third in 2005 and 2007.

Backstopping the list at #60 is Dodgers and Mets legend Mike Piazza.  Piazza is, without question, the greatest offensive catcher of all time. Among catchers, he’s #1 all-time in home runs, offensive WAR, slugging %, and OPS+ (min. 500 games). He has the highest batting average since 1937 among catchers (min .500 games). His 185 OPS+ in 1997 is the most ever by a catcher (min. 500 plate appearances) and he has two of the top-3 single-season OPS+ marks ever for a catcher (min. 500 plate appearances). He has the most 30-home run seasons, most 90-RBI seasons, and most 80-run seasons by a catcher. Proving Piazza’s numbers weren’t just elite for a catcher, he is one of only eight players at any position with at least a career .308 batting average, 143 OPS+, and 400 home runs.  Piazza finished in the top-10 in MVP voting seven times including two runner-ups and a third-place finish.

Working the margins at #61 is Braves lefty workhorse Tom Glavine. Glavine won two NL Cy Young awards while also finishing second twice and third twice. He led the league in wins five times which is the most by any pitcher since 1957. He’s one of only four pitchers since 1926 with at least 300 career wins and fewer than 205 career losses. Glavine finished in the top-10 in innings 12 times, wins and shutouts 11 times, and winning % 10 times. Glavine’s regular-season success carried over into the postseason where he is second all-time in postseason innings and third all-time in wins while also winning the World Series MVP for the Braves in 1995.

Sailing in at #62 is Gaylord Perry. Only Nolan Ryan and Phil Niekro have pitched more career innings since the dead-ball era than the appropriately nicknamed Ancient Mariner. Perry was the oldest player in the league for three consecutive seasons, pitching until he was 44 years old. He won the AL Cy Young in 1972 and the NL Cy Young in 1978 at the age of 40.  Perry led the league in wins three times and had five 20-win seasons. While Perry’s elite seasons are notable, it’s the number of good seasons that define his legacy. He finished in the top-10 in strikeouts and complete games 12 times, WAR, ERA, and innings 11 times, WHIP 10 times and wins nine times.

Joining the list at #63 is Braves ace and closer John Smoltz. Smoltz truly was the most versatile pitcher in Major League Baseball history. He’s the only pitcher in history with 200 career wins and 150 career saves and the only pitcher in history with a 24-win season and a 55–save season. Smoltz won the Cy Young in 1996 when he became one of only three pitchers in history to compile a season with 24 wins, 250 innings, 275 strikeouts, and a K/9 of at least 9.8. Smoltz was even better in the postseason, throwing 209 innings with a stellar 2.67 ERA and 1.14 WHIP both of which represented improvements over his spectacular regular season marks. Smoltz is third all-time in postseason innings, second in postseason wins, and his 15-4 record is the highest winning % ever among pitchers with at least 135 postseason innings.

Painting the corner at #64 is Roy “Doc” Halladay. Halladay was the premier pitcher in baseball from 2002-2011, racking up three 20-win seasons and two 19-win seasons on his way to two AL Cy Young awards, two second-place finishes, and seven top-5 finishes. Halladay led the league in WAR for pitchers four times and finished in the top-4 eight times. Combining durability with precision, Halladay led the league in innings four times which is 7th all-time and strikeout-to-walk ratio five times which is 6th all-time. He also led the league in complete games seven times which is the second-most in history and shutouts four times which is the 6th most in history. Halladay is one of only four pitchers in the live-ball era with at least a .659 winning % and 2,000 career strikeouts.

Streaking in at #65 is “Iron Man” Cal Ripken Jr. Ripken holds the all-time record for most consecutive games played at an unbelievable 2,632 which are 502 more than any other player and over 2,000 games ahead of any active player. When Ripken retired in 2001, he was the all-time leader in doubles among shortstops and 2^nd all-time in home runs, RBIs, and hits. His 19 all-star game selections are four more than any other shortstop. Ripken is the only shortstop in history with 75 Offensive WAR and 35 defensive WAR and he is one of only two shortstops in MLB history to lead the league in WAR three times. Ripken joins Willie Mays and Mike Trout as the only two players in history to win two regular-season MVPs and two all-star game MVPs.

Firing in at #66 is Nolan Ryan. The Ryan Express is the most prolific strikeout pitcher in the history of baseball. His 5,714 career strikeouts are 839 more than any other pitcher in history which is a record that ranks right at the top on the list of the most unbreakable records in sports. Ryan led the league in K/9 and H/9 innings an unbelievable 12 times each. Perhaps more remarkable, he finished in the top-5 in K/9 innings 20 times and H/9 17 times. His seven career no-hitters are three more than any other player in MLB history. He has the most shutouts of any pitcher to debut since 1942 and his 383 strikeouts in 1973 are the most in a single season in history. Ryan is tied with Randy Johnson for most 300-strikeout seasons with six and he joins Johnson as the only pitchers in history to lead the league in strikeouts four consecutive years on two different occasions.  

Joining the list at #67 is Gary Sheffield. Sheff is one of the great power-speed combos professional baseball has ever seen. He’s the only player in history with 500 home runs, 250 stolen bases, 1,450 walks, and fewer than 1,200 strikeouts. He’s the only player since the dead-ball era to have 1,000 extra-base hits, 250 stolen bases, and fewer than 1,200 strikeouts. He’s one of only four players in history with at least 500 home runs, 250 stolen bases, and a 70% stolen base percentage. He finished in the top-10 in MVP voting six times including three finishes in the top-3. Sheff finished in the top-10 in on-base % 10 times, helping him become one of only seven players in history with at least a .392 on-base percentage and 500 career home runs. Sheff led the Marlins to the 1997 World Series title, reaching base 15 times in a 7-game thriller over the Indians.

Coming in at #68 is Yankees ace Whitey Ford. Ford’s .690 winning percentage is the second-highest in the modern era among pitchers with at least 1,500 career innings. He’s the only pitcher in Major League Baseball history to have at least a .690 winning percentage while throwing at least 3,000 innings, and he’s the only pitcher in history with at least 230 career wins with fewer than 110 losses. Ford won the 1961 Cy Young when he pitched one of only four seasons in MLB history with at least 25 wins with fewer than five losses. While Ford was a stellar regular season pitcher, it was his work in the World Series that defines his legacy. Ford is the only pitcher in history with six World Series rings and a World Series MVP. He holds the record for most career wins in the World Series with 10, three more than any other pitcher. He also holds the World Series records for games started, innings, and strikeouts. His 33 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings in the World Series are the most in history for a starting pitcher, and he’s the only pitcher in history to throw at least 14 innings without allowing a run in two different World Series.

Swinging in at #69 is Braves slugger Eddie Mathews. When Mathews retired in 1968, he was without question the greatest third baseman in Major League Baseball history, ranking first in home runs, runs, RBIs, slugging % and OPS+ (among third basemen who played a min. of 10 seasons). Mathews still ranks second all-time among third basemen in both home runs and WAR and is in the top five in RBIs, walks, and OPS+. Mathews twice finished runner-up in National League MVP voting and is the only third baseman to finish in the top-6 in offensive WAR for 11 consecutive seasons. He also led the league in walks four times, home runs twice, and is the only third baseman in history to hit at least 46 home runs twice. Mathews teamed with Hank Aaron to power the Braves to the 1957 World Series title, reaching base 13 times in a thrilling seven-game series with the Yankees.

Joining the list at #73 is Pirates legend Roberto Clemente. Clemente was a 4-time batting champion in the National League and finished in the top-5 in batting average an astonishing 10 times. He won the National League MVP in 1966 and finished in the top-10 eight times. Clemente reached 3,000 career hits in the final at-bat of the 1972 season which would sadly end up being the last at-bat of his career as he died in a plane crash while on a humanitarian trip in the offseason. While Clemente’s superior bat-to-ball skills produced 13 seasons with a batting average over .300, it was also his defense that puts him on the shortlist of greatest right fielders in history. His 12.2 defensive WAR is the most all-time for a right fielder. He’s second all-time among right fielders in assists and putouts and is the all-time leader in total zone runs as a right fielder. Clemente helped lead the Pirates to two World Series Championships including in 1971 when he was named World Series MVP, making him one of only four players in history to reach 3,000 hits and win a World Series MVP.

Powering into the list at #74 is Twins slugger Harmon Killebrew. Known as “the Killer” for his tape-measure shots, Killebrew led the league in home runs six times which is the fourth most in history. He also finished in the top-5 in home runs an incredible 12 times and slugging % and OPS+ ten times. He was named the American League MVP in 1969 and finished in the top-4 in MVP voting six times. Killebrew’s 14.2 at-bats per home run ratio is 7^th best in history and he has the 12^th highest home run and 15^th highest walk totals of all time. Killebrew was also versatile with the glove, playing more than 450 games at three different positions and making the all-star game at all of them.

At #81 on our countdown is 18-time all-star and Twins legend Rod Carew. Carew led the league in batting average seven times which is the 4^th most in history behind only Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, and Tony Gwynn. Carew joins Rogers Hornsby and Stan Musial as the only three players ever to lead the league in runs, hits, triples, batting average, on-base percentage, OPS, and OPS+ in the same season. He is the only player in history to have at least 235 hits, 125 runs, 35 doubles, 15 triples, 20 stolen bases, 65 walks, an OPS+ of 175, and a batting average of .388 in a single season. He was the 1977 American League MVP and finished in the top-10 six times. Carew has the 3^rd highest career batting average since 1960, trailing only Tony Gwynn and Wade Boggs.

Next up at #82 is Sammy Sosa. Slammin’ Sammy’s 10-year stretch with the Cubs from 1995 to 2004 produced the greatest home run barrage Major League Baseball has ever seen, literally. Sosa’s 479 home runs over that period are the most ever over 10 years. In fact, Sosa also holds the records for most home runs over a 5-year, 6-year, 7-year, 8-year, and 9-year stretch. Sosa is the only player in history with three seasons of 60+ home runs. He also shares the record for the most 50-home run seasons with four. He’s the only player in history with more than 60 home runs and 140 runs in a single season. He’s the only player to have more than 65 home runs, 150 RBIs, and 130 runs in a single season. He’s the only player in history with a season of at least 64 home runs and 155 RBIs and he did it twice. Sosa, Alex Rodriguez, and Rafael Palmeiro are the only three players in history with nine consecutive seasons of 35 home runs and 100 RBIs. He was the NL MVP in 1998 and the runner-up in 2001. Remarkably, Sosa led the league in home runs twice, but not in any of his 60-home run seasons.

Rifling in at #83 is Cleveland great Bob Feller. Like many of the elite players of the 1940s, Bullet Bob’s career was interrupted by service in WWII. Feller missed three-and-a-half seasons just as he was establishing himself as the best pitcher in the world. It’s not hard to imagine Feller leading the league in wins for what would’ve been an unbreakable record of nine consecutive seasons had he been stateside for his entire career. In fact, he’d likely hold the records for most consecutive seasons leading the league in strikeouts and innings as well. Despite his lengthy absence from the majors, Feller put together one of the most impressive pitching careers MLB baseball has ever seen. He was the best pitcher in the American League the three years before left for the war and arguably in his first two full seasons after returning from the war. Feller is one of only 10 pitchers to throw at least 3,800 innings with an ERA+ of at least 122. He also led the league in strikeouts seven times, wins six times and innings pitched and games started five times each.

Popping in at #84 on our list is Phillies great Robin Roberts. No pitcher in MLB history had a six-season run quite like the one Roberts went on from 1950-1955. During this stretch, Roberts became the only pitcher ever to lead the league in games started for six consecutive seasons. He also became the first pitcher in history to have separate streaks of leading the league in wins four consecutive seasons and innings pitched five consecutive seasons. Roberts was the best pitcher in baseball in 1952 and 1955, finishing highest among pitchers in NL MVP voting, and he was the second-best pitcher in 1953 and 1954. He is the only pitcher in MLB history to lead the league in wins, innings, games started, and complete games for four consecutive seasons. Roberts is the only pitcher since the dead-ball era with a season of at least 28 wins and a BB/9 of 1.3 or less.  Roberts also led the league in WAR for Pitchers and strikeout-to-walk ratio five times and BB/9 four times. 

Landing at #85 on our list is Ferguson Jenkins. Fergie used his pinpoint control and tireless arm to become one of only six pitchers in MLB history (and only the second in the last 100 years) to throw 4,500 career innings with a WHIP less than 1.15 and a BB/9 of two or less. Fergie led the league in wins twice and finished in the top-3 seven times. He led the league in strikeout-to-walk ratio and BB/9 five times, complete games four times, and finished in the top-10 in WHIP an astounding 13 times.  He won the 1971 NL Cy Young Award and nearly won it four more times finishing 2nd in 1967 and 1974 and 3rd in 1970 and 1972. Jenkins is the only player in MLB history to have at least 24 wins and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of at least 7.0 in the same season. He’s the only player in the last 100 years with at least 265 career complete games and a WHIP under 1.15. He’s the only player in the last 100 years with a season of at least 30 complete games and a BB/9 of 1.0 or less. He’s one of only three players in the last 100 years to lead the American League and the National League in wins. He’s the only player in the last 80 years with a season of 25 wins and a BB/9 of 1.2 or less, and he’s one of only four players in the last 100 years to win at least 115 games in both leagues.

At #86 on the list is The Hebrew Hammer Hank Greenberg. Like his fellow masher Johnny Mize, Greenberg missed a huge chunk of his peak serving in WWII. For Greenberg the cost was even more substantial as he would miss 4.5 seasons, limiting his career to just 1,394 career games, or the equivalent of 8.5 seasons worth of games. All Greenberg did during his short time in the league was put together one of the most extraordinary stretches in MLB history. Greenberg led the league in HRs, RBIs, and extra-base hits four times, total bases and walks twice, and slugging %, OPS, and runs one time each. He’s 6th all-time in slugging %. His 184 RBIs in 1937 are the 3rd highest single-season total in history and his 63 doubles in 1934 are the fourth most in history. He won the American League MVP in 1935 and 1940 and finished third in 1937 and 1938. Greenberg is one of only five players in history with three seasons of at least 150 RBIs. He’s the only player in history with a 50 home run season and a 60 double season. He’s also the only player in history with a 180 RBI season and a season of at least 58 home runs. It’s wild to think what Greenberg’s career would’ve looked like with the 2,200 at-bats he lost to the war.

Prowling into the list at #87 is the original Big Cat Johnny Mize. Mize had one of the longest peaks in history as he led the league in home runs, slugging % and extra-base hits four times, RBIs, OPS, and total bases 3 times, OPS+ twice, and batting average, runs, and doubles once. When he wasn’t leading the league, he was coming awfully close as he consistently finished near the top of every major statistical category for nearly a decade. He finished in the top-3 in slugging % and OPS+ a remarkable nine times. He finished in the top-3 in extra-base hits and offensive WAR eight times and home runs, total bases, and RBIs seven times. Indicative of his immense power, Mize is 14th all-time in slugging % and 17^th all-time in OPS+. He finished in the top-10 of the MVP voting six times including back-to-back runner-up finishes in 1939 and 1940 in which he was unquestionably the best hitter in the American League. Mize joins Mark McGwire as the only two players to lead the league in home runs twice in the American League and the National League. He was also a part of five World Series titles with the Yankees where he had a robust .584 slugging % and a .909 OPS. It’s hard to believe that Mize put together such a stellar career despite missing three full seasons of his prime serving in WWII.

When Major League Baseball formed in 1903, there were three players who could stake a claim as the greatest player of all time. That list included Cy Young, Honus Wagner, and #88 on our list, Nap Lajoie. Close to 120 years later, Lajoie is still arguably the greatest second baseman in American League history. He led the league in batting average and doubles five times, becoming one of three players in history along with Honus Wagner and Stan Musial to do so. He led the league in slugging %, and total bases four times, RBIs, OPS and OPS+ three times,  OBP twice, and home runs and runs once each. In terms of all-time standing among second basemen, Lajoie is the all-time leader in RBIs, second in doubles and hits, third in batting average, and fourth in triples. After 12 decades of Major League Baseball baseball, Lajoie remains the only player in history with 3,000 career hits, 600 doubles, and fewer than 350 strikeouts.

Coming in at #89 on the list is third baseman Adrian Beltre. While somehow managing to play two decades in relative anonymity, Beltre’s credentials are no less worthy of a spot in the top 100. Beltre’s standing among third basemen as both an offensive and defensive contributor is second to none. Among third basemen who played at least half their career at the hot corner, he is the all-time leader in hits, RBIs, games played, and plate appearances. He’s second in doubles, third in home runs and WAR, and fourth in runs. His 1,151 career extra-base hits are the most all-time for a third baseman and the 14^th most in Major League Baseball history regardless of position. He’s second all-time in dWAR among third basemen, and he has the 13th highest dWAR total in history regardless of position. He’s the only player in history in the top-15 in both extra-base hits and dWAR. Beltre is also the only player in history with 3,000 hits, 450 home runs, and 27 dWAR, and he’s the only third baseman in history with 3,100 hits, 600 doubles, and 400 home runs.

Cleaning up the list at #90 is “The Human Vacuum Cleaner” Brooks Robinson. It’s hard to argue that Robinson isn’t just the greatest defensive third baseman of all time, but the greatest defensive player of all time regardless of position. Playing the hot corner, Robinson amassed an astounding 39.1 defensive WAR. He finished among the top-8 in dWAR a remarkable 14 seasons. Among third basemen, he’s the all-time leader in games, assists, putouts, double plays turned, total zone runs, and range factor per game. He led the league in fielding percentage at third base 11 times which is three more than any player from any other position in history. His 16 gold gloves are also the most for any position player in history. There’s no question that Robinson was superior with the glove, but the fact that he’s 13^th all-time in sacrifice flies and produced a minuscule 8.4 career strikeout percentage shows he was skilled with the bat as well. Although he led the American League in RBIs in 1964 and finished in the top 10 in RBIs eight times, Robinson was at his best in the postseason. When merely equaling regular season rates is considered impressive, Robinson elevated his batting average 36 points and his OPS 62 points in the playoffs on his way to helping the Orioles win two World Series titles in four World Series appearances. After winning the World Series MVP in 1970, he joined teammate Frank Robinson as the only two players in history to win a regular-season MVP, a World Series MVP, and an All-Star game MVP.

Hitting the list at #91 is Mr. 38, Rafael Palmeiro. Palmeiro was the American League’s premier extra-base hit machine during the 1990s. His 1,192 career extra-base hits are the 11^th most in MLB history. Palmeiro’s 9-consecutive seasons with at least 38 home runs is the all-time record and two more than any other player in history. Over that 9-year stretch, he averaged a surreal 41 home runs and 121 RBIs. He joins Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, and Eddie Murray as one of only six players with 3,000 career hits and 500 career home runs. Palmeiro used an impressive 11.2 strikeout rate to reel in the elusive career positive walk-to-strikeout ratio as he tallied 1,353 walks to just 1, 348 strikeouts.

Coming in at #92 is Eddie Murray. Murray earned the nickname Steady Eddie for being one of the most consistent hitters in baseball history.  Murray’s career is notable in that he didn’t have a peak. It was steady production for 20 straight seasons. Murray is the only player in history with 20 consecutive seasons of at least 70 RBIs and 20 doubles. He’s 11^th all-time in total bases and RBIs, and 13^th all-time in hits. He joins Hank Aaron, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, and Willie Mays as the only five players in history with at least 3,000 hits, 500 home runs, and 1900 RBIs. Ever the tradesman with the bat in his hands, Murray produced an excellent 11.8 strikeout percentage and is the all-time leader in sacrifice flies. Murray led the American League in OPS+ in 1984 and finished in the top-10 nine times, including three second-place finishes. He led the American League in RBIs in 1981 and finished in the top-10 11 times. He finished in the top-5 in MVP voting six times including back-to-back runner-up finishes in 1982 and 1983. He produced a .825 career postseason OPS in 186 career plate appearances while leading the Orioles to a World Series title in 1981.

Entering the list at #93 is Paul Molitor, one of the premier run/hit threats in Major League Baseball history. All “Molly” did was rack up 3,319 hits, 1,782 runs, 605 doubles, and 504 stolen bases. If those numbers sound unique, it’s because they are. Only three players in MLB history have at least 3,300 career hits, 600 doubles, and 500 stolen bases, and Molitor is the only player to do it since 1920. Over his 21-year career, Molitor led the American League in hits and runs three times, and finished in the top 10 in batting average 11 times. As good as Molitor was in the regular season, he was even better in the playoffs. In 132 postseason plate appearances, he hit a robust .368 with a .435 on-base percentage and a .615 slugging percentage. He led the Brewers to the 7^th game of the World Series in 1982 and then put the Blue Jays over the top in 1993 on his way to being named World Series MVP.

Entering the list at #94 is Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez. It would be hard to argue that Pudge isn’t the greatest defensive catcher of all time.  His 13 gold gloves are the most by a catcher in MLB history. He’s first all-time in defensive games played at catcher with 2, 427 which is over 200 games ahead of second place. He’s the all-time leader in defensive WAR among catchers and 8^th overall regardless of position. Pudge led the league in caught stealing % a remarkable nine times. No other catcher has done it even 7 times and nobody has done it more than four times in more than 70 years. As great as Pudge was defensively, a combination of defensive and offensive brilliance won him the American League MVP in 1999 as he became the first catcher in either league to take home the award in 23 years. While Pudge’s calling card was his defense, he was no slouch with the bat. He is the all-time hits leader among catchers with 350 more than the next highest mark. He’s also the all-time leader at catcher in doubles and runs, and his 127 career stolen bases are the 3^rd highest total by a catcher in more than 90 years. In 2004, Pudge led the Marlins to one of the biggest upsets in World Series history over the heavily favored New York Yankees. He also helped revitalize a dormant Tigers franchise, leading Detroit to its first World Series appearance in 22 years.

Slamming the door shut at #95 is legendary Oakland closer Dennis Eckersley. While Eck was an accomplished starting pitcher for the first half of his career—he was a 20-game winner for Boston in 1978, led the AL in ERA+ in 1979, and was selected to two All-Star games—he was a “light’s out, don’t let the door hit you on the way out” closer for the second half. He would redefine what an elite season looked like for a closer when he made the move to the bullpen for Oakland in 1987. After a successful first season as a full-time closer, Eck would catch fire in 1988, leading the American League in saves and finishing 2^nd in the Cy Young voting. Eck’s two most dominant seasons and the two most dominant back-to-back seasons by a closer in major league baseball history came in 1989 and 1990 when he posted microscopic whips of .607 and .614. His 1990 ERA of .61 is almost hard to believe and translates to an out-of-this-world ERA+ of 603. Eck’s late-inning dominance helped lead Oakland to the 1990 World Series title and three consecutive World Series appearances.  Eck would put a stamp on his Hall of Fame career by winning the Cy Young and AL MVP in 1992, becoming only the 4^th reliever in history to do so. Eck is the only pitcher in baseball history with at least 390 saves and 190 wins, and no player in Major League Baseball history has more 45-save seasons.

Joining the list at #96 is on-base machine Joey Votto. Although hitting home runs is the most important skill in baseball, getting on base isn’t far behind and few have been better than Votto at doing just that. Votto has led the National League in on-base percentage seven times. Only Ted Williams, Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth, and Rogers Hornsby have led the league more often, and they just happen to be four of the top-20 players ever. Votto is the active leader in on-base percentage and is second among active players in career walks trailing only Albert Pujols. Votto won the NL MVP in 2010 while also finishing 2nd in 2017 and 3rd in 2015. Votto will not end up reaching the celebrated statistical milestones that have become synonymous with Hall-of-Fame resumes, but it is hard to imagine a player leading the league in on-base percentage seven times and not being one of the 100 greatest players. Hopefully, Hall of Fame voters will show more respect to Votto than they did to Johan Santana’s similarly underappreciated profile.

Coming in at #97, is Ichiro Suzuki, or simply Ichiro. The sweet-swinging savant from Japan got a late start to his Major League career after spending nine seasons tearing up the Japan Pacific League. His career in the U.S. started in earnest in 2001 at the age of 27 when he signed with the Seattle Mariners. Ichiro hit the ground running, literally, as he tallied 242 hits and 56 stolen bases in his rookie season on his way to winning the AL MVP. In only his first season Ichiro became the first player to reach 240 hits and 55 stolen bases in a single season since Ty Cobb in 1911. Three years later in 2004, Ichiro tallied 262 hits breaking George Sisler’s single season hits record that had stood for 84 years. That was just the beginning of Ichiro’s assault on the record books. He holds the record for most consecutive seasons leading the league in hits. He also holds the record for most 200 hit seasons, most consecutive 200 hit seasons, and most 200 hit seasons to start a career. Ichiro was also a standout right fielder as he holds the 3^rd highest fielding percentage of any right fielder in Major league baseball history. Had he started his career in the states, it’s not hard to imagine Ichiro as the Hit King in place of Pete Rose. In addition to his 3089 hits in MLB, he also had 1,278 hits in Japan. His combined total of 4,367 professional hits, puts him 111 ahead of Pete Rose’s historic mark. 

Coming in at #98 on the list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All-Time is Hall of Fame Catcher Gary Carter. Carter was an 11-time All-Star who starred for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets over a 19-year career. Nicknamed “The Kid,” Carter helped lead the ’86 Mets to 108 wins—tied for the 3^rd highest total since 1969—and a World Series Championship. Carter is 2^nd All-Time in WAR among catchers behind only the great Johnny Bench. No catcher in MLB history has finished in the top-10 in WAR more than Carter (8). Among catchers, Carter is in the top ten all-time in runs, hits, home runs, and RBIs. He finished in the top-6 of the MVP voting four times including a 2^nd place finish for Montreal in 1980 and a 3^rd place finish for the Mets in 1986.

While Carter is unquestionably one of the greatest offensive catchers in MLB history, he was an even better defensive catcher. He led the NL in games played among catchers six times, putouts among catchers eight times, assists among catchers five times, double plays turned as a catcher five times, and thrown out baserunners three times. It is that last fact that summons the old adage that “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

Yep, that’s Gary Carter with 23 dapper fellas born in the 1800s. Carter threw out 810 stolen base attempts during his career which is by far the highest total for a catcher since the dead-ball era.  Few catchers in the history of the game have matched Carter’s offensive/defensive mix, durability, and longevity.

Hitting the list at #99 is Edgar Martinez. In order for a player who spent most of his career NOT playing defense to rate among the top 100 baseball players of all-time, the hitting tool must be something special and Martinez’s was just that. Since 1960, few hitters have been as productive. Over that time frame, he has the 5^th highest on-base percentage, 10^th highest OPS+, and 11th highest batting average. Martinez was truly a jack of all trades with the bat. You name the statistic, he led the league in it including runs, RBIs, doubles, batting average, on-base percentage, OPS, OPS+, times on base, Offensive WAR, and runs created. He led the league in on-base percentage three times along with a remarkable 10 top-five finishes. He also picked up two batting crowns and finished among the top 10 in batting average seven times.  Martinez is the only player in MLB history to have back-to-back seasons of 100 RBIs, 100 Runs, 100 BBs, and 50 doubles.  He also accomplished the elusive positive career BB-to-K ratio, becoming only the 19^th player in MLB history to have 1,200 RBIs, 1,200 Runs, and 1,200 Walks with a positive BB-to-K strikeout ratio.  

Starting us off at #100 is Hells Bells Trevor Hoffman. Hoffman is the greatest closer in National League history and the second greatest closer of all time. If it weren’t for Mariano Rivera, Hoffman would be the gold standard by which all closers are measured. His 601 career saves are second all-time and a remarkable 123 saves ahead of Lee Smith for 3^rd place. For perspective, the gap between Hoffman and Smith is greater than the gap between Smith and the 11^th spot. Hoffman led the National League in saves twice and finished runner-up five times. Even more impressive is the fact that Hoffman finished in the top 10 in saves in the National League 15 times. Hoffman twice finished runner-up in Cy Young voting including in 1998 when he lost out to Tom Glavine in one of the closest results in Cy Young voting history. In fact, Hoffman actually got more first-place votes than Glavine. History repeated itself as Hoffman again just missed out in 2006 nearly equaling Brandon Webb’s first-place vote total. Hoffman’s Adjusted ERA+ of 141 is the 15^th best mark by a pitcher in Major League Baseball history.