Best Player for All 101 Uniform Numbers in MLB History
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It’s hard to believe, but for the first 60 years of Major League Baseball, uniforms didn’t have numbers. Uniformed numbers didn’t become commonplace until the mid-1930s, so players like Ty Cobb and Cy Young were numberless throughout their careers. Even Babe Ruth, who debuted in 1914, spent all but the last few years of his career without a number. Thus, this list is composed of players from roughly the last 85 years of the game, which still gives us a good sample size.
There are a couple of rules to this list. One is that a player can only be listed once to include as many unique players as possible. The other rule is that selections for each number only take into account that player when he wore that number. For example, Willie Mays spent just his rookie year wearing No. 14 but spent the next 21 years of his career in No. 24. So, even though Mays may be the greatest player ever to wear No. 14, he wasn’t the greatest ever while wearing the number.
Now that the ground rules are set, let’s see who the greatest MLB players are for all 101 uniform numbers.
0 – Al Oliver
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Position: Outfielder/first baseman
Career: 18 seasons (1968-85)
Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates, Texas Rangers, Montreal Expos, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays
Stats: .303 BA, 2,743 H, 219 HR, 1,326 RBI
Accolades: Seven-time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger, 1971 World Series champion
Bottom line: After spending a decade with the Pirates, Oliver left the team in 1978 and changed his number to 0 with the Texas Rangers. He became the first player in MLB history to rock No. 0, and over 40 years later, he’s still the best.
In 1982, at 35 years old, Oliver led the AL in batting average, hits and RBI for the Montreal Expos.
Honorable mention: George Scott
00 – Jack Clark
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Position: Outfielder/first baseman
Career: 18 seasons (1975-92)
Teams: San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox
Stats: 340 HR, 1180 RBI, 1,826 H
Accolades: Four-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger, three-time walks leader
Bottom line: Clark was ahead of his time with his ability to draw walks during the late 1980s and early ’90s, a time when more attention was paid to batting average than on-base percentage.
He had 485 walks from 1987-90, which led MLB by a wide margin despite Clark missing over 100 games, and he also had the second-highest OBP during that stretch.
Honorable mention: Bobo Newsom
1 – Ozzie Smith
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Position: Shortstop
Career: 19 seasons (1978-96)
Teams: San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals
Stats: 2,460 H, 580 SB, .262 BA
Accolades: 15-time All-Star, 13-time Gold Glove winner, 1982 World Series champion
Bottom line: Arguably the greatest defensive player in MLB history, Smith was a human vacuum at shortstop. He won 13 straight Gold Gloves and won them with flair, as he made defense fun and exciting.
Smith also developed as a hitter in the second half of his career and hit .279 in his 30s as opposed to .238 in his 20s.
Honorable mention: Lou Whitaker
2 – Derek Jeter
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Position: Shortstop
Career: 20 seasons (1995-2014)
Teams: New York Yankees
Stats: .310 BA, 3,465 H, 1,923 R, 260 HR
Accolades: Five-time World Series champion, 14-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger
Bottom line: Because of his very unfavorable defensive metrics, many label Jeter as overrated and think he only got so much attention because of who he played for. But you can’t deny his clutch play, leadership or damn-near 3,500 hits.
He’s also the all-time leader in postseason hits, and it may take another postseason expansion for that record to be broken.
Honorable mention: Charlie Gehringer
3 – Babe Ruth
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Position: Outfielder/pitcher
Career: 22 seasons (1914-35)
Teams: Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Boston Braves
Stats: 714 HR, 2,214 RBI, .342 BA, 2,873 H
Accolades: All-time leader in SLG/OPS, Seven-time World Series champion, 1923 AL MVP, 12-time home run leader
Bottom line: Had the Babe been a full-time position player for his first few seasons instead of primarily a pitcher, he would have easily hit over 800 home runs. But also, if Ruth had stayed a pitcher his entire career, he would have likely won over 300 games.
That’s why he’s considered the greatest of all time.
Honorable mention: Jimmie Foxx
4 – Lou Gehrig
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Position: First baseman
Career: 17 seasons (1923-39)
Teams: New York Yankees
Stats: 534 HR, .340 BA, 1,995 RBI
Accolades: Six-time World Series champion, two-time MVP, 1934 Triple Crown
Bottom line: Gehrig is like the Phil Mickelson of baseball, as had the Babe Ruth to Mickelson’s Tiger Woods not existed, the Iron Horse would be viewed in a different light.
He led the league in home runs three times but also finished runner-up to Ruth in that stat four other times.
Honorable mention: Mel Ott
5 – Albert Pujols
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Position: First baseman/designated hitter
Career: 21 seasons (2001-present)
Teams: St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels
Stats: 3,238 H, 663 HR, 2,104 RBI
Accolades: Three-time MVP, 10-time All-Star, two-time World Series champion
Bottom line: Unfortunately, there’s going to be a generation of Angels fans, and MLB fans as a whole, who are only going to know Pujols as a washed-up, overpaid albatross. But the first half of his career was nothing short of extraordinary, and he was a Hall of Famer before he even left St. Louis.
Pujols ranks third all-time in RBI, second all-time in career earnings and first all-time in double plays grounded into.
Honorable mention: Joe DiMaggio
6 – Stan Musial
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Position: Outfielder/first baseman
Career: 22 seasons (1941-44, 1946-63)
Teams: St. Louis Cardinals
Stats: .331 BA, 3,630 H, 475 HR, 1,951 RBI
Accolades: Three-time MVP, three-time World Series champion, 24-time All-Star, seven-time batting champion
Bottom line: Stan the Man often gets left out of the conversation of greatest players of all time and undeservedly so.
He was a hitting machine, and here is the entire list of position players with more WAR than Musial over the last 100 years: Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds.
Honorable mention: Al Kaline
7 – Mickey Mantle
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Position: Centerfielder
Career: 18 seasons (1951-68)
Teams: New York Yankees
Stats: 536 HR, 1,509 RBI, 2,415 H
Accolades: 20-time All-Star, seven-time World Series champion, 1956 Triple Crown
Bottom line: When Mantle replaced Joe DiMaggio as the Yankees’ center fielder in 1952, few predicted he would match his predecessor, much less surpass him. But The Mick did just that and became one of the premier sluggers of all time.
An underrated part of Mantle’s game was his efficiency on the base paths, as his 80.1 percent stolen-base percentage is the highest in MLB history of anyone who began their career before 1960.
Honorable mention: Ivan Rodriguez
8 – Cal Ripken Jr.
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Position: Shortstop/third baseman
Career: 21 seasons (1981-2001)
Teams: Baltimore Orioles
Stats: 3,184 H, 431 HR, 1,695 RBI
Accolades: Most consecutive games played in MLB history, 19-time All-Star, two-time MVP, 1983 World Series champion
Bottom line: The fact that Ripken won just two Gold Glove awards during his career is almost criminal. He ranks fourth all time in defensive WAR, and the three players ahead of him combined for 37 Gold Glove awards.
But Ripken does have what neither of those three have and that’s, perhaps, the most unbreakable record in baseball.
Honorable mention: Carl Yastrzemski
9 – Ted Williams
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Position: Leftfielder
Career: 19 seasons (1939-42, 1946-60)
Teams: Boston Red Sox
Stats: .344 BA, 521 HR, 1,839 RBI
Accolades: All-time leader in OBP, 19-time All-Star, two-time MVP, six-time batting champion
Bottom line: The self-proclaimed “greatest hitter who ever lived” doesn’t have many challengers to that title, but Williams’ career numbers could have been even greater.
He lost nearly five years of his prime to service and would be knocking on 700 home runs’ doors if he had that playing time back.
Honorable mention: Reggie Jackson
10 – Chipper Jones
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Position: Third baseman/leftfielder
Career: 19 seasons (1993, 1995-2012)
Teams: Atlanta Braves
Stats: .303 BA, 2,726 H, 468 HR
Accolades: Eight-time All-Star, 1999 MVP, 1995 World Series champion
Bottom line: How’s this for balance: The switch-hitting Jones hit .304 in his career from the left side of the plate and .304 in his career from the right side.
He’s just one of two players with at least 5,000 career ABs to accomplish that along with Frankie Frisch.
Honorable mention: Ron Santo
11 – Barry Larkin
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Position: Shortstop
Career: 19 seasons (1986-2004)
Teams: Cincinnati Reds
Stats: .295 BA, 2,340 H, 198 HR, 379 SB
Accolades: 1995 MVP, 1990 World Series champion, three-time Gold Glove winner
Bottom line: Larkin could have possibly worn No. 11 in the NFL, as he received a football scholarship to Michigan before focusing solely on baseball. But being a great athlete just comes with being a Larkin — many of his family members have had athletic careers.
His brother, Stephen, briefly played alongside Barry with the Reds, while another brother, Byron, was an All-American basketball player at Xavier. Yet another brother, Mike, was a captain on Notre Dame’s football team, and Barry’s son, Shane, played four years in the NBA. Wow!
Honorable mention: Edgar Martinez
12 – Roberto Alomar
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Position: Second baseman
Career: 17 seasons (1988-2004)
Teams: San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stats: .300 BA, 2,724 H, 210 HR, 474 SB
Accolades: 10-time Gold Glove winner, two-time World Series champion, four-time Silver Slugger
Bottom line: One of the best all-around players of his era, Alomar won 10 Gold Gloves, stole nearly 500 bases and was a lifetime .300 hitter.
It seemed like he should have been a no-brainer, first-ballot Hall of Famer, but there was always that incident in which he spit in an umpire’s face, which hung over his entire career and post-career.
Honorable mention: Mark Langston
13 – Alex Rodriguez
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Position: Shortstop/third baseman
Career: 22 seasons (1994-2013, 2015-16)
Teams: Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees
Stats: 696 HR, 3,115 H, 2,086 RBI. 329 RBI
Accolades: Three-time MVP, 10-time Silver Slugger, 2009 World Series champion
Bottom line: A-Rod wore No. 3 with the Mariners and Rangers, but with Babe Ruth occupying that with the Yankees, he added a 1 in front of the 3.
It’s hard to tell what was real and what was “enhanced” with Rodriguez’ career numbers, but the facts are that, during his time in pinstripes, Rodriguez won two MVPs, was a two-time home-run leader and managed to find the time to date Madonna.
Honorable mention: Omar Vizquel
14 – Pete Rose
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Position: Outfielder/third baseman/first baseman
Career: 24 seasons (1963-86)
Teams: Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, Montreal Expos
Stats: 4,256 H, .303 BA, 2,165 R
Accolades: All-time leader in hits, three-time World Series champion, three-time batting champion
Bottom line: The all-time leader in games, at-bats and, of course, hits, spent his entire career in No. 14. Rose won three batting titles, but people may be surprised he was “just” a .303 hitter for his career.
That shows that records can be broken just thanks to the quantity of one’s career rather than only the quality.
Honorable mention: Ernie Banks
15 – Carlos Beltran
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Position: Outfielder
Career: 20 seasons (1998-2017)
Teams: Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers
Stats: 2,725 H, 435 HR, 312 RBI
Accolades: Nine-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner, 2017 World Series champion
Bottom line: The last of four straight controversial figures, Beltran will have his involvement in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal hanging over his career when his time for Hall of Fame consideration comes up.
But on the field, Beltran was a five-tool player who is the only switch hitter to reach 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases.
Honorable mention: Jim Edmonds
16 – Whitey Ford
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 16 seasons (1950, 1953-67)
Teams: New York Yankees
Stats: 236 W, 2.75 ERA, 1,956 K
Accolades: Six-time World Series champion, 1961 Cy Young, 10-time All-Star
Bottom line: What Andy Pettitte was for the Yankees in the 1990s and 2000s, Whitey Ford was for the pinstripes in the 1950s and ’60s … only better.
He wasn’t just a good pitcher on a great team because Ford was a major reason why the Yankees were so great. He was a three-time wins leader, two-time ERA leader and the 1961 Cy Young award winner in all of baseball, not just the American League.
Honorable mention: Hal Newhouser
17 – Todd Helton
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Position: First baseman
Career: 17 seasons (1997-2013)
Teams: Colorado Rockies
Stats: .316 BA, 2,519 H, 369 HR
Accolades: Five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, three-time Gold Glove winner
Bottom line: There’s something about good-hitting first basemen rocking No. 17 as Helton, Grace and Lance Berkman were the three contenders for the top spot.
But the best of the bunch is the player who benefitted from playing in Coors Field unlike any other. A career .316 hitter, Helton hit a Ted Williams-like .345 at home but just .287 on the road!
Honorable mention: Mark Grace
18 – Johnny Damon
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Position: Outfielder
Career: 18 seasons (1995-2012)
Teams: Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Indians
Stats: 2,769 H, 235 HR, 408 SB
Accolades: Two-time World Series champion, two-time All-Star, 2000 AL stolen base leader
Bottom line: Viewed as a light-hitting speed guy early in his career, Damon got stronger as his career progressed and got some pop in his bat.
He topped out at 24 home runs in a couple of seasons and is one of eight players in MLB history with 230 home runs and 400 stolen bases.
Honorable mention: Gene Tenace
19 – Tony Gwynn
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Position: Rightfielder
Career: 20 seasons (1982-2001)
Teams: San Diego Padres
Stats: .338 BA, 3,141 H, 319 SB
Accolades: Eight-time batting champion, five-time Gold Glove winner, 15-time All-Star
Bottom line: It was a toss-up between a pair of Hall of Fame 3,000-hit guys with Gwynn and Yount, but Mr. Padre gets the edge due to his immense popularity.
He made 12 more All-Star teams than Yount did in addition to never hitting below .300 over his final 19 Big League seasons.
Honorable mention: Robin Yount
20 – Mike Schmidt
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Position: Third baseman
Career: 18 seasons (1972-89)
Teams: Philadelphia Phillies
Stats: 548 HR, 1,595 RBI, 2,234 H
Accolades: Three-time MVP, 10-time Gold Glove winner, 1980 World Series champion
Bottom line: Baseball historian Bill James said that if Mike Schmidt would have hit for a better average than the .267 he did hit, then he would have been the greatest player of all time.
That’s quite the statement but even with his average average, Schmidt was still a 4.5-tool player who led the NL in home runs eight times and was still winning MVPs at 36 years old.
Honorable mention: Frank Robinson
21 – Warren Spahn
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 21 seasons (1942, 1946-65)
Teams: Boston/Milwaukee Braves, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants
Stats: 363 W, 2,583 K, 3.09 ERA
Accolades: 17-time All-Star, eight-time wins leader, 1957 Cy Young, 1957 World Series champion
Bottom line: If not for three years at the start of his career in which he served in the military, we could be talking about Spahn as being the third pitcher to win 400 games.
In addition to his exploits on the mound, Spahn was one of the best-hitting pitchers ever, as evident by his 35 career home runs, which is the second-most ever by a pitcher.
Honorable mention: Roger Clemens
22 – Clayton Kershaw
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 14 seasons (2008-present)
Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers
Stats: 176 W, 244 ERA, 2,536 K
Accolades: Three-time Cy Young, five-time ERA leader, 2014 MVP, 2020 World Series champion
Bottom line: Kershaw’s story is still being written because, at 33 years old, he still has a lot of years on the mound ahead of him.
But even if he retired today, he would go down as the best pitcher of his era. He has five ERA titles (and counting), which is already tied for the most in history by an NL pitcher.
Honorable mention: Jim Palmer
23 – Ryne Sandberg
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Position: Second baseman
Career: 16 seasons (1981-94, 1996-97)
Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs
Stats: 2,386 H, 282 HR, 344 SB
Accolades: 1984 MVP, nine-time Gold Glove winner, seven-time Silver Slugger
Bottom line: Of course, No. 23 would go to a Chicago legend, as Sandberg was the face of the Cubs during the 1980s and early ’90s.
But how he landed in Chicago deserves a place in a “Worst Trades in Sports History” list as the Phillies dealt him to the Cubs in 1982. What Philadelphia got back in return was journeyman Ivan de Jesus who would hit just .249 in three seasons with the Phillies.
Honorable mention: Ted Simmons
24 – Willie Mays
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Position: Centerfielder
Career: 22 seasons (1951-52, 1954-73)
Teams: New York/San Francisco Giants, New York Mets
Stats: .302 BA, 3,283 H, 660 HR, 1,903 RBI
Accolades: 24-time All-Star, 12-time Gold Glove winner, two-time MVP, 1954 World Series champion
Bottom line: In terms of star power and depth, No. 24 has to be the greatest number in baseball history. You can’t not have Mays as the top choice, but the greatest leadoff man ever was our honorable mention, and Ken Griffey Jr. was No. 3.
It doesn’t stop there, as Miguel Cabrera and Manny Ramirez also rocked No. 24 along with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ version of Barry Bonds!
Honorable mention: Rickey Henderson
25 – Barry Bonds
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Position: Leftfielder
Career: 22 seasons (1986-2007)
Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants
Stats: 762 HR, 1,996 RBI, 2,935 H
Accolades: All-time home run leader, all-time leader in walks, seven-time MVP, eight-time Gold Glove winner
Bottom line: Speaking of Bonds, he switched from No. 24 to No. 25 when he joined the Giants because, obviously, the number was retired in honor of his godfather Willie Mays. While No. 24 may have the best collection of players, No. 25 likely has the best lineup of sluggers.
In addition to the home-run king, a pair of 600-homer guys wore the number in Jim Thome and Sammy Sosa in addition to a pair of 500-homer guys in Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro.
Honorable mention: Jim Thome
26 – Chase Utley
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Position: Second baseman
Career: 16 seasons (2003-18)
Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers
Stats: 1,885 H, 259 HR, 1,025 RBI
Accolades: Six-time All-Star, 2008 World Series champion, four-time Silver Slugger
Bottom line: Had Wade Boggs worn No. 26 throughout his entire career, he would have surely gotten the nod, but he switched numbers after leaving the Red Sox, leaving Utley as the choice.
It’s certainly not a default choice, as he was the heart and soul of that World Series-winning Phillies team. An uber-efficient player, Utley ranks first all-time in stolen-base percentage (87.5 percent) among players with at least 100 stolen base attempts.
Honorable mention: Wade Boggs
27 – Mike Trout
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Position: Centerfielder
Career: 11 seasons (2011-present)
Teams: Los Angeles Angels
Stats: .304 BA, 304 HR, 201 SB
Accolades: Three-time MVP, eight-time All-Star, eight-time Silver Slugger
Bottom line: Already the best player of his era, Trout just turned 30 during the 2021 season and could still get better as a hitter. He smacked a career-high of 45 home runs in his last full season while also posting a career-high in slugging percentage.
It will be interesting to see what MLB records Trout breaks, but one record he holds that won’t be broken anytime soon is his $426.5 million contract, which is over $60 million more than the next highest in MLB.
Honorable mention: Vladimir Guerrero
28 – Bert Blyleven
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 22 seasons (1970-90, 1992)
Teams: Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians, California Angels
Stats: 287 W, 3,701 K, 3.31 ERA
Accolades: Two-time World Series champion, two-time All-Star, threw one no-hitter
Bottom line: The Dutch-born Blyleven won two World Series, finished 13 wins shy of 300, retired third on the all-time strikeout list and somehow made only two All-Star games during his career.
His lack of recognition carried over into Hall of Fame voting, as he spent a dozen years on the ballot before finally getting the call in 2011.
Honorable mention: Vida Pinson
29 – Adrian Beltre
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Position: Third baseman
Career: 21 seasons (1998-2018)
Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers
Stats: 3,166 H, 477 HR, 1,707 RBI
Accolades: Five-time Gold Glove winner, four-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger
Bottom line: Beltre made his MLB debut as a 19-year-old, but he didn’t truly hit his stride until his 30s. He simply became a different hitter when he joined the Red Sox in 2010 and carried that over to the Rangers where he made all four of his All-Star teams in between 31 and 35.
With three cycles under his belt, Beltre is also just one of four players to accomplish the feat that many times.
Honorable mention: Rod Carew
30 – Tim Raines
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Position: Leftfielder
Career: 23 seasons (1979-99, 2001-02)
Teams: Montreal Expos, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, Florida Marlins
Stats: .294 BA, 2,605 H, 808 SB
Accolades: Seven-time All-Star, two-time World Series champion, four-time stolen base leader
Bottom line: If it wasn’t for Rickey Henderson, then Rock Raines would have been viewed as the best leadoff man of his era. He could hit for average, draw walks, had some pop and, of course, was nearly unparalleled on the base paths.
It was hard to make Nolan Ryan an honorable mention, but he wore No. 30 just for the first half of his career, while Raines wore the number for most of his 23 MLB seasons.
Honorable mention: Nolan Ryan
31 – Greg Maddux
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 23 seasons (1986-2008)
Teams: Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres
Stats: 355 W, .610 W-L%, 3.16 ERA, 3,371 K
Accolades: Four-time Cy Young, 18-time Gold Glove winner, four-time ERA leader, 1995 World Series champion
Bottom line: The personification of consistency, Maddux won at least 15 games for a record 17 straight seasons, including two strike-shortened seasons. Maddux controlled the plate with exquisite precision and wasn’t a strikeout guy, but still ranks 10th all-time in strikeouts.
Then, there’s also the record 18 Gold Gloves and being one-half of one of the greatest commercials of all-time.
Honorable mention: Dave Winfield
32 – Steve Carlton
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 24 seasons (1965-88)
Teams: St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins
Stats: 329 W, 3.22 ERA, 4,136 K
Accolades: Four-time Cy Young, four-time strikeout leader, two-time World Series champion, 10-time All-Star
Bottom line: “To teach the world how to throw a slider,” Carlton said when asked why he was put on this Earth. That quote pretty much sums up Carlton on the mound as his legendary slider was simply unfair to hitters. He struck out 200 batters eight times in his career, and the slider was often the out pitch.
Carlton’s slider led to another quote by Hall of Famer Willie Stargell: “Hitting Steve Carlton's slider is like trying to drink coffee with a fork.”
Honorable mention: Sandy Koufax
33 – Eddie Murray
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Position: First baseman/designated hitter
Career: 21 seasons (1977-97)
Teams: Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Cleveland Indians, Anaheim Angels
Stats: 3,255 H, 504 HR, 1,917 RBI
Accolades: Eight-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner, 1983 World Series champion
Bottom line: One of the most underrated players of all-time, Murray was just the third player to reach both 3,000 hits and 500 home runs. But he only got a sliver of the attention of Willie Mays and Hank Aaron, who were the first to reach that milestone.
He wasn’t the all-around player that those two were, but he was as consistent as they came and earned the nickname of Steady Eddie.
Honorable mention: Larry Walker
34 – David Ortiz
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Position: Designated hitter/first baseman
Career: 20 seasons (1997-2016)
Teams: Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox
Stats: 541 HR, 1,768 RBI, 2,472 H
Accolades: Three-time World Series champion, 10-time All-Star, three-time RBI leader
Bottom line: The Minnesota Twins portion of Ortiz’s career is almost an afterthought as soon as he traded in that blue No. 27 for a red No. 34, becoming a Boston sports icon in the process.
But to become a legend in Boston, you can’t just do it in the regular season, as you also have to perform in the postseason, and Big Papi showed up every October. He has the greatest Win Probability Added (WPA) in postseason history for a career.
Honorable mention: Nolan Ryan
35 – Phil Niekro
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 24 seasons (1964-87)
Teams: Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays
Stats: 318 W, 3.35 ERA, 3,342 K
Accolades: Five-time All-Star, five-time Gold Glove winner, two-time wins leader
Bottom line: Niekro often gets lost in the shuffle because he pitched in the same era as Seaver, Carlton and Ryan, but the knuckleballer retired with the seventh-most WAR among pitchers in the history of the game.
He was a late bloomer with a heavy emphasis on late, as he had more wins after the age of 45 than he had in his entire 20s.
Honorable mention: Frank Thomas
36 – Gaylord Perry
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 22 seasons (1962-83)
Teams: San Francisco Giants, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals
Stats: 314 W, 3.11 ERA, 3,534 K
Accolades: Two-time Cy Young, five-time All-Star, three-time wins leader
Bottom line: Perry was a legendary pitcher with a legendary spitball that somehow avoided any discipline for two decades. It wasn’t until 1982, Perry’s 21st MLB season, that he was caught and ejected for doctoring a ball, which resulted in a 10-day suspension.
Despite the cheating — even titling his 1974 autobiography “Me and the Spitter” — Perry was still voted into the Hall of Fame in his third year of eligibility.
Honorable mention: Robin Roberts
37 – Dave Stieb
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 16 seasons (1979-98)
Teams: Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox
Stats: 176 W, 3.44 ERA, 1,669 K
Accolades: Seven-time All-Star, 1985 AL ERA leader, pitched one no-hitter
Bottom line: Only Jack Morris won more games during the 1980s than Stieb’s 140, and he remains the Blue Jays’ all-time leader in wins, games started and strikeouts. He endured lots of postseason failures with Toronto until 1992 when the team broke through for its first World Series win.
However, Stieb was injured and didn’t get to play in the World Series and it was, ironically, Morris on the mound for Game 1 of that series.
Honorable mention: Kenny Rogers
38 – Curt Schilling
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 20 seasons (1988-2007)
Teams: Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox
Stats: 216 W, 3.46 ERA, 3,116 K
Accolades: Three-time World Series champion, six-time All-Star, two-time strikeouts leader
Bottom line: Schilling is one of the best big-game pitchers of all time, as he always turned things up in the postseason. He had a 4-1 World Series record with a 2.06 ERA across 48 innings.
Overall in the postseason, Schilling went 11-2, and his .846 winning percentage ranks second all-time amongst starting pitchers.
Honorable mention: Carlos Zambrano
39 – Roy Campanella
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Position: Catcher
Career: 10 seasons (1948-57)
Teams: Brooklyn Dodgers
Stats: .276 BA, 242 HR, 856 RBI
Accolades: Three-time MVP, eight-time All-Star, 1955 World Series champion
Bottom line: By choosing Campanella over Parker, we’re going with quality over quantity since Campy played just 10 years in the majors. But it was an impactful decade with him as the backbone of the last Brooklyn Dodgers teams before they moved to Los Angeles.
Of course, Campanella’s career would have lasted a lot longer than 10 years had he not been paralyzed in a car accident in 1958.
Honorable mention: Dave Parker
40 – Madison Bumgarner
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 13 seasons (2009-present)
Teams: San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stats: 120 W, 3.23 ERA, 1,830 K
Accolades: Three-time World Series champion, four-time All-Star, lowest career World Series ERA
Bottom line: MadBum could never pitch in another postseason game in his MLB career, and he’ll still go down as one of the best pitchers ever in October. He holds World Series records for: lowest career ERA (0.25), lowest career WHIP (0.528), highest win-loss percentage (1.000) and longest save in a World Series game (five innings).
He’s also pretty good at the plate, and his two career grand slams are tied with six others for most ever by a pitcher.
Honorable mention: Bartolo Colon
41 – Tom Seaver
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 20 seasons (1967-86)
Teams: New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox
Stats: 311 W, .603 W-L%, 2.86 ERA, 3,640 K
Accolades: Three-time Cy Young, 1969 World Series champion, three-time ERA leader, five-time strikeouts leader
Bottom line: Sorry Brady, but Tom Seaver is the real Tom Terrific, as he was marvelous during his two decades in the big leagues. He and Walter Johnson are the only players with 300 wins, 3,000 strikeouts and an ERA under 3.00.
Seaver was his team’s ace for virtually his entire career, and his 16 Opening Day starts are an MLB record.
Honorable mention: Eddie Mathews
42 – Jackie Robinson
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Position: Second baseman
Career: 10 seasons (1947-56)
Teams: Brooklyn Dodgers
Stats: .311 BA, 137 HR, 197 SB
Accolades: Broke the MLB color barrier, 1949 MVP, Six-time All-Star, 1955 World Series champion
Bottom line: Perhaps the most famous number in baseball, Robinson broke MLB’s color barrier in 1947. He didn’t make his MLB debut until he was 28 years old but still put up a Hall of Fame career in a decade, winning a batting title, two stolen base crowns and being the 1949 MVP.
In 1972, the Dodgers retired Robinson’s No. 42, and in 1997, the number was retired throughout all of Major League Baseball. That marked the first time in the four major American sports leagues that a jersey number was retired throughout. Today, MLB holds Jackie Robinson Day each April 15, on which all uniformed personnel including players, coaches and managers wear No. 42 to honor Robinson.
Honorable mention: Mariano Rivera
43 – Dennis Eckersley
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 24 seasons (1975-98)
Teams: Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals
Stats: 197 W, 390 SV, 3.50 ERA, 2,401 K
Accolades: 1992 MVP, 1992 Cy Young, six-time All-Star, 1989 World Series champion
Bottom line: One of the most versatile pitchers in history, Eckersley started 361 games and finished 577 games. He was a successful starting pitcher for the first half of his career and made two All-Star teams.
But during the second half of his career, Eckersley morphed into the game’s dominant closer and won four All-Star teams, one Cy Young and an MVP award.
Honorable mention: Raul Mondesi
44 – Hank Aaron
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Position: Rightfielder
Career: 23 seasons (1954-76)
Teams: Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers
Stats: 755 HR, 2,297 RBI, 3,771 RBI, .305 BA
Accolades: All-time leader in RBI, all-time leader in total bases, all-time leader in All-Star selections, 25-time All-Star
Bottom line: With the exception of his rookie season, Aaron wore No. 44 throughout his career. That would turn out to be his lucky number, as he hit 44 home runs four different times in a season. Also, his historic 715th home run to break Babe Ruth’s all-time record was hit off pitcher Al Downing, who also wore No. 44.
When Aaron passed away in 2021, Atlanta honored him, as the Falcons, Atlanta United FC and Georgia Tech all reserved No. 44 on their teams in reverence for Aaron.
Honorable mention: Willie McCovey
45 – Bob Gibson
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 17 seasons (1959-75)
Teams: St. Louis Cardinals
Stats: 251 W, 291 ERA, 3,117 K
Accolades: Two-time Cy Young, two-time World Series MVP, two-time World Series champion, all-time leader in postseason home runs by a pitcher
Bottom line: You couldn’t go wrong with either Gibson or Pedro, but Gibby gets the slight nod thanks to being arguably the best-hitting pitcher of all time. He smacked 24 home runs, drove in 144 RBI and even stole 13 bases during his career.
Let’s also not forget that he won nine Gold Gloves, so Gibson has a very good case for being the best athlete to ever take the mound.
Honorable mention: Pedro Martinez
46 – Andy Pettitte
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 18 seasons (1995-2010, 2012-13)
Teams: New York Yankees, Houston Astros
Stats: 256 W, .626 W-L%, 3.85 ERA, 2,448 K
Accolades: Five-time World Series champion, three-time All-Star, all-time leader in postseason wins
Bottom line: Pettitte wore No. 46 only during his time with the Yankees, as he wore another number during his three years with the Astros. But his work in pinstripes is enough to merit his spot on this list because he’s the most prolific postseason pitcher of all time.
He ranks first all-time in postseason wins, innings pitched and games started.
Honorable mention: Jim Maloney
47 – Tom Glavine
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 22 seasons (1987-2008)
Teams: Atlanta Braves, New York Mets
Stats: 305 W, .600 W-L%, 3.54 ERA, 2,607 K
Accolades: 10-time All-Star, two-time Cy Young, 1995 World Series champion
Bottom line: Glavine led the NL in wins five times in his career as a key cog on those Division-winning Braves teams of the 1990s and early 2000s. He never led the league in strikeouts or ERA, but his amazing consistency made him one of just six southpaws to reach 300 wins.
Also a decent hitter, Glavine won four Silver Slugger awards, which is the second-most ever for a pitcher.
Honorable mention: Jack Morris
48 – Torii Hunter
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Position: Outfielder
Career: 19 seasons (1997-2015)
Teams: Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Angels, Detroit Tigers
Stats: 353 HR, 195 SB, 2,452 H
Accolades: Nine-time Gold Glove winner, five-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger
Bottom line: Before Hunter was a human vacuum in center field, he was a four-star athlete in high school. He made the Junior Olympics team in 1992 but couldn’t afford the $500 fee for the team. So, the Pine Bluff native wrote a letter to then-Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton asking for help, and the future president put a check in the mail.
So, the exciting MLB career of Torii Hunter may not have ever happened if Bill Clinton wasn’t there to help kickstart it!
Honorable mention: Rick Reuschel
49 – Ron Guidry
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 14 seasons (1975-88)
Teams: New York Yankees
Stats: 170 W, .651 W-L%, 3.29 ERA
Accolades: Two-time World Series champion, 1978 Cy Young, five-time Gold Glove winner
Bottom line: One of two pitchers to ever serve as Yankees captain, Guidry was nicknamed Louisiana Lightning, due to his birthplace and his wicked slider. His 1978 is considered one of the best in MLB history, as he went 25-3 with a 1.74 ERA and 248 strikeouts.
That year also culminated in a World Series victory for the Yankees in which Guidry made two starts, winning one.
Honorable mention: Chris Sale
50 – Mookie Betts
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Position: Outfielder
Career: 8 seasons (2014-present)
Teams: Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers
Stats: .301 BA, 156 HR, 138 SB
Accolades: Two-time World Series champion, 2018 MVP, five-time Gold Glove winner, four-time All-Star
Bottom line: As of now, Mike Trout has an edge over Mookie Betts for the best player of his era … as of now. But Betts has a tool that Trout has never had, and that’s his ability to play Gold Glove-level defense.
He also has two World Series championships on two different teams, and Betts is tied to the Los Angeles team that has good chances of winning more in the immediate future.
Honorable mention: Jamie Moyer
51 – Randy Johnson
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 22 seasons (1988-2009)
Teams: Montreal Expos, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants
Stats: 303 W, .646 W-L%, 3.29 ERA, 4,875 K
Accolades: Five-time Cy Young, 2001 World Series champion, nine-time strikeouts leader, four-time ERA leader
Bottom line: In the early 1990s, Johnson was able to harness his powerful arm and gain some control, which made him a totally different pitcher. He walked 416 batters with the Mariners from 1990-92, the exact same number of batters he walked in his eight years with the Diamondbacks.
A five-time Cy Young winner, Johnson was on the cusp of winning even more as he had four other top-three finishes for the award.
Honorable mention: Ichiro
52 – CC Sabathia
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 19 seasons (2001-19)
Teams: Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees
Stats: 251 W, .609 W-L%, 3,093 K
Accolades: 2009 World Series champion, 2007 Cy Young, six-time All-Star
Bottom line: Sabathia is the only pitcher who debuted in the 21st century to reach 250 wins, and he might be the last to get there for a while. Along the way to that milestone, he struck out over 3,000 batters, which makes him just one of three southpaws to accomplish the feat.
With the exception of that short but amazing stint with the Brewers, Sabathia spent his entire career in the AL, and he is the all-time strikeout leader by a left-handed pitcher in the league.
Honorable mention: Mike Boddicker
53 – Don Drysdale
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 14 seasons (1956-1969)
Teams: Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers
Stats: 209 W, 2.95 ERA, 2,486 K
Accolades: Three-time World Series champion, nine-time All-Star, 1962 Cy Young, three-time strikeouts leader
Bottom line: Bobby Abreu was a heck of an all-around player, but Don Drysdale was the workhorse of those 1960s Dodgers teams. Sandy Koufax got more of the acclaim, but Drysdale threw more than 1,000 innings more than his southpaw teammate and accumulated more WAR.
He also handled himself at the plate with 29 career home runs and is the only pitcher to have multiple seasons with at least seven home runs.
Honorable mention: Bobby Abreu
54 – Goose Gossage
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 22 seasons (1972-89, 1991-94)
Teams: Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners
Stats: 310 SV, 124 W, 3.01 ERA
Accolades: Nine-time All-Star, 1978 World Series champion, three-time saves leader
Bottom line: Gossage was one of the early manifestations of the closer although he pitched multiple innings unlike his modern-day counterparts.
In four different seasons, Gossage threw more than 100 innings, as he would often assume the role of the setup man as well and enter in the eighth inning before finishing out the game.
Honorable mention: Aroldis Chapman
55 – Orel Hershiser
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 18 seasons (1983-2000)
Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, San Francisco Giants, New York Mets
Stats: 204 W, 3.48 ERA, 2,014 K
Accolades: 1988 World Series champion, 1988 Cy Young, longest scoreless innings streak in MLB history
Bottom line: Hershiser owns an MLB record that hasn’t seriously been challenged in the 30-plus years since he set it. During his 1988 Cy Young-winning season, he threw 59 straight innings without allowing a run, and that streak wasn’t actually ended until the start of the 1959 season.
The closest anyone has come to breaking that record is Zack Greinke’s 45.2 scoreless innings pitched streak that occurred in 2015.
Honorable mention: Tim Lincecum
56 – Mark Buehrle
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 16 seasons (2000-15)
Teams: Chicago White Sox, Miami Marlins, Toronto Blue Jays
Stats: 214 W, 3.81 ERA, 1,870 K
Accolades: Five-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner, threw a perfect game
Bottom line: One of the most underrated pitchers of his era, Buehrle only had one top-five Cy Young finish in his career but achieved a couple of feats that many Cy Young award winners can only dream of. He threw a no-hitter in 2007 and then followed that up with a perfect game in 2009.
That made him just the sixth pitcher to throw both a perfect game and a no-hitter, a list which includes Cy Young himself.
Honorable mention: Jarrod Washburn
57 – Johan Santana
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 12 seasons (2000-10, 2012)
Teams: Minnesota Twins, New York Mets
Stats: 139 W, .641 W-L%, 3.20 ERA, 1,988 K
Accolades: Two-time Cy Young, three-time ERA leader, three-time strikeouts leader
Bottom line: Santana could do it all, as he won the 2006 NL Triple Crown, led the league in strikeouts three times, led in ERA three times and even won a Gold Glove.
The only thing he couldn’t do was stay healthy, as his career was pretty much over at 31 years old.
Honorable mention: Francisco Rodriguez
58 – Jonathan Papelbon
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 12 seasons (2005-16)
Teams: Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals
Stats: 368 SV, 41 W, 2.44 ERA
Accolades: Six-time All-Star, 2007 World Series champion, pitched a combined no-hitter
Bottom line: Papelbon started his MLB career as a starter, but an injury to the then-Red Sox closer forced his move to the bullpen. It ended up being one of the best things that ever happened to Papelbon, as he became an elite closer.
He finished with over 300 career saves, which ranks among the top 10 in MLB history despite never leading or even finishing runner-up in saves in any season.
Honorable mention: Chad Billingsley
59 – Carlos Carrasco
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 12 seasons (2009-11, 2013-present)
Teams: Cleveland Indians
Stats: 88 W, 3.77 ERA, 1,305 K
Accolades: Roberto Clemente award winner, 2017 AL wins leader, 2019 AL Comeback Player of the Year
Bottom line: Just 94 pitchers in MLB history have pitched an immaculate inning, striking out the side on nine pitches. Carrasco is one of those 94, and he pulled off the feat in 2017 versus the Tigers.
That year he also led the AL in wins, but his biggest victory would come two years later. Midway through the 2019 season he was diagnosed with leukemia, missed three months of action but returned late in the season and was awarded both the AL Comeback Player of the Year award and the Roberto Clemente award.
Honorable mention: Todd Jones
60 – Dallas Keuchel
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 10 seasons (2012-present)
Teams: Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox
Stats: 90 W, 3.61 ERA, 1,085 K
Accolades: 2015 Cy Young, 2017 World Series champion, four-time Gold Glove winner
Bottom line: If it wasn’t for James Harden, Dallas Keuchel would have been known as The Beard during his time in Houston. And unlike Harden, he actually won a championship for the hometown team although some luster has been taken off that 2017 title.
Still though, Keuchel was a key cog that helped transform the Astros from a back-to-back-to-back, 100-loss team from 2011-13 to perennial contenders a few years later.
Honorable mention: Dave Heaverlo
61 – Livan Hernandez
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 17 seasons (1996-2012)
Teams: Florida Marlins, San Francisco Giants, Montreal Expos, Arizona Diamondbacks, Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers
Stats: 178 W, 4.44 ERA, 1,976 K
Accolades: 1997 World Series champion, 1997 World Series MVP, two-time All-Star
Bottom line: Hernandez finished just one game over .500 for his career, but he’ll forever be remembered in South Florida for his World Series heroics. He won two games in the 1997 World Series as a 22-year-old to dispatch the Indians and bring the Marlins their first World Series championship.
Another amazing accomplishment for Hernandez is that he pitched for nine different teams and managed to score No. 61 on all of them, in part due to the number’s rarity.
Honorable mention: Bronson Arroyo
62 – Jose Quintana
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 10 seasons (2012-present)
Teams: Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels
Stats: 83 W, 3.76 ERA, 1,327 K
Accolades: One-time All-Star, Three-time perfect fielding percentage
Bottom line: The Colombian-born Quintana spent the first nine years of his pro career in Chicago, splitting time between the White Sox and Cubs.
He is one of four players in MLB history with at least 30 wins with both Windy City teams, and he also made an All-Star appearance with the South Side club in 2016.
Honorable mention: Scot Shields
63 – Rafael Betancourt
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 12 seasons (2003-13, 2015)
Teams: Cleveland Indians, Colorado Rockies
Stats: 38 W, 3.36 ERA, 724 K
Accolades: Finished ninth in NL saves in 2012
Bottom line: A converted shortstop, Betancourt was signed by the Red Sox in 1993, but it would be nearly another decade before he got his shot as the closer and responded by saving 31 games for the Rockies in 2012.
He would finish his career with 75 saves, which is the sixth most among Venezuelan players.
Honorable mention: Ryan Madson
64 – A.J. Griffin
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 4 seasons (2012-13, 2016-17)
Teams: Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers
Stats: 34 W, .618 W-L%, 403 K
Accolades: Eighth in AL wins in 2013
Bottom line: There’s a two-year gap in Griffin’s career from 2014-15 in which he didn’t pitch in the majors. That’s due to an elbow injury necessitating Tommy John surgery, as he spent nearly two years on the sideline before pitching in the minors.
More than 2.5 years away from the big leagues, he made his return early in the 2016 season and won in his first game back.
Honorable mention: Mike Fiers
65 – James Paxton
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 9 seasons (2013-present)
Teams: Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees
Stats: 57 W, .633 W-L%, 3.59 ERA
Accolades: Pitched one no-hitter, three-time AL Player of the Week
Bottom line: Nicknamed The Big Maple because he hails from Canada, Paxton is one of the few big leaguers who throws the knuckle-curve, also known as a spike curve.
The pitch helped him throw a no-hitter in 2018 against the Blue Jays, which, coincidentally, allowed The Big Maple to become the first MLB pitcher to throw a no-hitter in Canada.
Honorable mention: Phil Hughes
66 – Yasiel Puig
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Position: Outfielder
Career: 7 seasons (2013-19)
Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians
Stats: .277 BA, 132 HR, 415 RBI, 79 SB
Accolades: One-time All-Star, five postseason home runs
Bottom line: Puig exploded on the scene in 2013 and was named NL Player of the Week in his first week in the majors. He had a couple of good seasons with the Dodgers but was also often involved in controversies, which expedited his departure from the team.
He bounced around the two Ohio teams in 2019, went unsigned in 2020, and it appears his MLB career could now be over.
Honorable mention: Juan Guzman
67 – Francisco Cordova
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 5 seasons (1996-2000)
Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates
Stats: 42 W, 12 SV, 3.96 ERA
Accolades: Pitched a combined no-hitter
Bottom line: The highlight of Cordova’s career came on July 12, 1997, when he threw nine no-hit innings before being replaced by Ricardo Rincon. He then proceeded to throw a no-hit inning of his own, and the Pirates walked off on a home run, giving Pittsburgh a combined no-hitter.
It is the only extra-inning, combined no-hitter in modern MLB history.
Honorable mention: Seth Lugo
68 – Dellin Betances
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 10 seasons (2011, 2013-present)
Teams: New York Yankees, New York Mets
Stats: 21 W, 36 SV, 2.53 ERA
Accolades: Four-time All-Star, pitched an immaculate inning
Bottom line: Born in Manhattan, Betances has done a tour of the boroughs. He pitched in Staten Island in the minors, pitched for the Yankees in the Bronx and now pitches for the Mets in Queens.
He’s one of the best setup men in the game who can also fill in at closer if needed.
Honorable mention: Ross Stripling
69 – Bronson Arroyo
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 16 seasons (2000-14, 2017)
Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stats: 148 W, 4.28 ERA, 1,571 K
Accolades: 2004 World Series champion, one-time All-Star, one-time Gold Glove winner
Bottom line: A musician in his spare time, Arroyo rocked the No. 69 jersey while in Pittsburgh, and the Pirates — for whatever reasons — have strong ties to this jersey number.
Of the 12 players in MLB history who have worn No. 69, five have suited up for the Pirates, with all coming since 2000.
Honorable mention: Tommy Milone
70 – George Kontos
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 8 seasons (2011-18)
Teams: New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians
Stats: 18 W, 3.10 ERA, 288 K
Accolades: Two-time World Series champion
Bottom line: A right-handed relief pitcher, Kontos had two stints with the Yankees to bookend his career. The first lasted just 6.0 innings, and the last was even shorter at 1.2 innings.
In between, he pitched for three teams and is best known for not only winning two World Series championships with the Giants, but for also serving up Alex Rodriguez’ 24th grand slam, which set a new all-time MLB record.
Honorable mention: Luis Avilan
71 – Wade Davis
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 13 seasons (2009-present)
Teams: Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies
Stats: 63 W, 140 SV, 3.82 ERA
Accolades: 2015 World Series champion, three-time All-Star, one-time saves leader
Bottom line: Davis began his career as a back-of-the-rotation starter before being moved to the bullpen and becoming one of the game’s best setup men and closers. His career ERA in his 88 starts was 4.57, but in his over 430 games in relief, Davis’ ERA is under 3.00.
Davis was a driving force behind the Royals’ back-to-back pennants in 2014-15, and over 9.0 World Series innings, he never allowed a run and struck out 18 batters.
Honorable mention: Josh Hader
72 – Carlton Fisk
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Position: Catcher
Career: 24 seasons (1969, 1971-93)
Teams: Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox
Stats: 2,356 H, 376 HR, 1,330 RBI, 128 SB
Accolades: 11-time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger, 1972 Gold Glove winner
Bottom line: After a run of pitchers, we get not only another batter, but we get one of the greatest catchers of all time. Carlton “Pudge” Fisk redefined the catcher position during his record 24 years behind the plate. He wasn’t just someone hanging on when he was playing in his 40s, as his 72 homers after turning 40 were an MLB record until Barry Bonds came along.
Fisk also possessed a quality that is rare among pitchers, and that is speed. He stole 128 bases, which is the second most by any catcher over the last 100 years.
Honorable mention: Yonny Chirinos
73 – Felipe Vazquez
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 5 seasons (2015-19)
Teams: Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stats: 17 W, 89 SV, 2.61 ERA
Accolades: Two-time All-Star, two-time NL Reliever of the Month
Bottom line: Vazquez was a lights-out closer for the Pirates from 2017-19, as he collected 86 saves on a 2.02 ERA. But his MLB career is likely over, seeing that he faces over 20 felony charges for child sex abuse.
The charges were announced in late 2019, and the Pirates subsequently placed him on the restricted list followed by Major League Baseball placing him on administrative leave.
Honorable mention: Rougned Odor
74 – Kenley Jansen
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 12 seasons (2010-present)
Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers
Stats: 317 SV, 33 W, 2.38 ERA, 948 K
Accolades: 2020 World Series champion, three-time All-Star, one-time saves leader
Bottom line: After five years in the minors as a catcher, the Dodgers converted the light-hitting Jansen to pitcher and have never looked back. He’s been one of the most dominant closers over the last decade, despite undergoing not one but two heart surgeries over that time.
He already ranks second all-time with 18 postseason saves, trailing only Mariano Rivera’s 42.
Honorable mention: Ugueth Urbina
75 – Barry Zito
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 15 seasons (2000-13, 2015)
Teams: Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants
Stats: 165 W, 4.04 ERA, 1,885 K
Accolades: 2002 Cy Young winner, 2012 World Series champion, three-time All-Star
Bottom line: Zito was so bad in San Francisco that you forget just how good he was in Oakland. He was part of that three-headed pitching monster along with Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder, but Zito is the only of the three to win a Cy Young award.
Fun Fact: Zito is one of 18 people born in Las Vegas to pitch in an MLB game. His 165 wins are just one fewer than the combined win total of the other 17 pitchers.
Honorable mention: Francisco Rodriguez
76 – Hector Velazquez
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 3 seasons (2017-19)
Teams: Boston Red Sox
Stats: 11 W, 3.90 ERA, 121 K
Accolades: Mexican Pacific League (minors) MVP
Bottom line: Just 19 players have rocked No. 76, and Velazquez is one of four players to wear the number for more than one season. It’s usually one of those numbers that players get assigned once they first get called up, but then once they establish themselves, they’ll switch to a different number.
Velazquez was the exception, as he kept the number his entire pro career, which is still going on in Mexico.
Honorable mention: Jose Iglesias
77 – Joe Medwick
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Position: Left fielder
Career: 17 seasons (1932-48)
Teams: St. Louis Cardinals, Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants, Boston Braves
Stats: .324 BA, 2,471 H, 205 HR, 1,383 RBI
Accolades: 1937 MVP, 1973 Triple Crown, 10-time All-Star, 1934 World Series champion
Bottom line: Medwick is a Hall of Famer who led the NL in both RBI and doubles in back-to-back-to-back years from 1936-38. He wore No. 77 for just two seasons, but it was an impressive two years in 1940 and 1941 for the Dodgers.
Medwick hit .310 over that stretch and was selected to the All-Star Game in both seasons.
Honorable mention: Rico Carty
78 – Julio Urias
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 6 seasons (2016-present)
Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers
Stats: 15 W, 4 SV, 3.16 ERA
Accolades: 2020 World Series champion, youngest pitcher to start a postseason game
Bottom line: Urias wore 78 for only his rookie season in 2016 when he was the youngest player in baseball at 19 years old. Even though he was still a kid, Urias had the craftiness of a 12-year vet, as he led the majors with six pickoffs that year.
He would then be a part of the Dodgers postseason roster where he became the youngest pitcher to ever start a playoff game when he started game four of the NLCS.
Honorable mention: Wei-Chung Wang
79 – Jose Abreu
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Position: First baseman
Career: 8 seasons (2014-present)
Teams: Chicago White Sox
Stats: .293 BA, 202 HR, 685 RBI
Accolades: 2020 AL MVP, three-time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger
Bottom line: Abreu’s unusually high number isn’t by accident. His mother is the one who chose the number as she wanted people to remember it, and after Abreu won an MVP award, people surely do.
The slugger spent 10 years playing in Cuba before making his MLB debut at 27 years old, and he contributed right away by being the unanimous AL Rookie of the Year. More success followed as he averaged 30 HR and 102 RBI over the first six years of his career before winning the 2020 AL MVP in the pandemic-shortened season.
Honorable mention: Justin De Fratus
80 – Ryan Eades
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 1 season (2019)
Teams: Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles
Stats: 2.38 ERA, 11.1 IP, 10 K
Accolades: Featured on TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress”
Bottom line: There were only two options for this selection, and Eades gets the nod over Susac because he was impressive, although in an extremely small sample size. Eades pitched in just eight games, all in relief, and returned a nice 2.38 ERA in those contests.
It’s a wonder why he’s only pitched briefly in the majors, but he’s still young enough to get another opportunity.
Honorable mention: Andrew Susac
81 – Eddie Guardado
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 17 seasons (1993-2009)
Teams: Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers
Stats: 46 W, 187 SV, 4.37 ERA
Accolades: Two-time All-Star, one-time saves leader
Bottom line: Nicknamed “Everyday Eddie” because he was available to pitch damn near every day, Guardado is best remembered for his dozen years with the Twins. He began his career in Minnesota as a starter, then became a setup man before finally getting his chance as a closer.
His 45 saves in 2002 led the AL and even earned him a couple of MVP votes, as he finished 15th in the race.
Honorable mention: Victor Gonzalez
82 – Johnny Lazor
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Position: Outfielder
Career: 4 seasons (1943-46)
Teams: Boston Red Sox
Stats: .263 AVG, 6 HR, 62 RBI
Accolades: Filled in for Ted Williams while he served in World War II
Bottom line: The best thing about Lazor wearing No. 82 is that Lazor didn’t know why he wore No. 82. He would even claim later that he wore No. 29 throughout his career, but he just wore that number only during his final season.
He spent his entire 1943 rookie season in No. 82 and filled in left field while Ted Williams was serving in the military.
Honorable mention: Brooks Kriske
83 – Deivi Garcia
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 2 seasons (2020-present)
Teams: New York Yankees
Stats: 3 W, 4.93 ERA, 37 K
Accolades: All-Star Futures Game selection
Bottom line: Formerly a position player while growing up in the Dominican Republic, the Yankees converted Garcia to pitcher due to his exceptional arm strength.
He spent the second half of the shortened 2020 season as a Yankees starter, even getting a postseason start in Game 2 of the ALDS.
Honorable mention: Justin Turner
84 – Prince Fielder
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Position: First baseman
Career: 12 seasons (2005-16)
Teams: Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers
Stats: 319 HR, 1,028 RBI, 321 2B
Accolades: Six-time All-Star, one-time home run champion, three-time Silver Slugger
Bottom line: After wearing No. 28 throughout his entire career, Fielder switched to No. 84 during the last three years of his career with the Rangers. Perhaps, his birth year of 1984 was the inspiration, but Fielder’s stint in Texas was short-lived, as he was forced to retire at 32 due to a neck injury.
Fun Fact: Prince Fielder finished his career with the exact same number of home runs (319) as his father, Cecil Fielder.
Honorable mention: J.T. Snow
85 – Dustin May
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 3 seasons (2019-present)
Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers
Stats: 6 W, 2.89 ERA, 108 K
Accolades: 2020 World Series winner
Bottom line: The owner of perhaps the best nickname in baseball, the 6-foot-6 lanky redhead is known as “Gingergaard,” due to his resemblance to Noah Syndergaard. And just like Thor, May can bring the heat.
In 2020, his 99.1-mph average for his four-seam fastball clocked in as the fastest average in all of baseball.
Honorable mention: Luis Cessa
86 – Brandon Leibrandt
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 1 season (2020)
Teams: Miami Marlins
Stats: 0-0, 9.0 IP, 2.00 ERA, 3 K
Accolades: Son of former MLB pitcher Charlie Leibrandt
Bottom line: Just four players have worn No. 86, and they all debuted during the truncated 2020 season. Leibrandt is the only one of the four who made a positive impact by posting a WAR above 0.
His MLB debut was in long relief, as he pitched 4.0 scoreless innings and allowed just two baserunners.
Honorable mention: Clarke Schmidt
87 – José De León
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 5 seasons (2016-17, 2019-present)
Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds
Stats: 4 W, 44.1 IP, 63 K
Accolades: World Baseball Classic silver medal
Bottom line: De Leon’s stats of 63 strikeouts in 44.1 innings pitched show he has big-league talent. But what’s not mentioned is his 8.12 ERA in the majors, which shows he has lots of work to do to harness that talent.
Until he can figure things out on the mound, he’ll be a player that continues to float in between the minors and the big league club.
Honorable mention: Ramon Urias
88 – Albert Belle
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Position: Outfielder
Career: 12 seasons (1989-2000)
Teams: Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles
Stats: 381 HR, 1,239 RBI, .295 AVG
Accolades: Five-time All-Star, three-time RBI leader, one-time home run leader
Bottom line: After wearing No. 8 in Cleveland and again in Chicago, Belle merged the two together to become No. 88 in Baltimore. It’s more of a football player’s number, and Belle kind of looked like a football player with his menacing snarl and bulging biceps.
The Baltimore version of Belle wasn’t as good as his previous stops, but he still averaged 30 HR and 110 RBI in his two years with the O’s.
Honorable mention: Rene Gonzalez
89 – Tanner Houck
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 2 seasons (2020-present)
Teams: Boston Red Sox
Stats: 3 W, 1.98 ERA, 33 K
Accolades: First-round pick of 2017 MLB Draft
Bottom line: Houck made his MLB debut in September 2020 and did so in grand fashion.
He pitched five scoreless innings and struck out seven batters, becoming just the fourth Red Sox pitcher to strike out seven or more batters and allow no runs in their MLB debut.
Honorable mention: Miguel Yajure
90 – Adam Cimber
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 4 seasons (2018-present)
Teams: San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, Miami Marlins
Stats: 158 G, 9 W, 3.88 ERA
Accolades: Learned his submarine delivery as a 14-year-old
Bottom line: Cimber spent three years pitching in college and then another five years in the minors before he made his MLB debut as a 27-year-old.
He’s bounced around but has emerged as a funky delivery relief guy who has posted an ERA+ over 100 in each of his four MLB seasons.
Honorable mention: Thairo Estrada
91 – Alfredo Aceves
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 7 seasons (2008-14)
Teams: New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox
Stats: 31 W, 29 SV, 3.83 ERA
Accolades: 2009 World Series winner, one of 15 players with 15-plus wins with both Red Sox and Yankees
Bottom line: A former teammate once joked that Aceves wore No. 91 because his fastball peaked at 91 mph. But according to Aceves, he wore the number to honor Dennis Rodman who wore it with the Chicago Bulls.
Aceves came up four championships short of Rodman and also roughly 40 tattoos short of The Worm.
Honorable mention: Carlos Gomez
92 – Genesis Cabrera
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 3 seasons (2019-present)
Teams: St. Louis Cardinals
Stats: 38 G, 4 W, 2 SV, 3.65 ERA
Accolades: Traded for Tommy Pham
Bottom line: Cabrera was, by far, the easiest selection for this entire article because he’s the only MLB player to ever wear No. 92. He’s also the only player named “Genesis” in MLB history for a first or last name.
On the diamond, Cabrera has started a couple of games for the Cardinals, but he’s mostly been a setup guy who pitches in the mid-to-late innings.
Honorable mention: N/A
93 – Pat Neshek
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 13 seasons (2006-08, 2010-19)
Teams: Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, Colorado Rockies
Stats: 544 G, 36 W, 2.82 ERA
Accolades: Two-time All-Star, WBC Gold medal
Bottom line: A dozen years after his 2006 MLB debut, Neshek decided to try No. 93 out while in his second stint with the Phillies in 2018.
He was in his late 30s and a decade removed from Tommy John surgery, but the wily vet was still productive with a 3.61 ERA across two seasons with the number.
Honorable mention: Yimi Garcia
94 – Jose Mesa
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 19 seasons (1987, 1990-2007)
Teams: Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers
Stats: 1.022 G, 321 SV, 80 W, 4.36 ERA
Accolades: Two-time All-Star, 1995 saves leader, 1995 Cy Young runner-up
Bottom line: Blessed with one of the best mustaches in the game, Mesa was a dominant closer for those powerhouse Indians teams in the 1990s.
He used No. 94 in the final season of his career while with the Tigers, and it was a forgettable time as Mesa posted a 12.34 ERA in 11.2 innings with Detroit.
Honorable mention: Dalier Hinojosa
95 – Trevor Rogers
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 2 seasons (2020-present)
Teams: Miami Marlins
Stats: 9 G, 2 W, 55 K, 4.97 ERA
Accolades: 13th overall pick of 2017 MLB Draft
Bottom line: The cousin of former big leaguer Cody Ross, Rogers is just the 17th pitcher in MLB history to hail from New Mexico.
He made his MLB debut in August 2020 and was impressive with four scoreless innings and six strikeouts versus the Mets.
Honorable mention: Takahito Nomura
96 – Bill Voiselle
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 9 seasons (1942-50)
Teams: New York Giants, Boston Braves, Chicago Cubs
Stats: 245 G, 74 W, 645 K, 3.83 ERA
Accolades: 1944 All-Star, 1944 NL strikeouts leader, two-time leader in games started
Bottom line: Voiselle hails from a tiny town in South Carolina called, wait for it … Ninety Six. Thus, his hometown was the inspiration for his number.
Voiselle even had to receive special permission from MLB to get the number, as it was the highest ever number worn in baseball at the time.
Honorable mention: Tommy Hunter
97 – Joe Beimel
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 13 seasons (2001-11, 2014-15)
Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Nationals, Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners
Stats: 676 G, 29 W, 5 SV, 4.06 ERA
Accolades: Finished third amongst NL pitchers with 83 games played (2007)
Bottom line: The only No. 97 in MLB history chose his number because it was the year of his first-born son, Drew. Beimel was the classic journeyman reliever who bounced around the league, never spending more than three seasons with any of his seven teams.
He went 2.5 years without appearing in an MLB game from 2011-14 but returned at 37 years old to close out his career with the Mariners.
Honorable mention: N/A
98 – Onelki Garcia
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Position: Pitcher
Career: 2 seasons (2013, 2017)
Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals
Stats: 5 G, 7.1 IP, 3 K
Accolades: N/A
Bottom line: A Cuban defector, Garcia was a third-round pick in 2012 but never made a mark in the major leagues. He bounced around between the majors, minors and Mexico for five years but then experienced more success when he went to Japan.
In 2018, he made the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) All-Star Game with the Chunichi Dragons.
Honorable mention: N/A
99 – Aaron Judge
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Position: Right fielder
Career: 6 seasons (2016-present)
Teams: New York Yankees
Stats: .273 AVG, 121 HR, 273 RBI
Accolades: Two-time All-Star, 2017 AL Rookie of the Year, 2017 AL home run leader
Bottom line: It takes a lot to bump Manny Ramirez (the Dodgers version) to honorable mention, but Judge qualifies as “a lot.” The monstrous slugger is the fastest player in MLB history to reach 60 home runs and was the AL MVP runner-up in 2017.
The only thing missing from his game is durability as he missed at least 50 games in both 2018 and 2019 before missing over half of the abbreviated 2020 season.
Honorable mention: Manny Ramirez