With baseball season quickly approaching, we thought it was high time to take a look back at the all-time greats of the game. Who are the best all time baseball players in MLB? We’ve compiled a list of 10 for you below, along with some statistics on their careers and how they stack up against one another.
Table of Contents
Top 10 baseball players of all time
10. Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens is considered by many to be one of the best pitchers of all time. He was a dominant force in baseball for many years, winning multiple Cy Young Awards and World Series titles.
Clemens was known for his amazing control and velocity, as well as his competitive fire on the mound. He is also one of only a handful of pitchers to ever win 300 games. While some have questioned his use of performance-enhancing drugs, there is no doubt that Roger Clemens was one of the best pitchers in baseball history.
9. Stan Musial
Musial made his Major League debut in 1941 and quickly became one of the best hitters in baseball. In 1942, he won the National League batting title with a .357 average. After serving in the military and missing three seasons of baseball, he returned to the Cardinals in 1946, won three more batting titles (1948, 1950, 1951), and was named National League MVP three times (1943, 1946, 1948).
Musial retired from baseball after the 1963 season with a .331 career batting average, 3,630 hits, 475 home runs, 1,951 RBIs, and 1,815 runs scored. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969 and remains one of the most beloved figures in Cardinals history.
8. Walter Johnson
Walter Johnson was a pitcher for the Washington Senators from 1907 to 1927. He was nicknamed “The Big Train” for his exceptional speed and power.
Walter Johnson is considered one of the best pitchers in baseball history and holds several pitching records, including the most career strikeouts and the most complete games pitched. Johnson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.
7. Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig was a professional baseball player who played for the New York Yankees from 1923 until 1939. Gehrig was a six-time World Series champion and a seven-time All-Star, and he won the American League MVP award twice.
Gehrig’s career came to an abrupt end in 1939 when he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a degenerative disease that slowly paralyzed him. Despite his debilitating condition, Gehrig continued to play baseball for another two seasons before finally retiring in 1941. He died two years later at the age of 37.
Despite his short career, Gehrig left a lasting legacy in the game of baseball. He was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939 and his uniform number, 4, was retired by the Yankees in 1972.
6. Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb is widely considered to be one of the greatest baseball players of all time. He played for the Detroit Tigers from 1905 to 1928 and was a member of the inaugural class of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.
Cobb was a ferocious competitor on the field and was known for his aggressive base-running style. He holds the record for most career batting average (.366) and is second in hits (4,189). He also won a record 12 batting titles in his 24-year career.
While Cobb’s competitive nature made him unpopular with some fans and teammates, it also helped him become one of the greatest players in baseball history.
5. Ted Williams
Ted Williams is considered by many to be the greatest hitter in baseball history. He has a career batting average of .344, which is the highest of any player with at least 3,000 hits. Williams also holds the record for the highest on-base percentage (.482) and slugging percentage (.634) of any player in Major League Baseball history.
Williams was a 19-time All-Star and won two MVP Awards (1946 and 1949). He was also a six-time AL batting champion and led the league in home runs four times. Williams hit 521 home runs during his career, which ranks him ninth on the all-time list. He also ranks fourth all-time in walks (2,021) and eighth in on-base plus slugging (OPS) (1.116).
Williams was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966, his first year of eligibility.
4. Hank Aaron
Hank Aaron is one of the best MLB players of all time. He played Major League Baseball (MLB) for 21 seasons, from 1954 to 1976. During that time, he set numerous records and won many awards.
During his MLB career, Aaron played outfield and first base. He was a prolific hitter and finished his career with a batting average of .305. He also hit 755 home runs, which is still the record for most home runs in a career. In addition, Aaron holds the record for most RBIs in a career (2,297).
Aaron was named National League MVP in 1957 and 1966. He was also a 21-time All-Star and won three Gold Glove Awards. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.
In 1999, Major League Baseball named Aaron one of its “100 Greatest Players” of all time.
3. Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds is one of the best all time baseball players. He played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) and is the MLB all-time leader in home runs with 762. He also holds the single-season home run record with 73, set in 2001.
Bonds was a 14-time All-Star and won eight Silver Slugger Awards. He is also a two-time National League (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP), winning the award in 1992 and 1993. In his career, he batted .298 with 2,935 hits, 1,996 RBIs, and 514 stolen bases. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021.
2. Willie Mays
After a brief stint in the Army, Mays joined the New York/San Francisco Giants in 1951. He quickly became a fan favorite, winning Rookie of the Year honors. He would go on to play for the Giants for 22 seasons, making 24 All-Star appearances and helping the team win the World Series in 1954 and 1962.
Mays was traded to the New York Mets in 1972 and played his final season with the team in 1973. He retired with a .302 batting average, 660 home runs, and 1,903 RBIs.
Mays was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979 and his number 24 was retired by the Giants in 1972. In 1999, he was named one of The Sporting News 100 Greatest Baseball Players and was also named MLB’s Greatest Living Player.
1. Babe Ruth
“Babe Ruth is considered by many to be the best baseball player of all time. He was a dominant pitcher and an incredible hitter, setting numerous records that still stand today.”
He helped the Yankees win seven World Series titles and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1936. Ruth was a larger-than-life figure and his legend continues to grow more than 50 years after his death.
In his career, Babe Ruth played for 22 seasons and amassed a record 714 home runs, 2,217 RBIs, 2,174 runs scored, and 1,330 walks. He was a 14-time All-Star and won seven World Series titles. He also won two MVP Awards and was the American League’s batting champion three times.
You can watch more about “The 20 Best Baseball Players Of All Time” in this video:
Conclusion
In baseball, as in life, there will always be debate over who is the best. But when it comes to the all-time greats of baseball, these 10 players stand out above the rest. From Babe Ruth to Hank Aaron, Willie Mays to Ted Williams… these men dominated the game and left a lasting legacy that continues to inspire fans today. If you are a true baseball fan then you should learn more about these best all time baseball players on Honesty Apps – A website sharing baseball knowledge.
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