Every MLB franchise has its icons, but these players are the best. Here’s the greatest player in franchise history for all 30 MLB teams, starting with the National League.
Johnson’s time with the Arizona Diamondbacks cemented his Hall of Fame status. He won four straight Cy Young Awards and was co-MVP in the 2001 World Series. Johnson was dominant in that series, winning two games as a starter and earning the Game 7 win in relief. He threw a perfect game in 2004 at age 40.
When Aaron ended his 23-year career in 1976, he owned more offensive records than any other player in Major League history. He still holds the records for most RBIs and extra-base hits. Even if you didn’t count any of his 755 career homers, he would still have more than 3,000 hits.
Anson played for the then Chicago White Stockings from 1876 to 1897. He was a prolific hitter and amassed over 3,400 career hits. His on-field legacy with the Cubs remains unmatched in influence. It persists in longevity. He is a foundational figure in the franchise’s history.
A 14-time All-Star and two-time National League MVP, Bench was also a 10-time Gold Glove winner. He redefined the catcher position with his ability to hit for power and excel behind the plate. Bench was a key player for the legendary “Big Red Machine” teams of the 70s. He helped lead the Reds to back-to-back World Series titles. He was the heart of an offense that dominated the National League. His 389 career home runs and 1,376 RBIs as a catcher are remarkable. These are impressive achievements given the physical demands of the position.
A first-round draft pick in 1995, Helton spent his entire Major League career with the Rockies from 1997-2013. He has a club-record 61.8 bWAR that’s tops in team history, and club marks for games, hits, home runs, RBIs, and many other categories.
Kershaw has declined, but he has rightfully established himself as the best Dodgers player ever. The lefty has won three Cy Young Awards, an MVP, and five ERA titles. For his career, he’s 210-92 with a 2.48 ERA.
Stanton made his MLB debut at age 20 in 2010. He became the Marlins’ all-time leader in home runs and RBIs. In 2017, he was an absolute monster. Stanton led the Majors in home runs with 59 in 159 games. He had 132 RBIs. He became the only player in franchise history to win an MVP. In 2014, Stanton’s 37 homers also topped the NL, and he was runner-up to Clayton Kershaw in the MVP voting.
Robin Yount likes to say his career was all about longevity. However, that understates the greatness of a player who broke into the big leagues at age 18. He played all 20 seasons in Milwaukee. He won the AL MVP Award in two different positions. He received it as a shortstop in 1982 and as a center fielder in 1989. His 1,731 hits in the 1980s led all of baseball. In 1992, Yount became the third-youngest player ever to reach 3,000 hits.
Tom Seaver is the Mets’ all-time leader in ERA, wins, complete games, shutouts, innings, strikeouts, WAR, and more. Until Mike Piazza entered the Hall of Fame in 2016, Seaver was the only player in Cooperstown with a Mets cap on his plaque. He is not just the greatest Met of all time, but one of the best players in history.
Mike Schmidt is not only the best Phillies player ever, but arguably the greatest third baseman ever. He ranks first among third basemen in home runs and is tied for third in RBIs. Among third basemen with 7,500 or more plate appearances, Schmidt ranks second in slugging percentage and OPS and fifth in on-base percentage. He won the NL MVP Award in 1980, ’81, and ’86. He made 12 NL All-Star teams. He won 10 Gold Gloves. He won six Silver Slugger Awards. He won World Series MVP honors in 1980, helping the Phillies win their first title in franchise history.
Wagner is undoubtedly the best player in Pirates history and one of the greatest shortstops ever. He finished his career with 3,420 hits, 1,732 RBIs, and 723 steals. In 1936, Wagner was part of the Hall of Fame’s first class along with Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson.
Tony Gwynn is the Padres franchise leader in almost every major offensive category including WAR, batting average, runs, hits, RBIs, and total bases.
Barry Bonds’ 15 seasons with the Giants redefined what it meant to be a power hitter. He set MLB records with 762 career home runs and 73 in a single season. Bonds won 7 MVPs, the most ever, and led the Giants to multiple postseason appearances, including a 2002 World Series berth. Despite controversy over performance-enhancing drugs, his power, discipline, and baseball IQ were unparalleled.
Albert Pujols’ career in St. Louis saw him establish himself as one of the greatest hitters in baseball history, amassing 445 home runs, 1,329 RBIs, and a .328 batting average with the Cardinals. His consistency and dominance at the plate, combined with his ability to perform in clutch moments, helped him win three MVP awards and helped lead the team to two World Series titles. Pujols’ offensive brilliance also included 11 consecutive seasons with an OPS over .900.
Over seven seasons, Max Scherzer finished in the top five in Cy Young voting in all seven years, winning the award twice. He also led the franchise to its first-ever World Series victory in 2019. Scherzer finished his Nats tenure going 92-47 with a 2.80 ERA in over 1,200 innings.
No professional sport in America has a past as rich as MLB. Throughout the history of each MLB franchise, these players represent each team’s best. This series’ next version will feature all the American League teams.
Dive deeper into the world of baseball with exclusive MLB stories, analysis, and highlights on Stadium Rant!
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter here. Check out Stadium Rant Original shows on our Youtube channel and subscribe! Give our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok a follow for more great content!
