The best baseball players born on April 3

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar.

Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for April 3:

1) Wally Moon (1930)
Ever wondered where the term "moon shot" comes from? The 12-year big leaguer had quite the resume between stints with the Cardinals (1954-58) and Dodgers ('59-65): 1954 NL Rookie of the Year, three-time All-Star, Gold Glover in left field and World Series champion in '59, '63 and '65. Moon's career had a bold start, when he showed up to big league Spring Training and told St. Louis he would either make the team or quit baseball. He wound up winning the job and homering in his first at-bat as fans chanted for his predecessor. "Moon shots" later became a term during his time in L.A., where he took advantage of the short porch and high screen in left field. Moon went deep and caught the final out of the 1959 World Series, then scored the last run at the Coliseum in '61.

2) Guy Hecker (1856)
More than 137 years before Shohei Ohtani wowed us with his feats on the mound and at the plate, Hecker did the same in the American Association from 1882-90. In nine seasons between the Louisville Eclipse and Pittsburgh Alleghenys, he accumulated 37.3 WAR -- most for anyone born on April 3. Hecker won the pitching triple crown in 1884, and he remains the only pitcher to win the batting title ('86). Until Pedro Martinez's remarkable 2000 season with a 0.74 WHIP, Hecker held that record (0.77).

3) Jay Bruce (1987)
A three-time All-Star and a two-time Silver Slugger, Bruce spent parts of 14 seasons with the Reds, Mets, Indians, Mariners, Phillies and Yankees before retiring in 2021. His 319 career homers are more than twice the amount of the next person born on April 3. Though he was known more for his bat, Bruce was a three-time Gold Glove finalist in right field. Selected 12th overall by Cincinnati in the 2005 Draft, the former top prospect knocked a walk-off homer to clinch the 2010 NL Central title for the Reds and secure their first playoff berth since 1995.

4) Jason Kipnis (1987)
Kipnis had 21.3 WAR -- fifth most among players born on April 3 -- in parts of 10 seasons from 2011-20. A second-round pick by the Indians in the 2009 Draft, his first big league hit was a walk-off single two years later. On Aug. 3, 2011, Kipnis became the first player in MLB history to homer in four straight games within two weeks of his debut. During his nine seasons in Cleveland, the franchise reached the playoffs four times, losing in the 2016 World Series. He played for the hometown Cubs in 2020 and announced his retirement in '23.

5) Gary Pettis (1958)
Nicknamed "Pac-Man" for his ability to chase down balls in the outfield, Pettis won the Gold Glove in center five times during a six-year span from 1985-90. He spent time with the Angels, Tigers, Rangers and Padres during an 11-year career, stealing at least 40 bases in five of those seasons.

Others of note:
Chris Bosio (1963)
Third in WAR (24.4) among players born on April 3, Bosio became the second pitcher in Mariners history to throw a no-hitter on April 22, 1993. In parts of 11 seasons between Milwaukee and Seattle (1986-96), he compiled 94 wins, 39 complete games, nine shutouts, nine saves and a 3.96 ERA.

Koji Uehara (1975)
After 10 seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, Uehara pitched in the Majors from 2009-17 with the Orioles, Rangers, Red Sox and Cubs. He tossed six scoreless innings and recorded three saves en route to 2013 ALCS MVP honors, then secured the final out of the World Series for Boston. Uehara also was an All-Star in 2014.

Want to see more baseball birthdays for April 3? Find the complete list on Baseball Reference.