Every player in the Baseball Hall of Fame, ranked

On Sunday afternoon, the newest class of baseball greats -- Vladimir Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman, Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Jack Morris and Alan Trammell -- will take its place in the Baseball Hall of Fame. It's a star-studded group, even by Cooperstown standards, full of MVPs and record-holders and postseason icons. 
But that got us thinking: Just where do these six fit within baseball's most prestigious fraternity? So, naturally, we sat down and ranked them all: every member of the Baseball Hall of Fame who was inducted as a player, from the Negro Leagues to the Major Leagues, 255 to 1.
Before we get started, it's important to note that this isn't simply a question of who had the best career or the most impressive resume. The Hall is all things to all people, and these rankings reflect a number of factors -- from talent to historical significance to straight-up entertainment value. When in doubt, ask yourself one question: Which player would I be most likely to immediately hop in my car and drive up to Cooperstown for? (And please, if you disagree, by all means let us know @Cut4.)
255. Tommy McCarthy, RF
254. Lloyd Waner, CF
253. Rick Ferrell, C
252. High Pockets Kelly, 1B
251. Freddie Lindstrom, 3B
250. Jesse Haines, SP
249. Ray Schalk, C
248. Pete Hill, CF
247. Rube Marquard, SP
246. Chick Hafey, 59th LF
245. Jim Bottomley, 1B
244. Ross Youngs, RF
243. Frank Grant, 2B
242. John Ward, SS
241. George Kell, 3B
240. Rabbit Maranville, SS
Not only did Ward excel as a shortstop over his 17-year career, he was also a pitcher -- on June 17, 1880, he threw the second perfect game in MLB history. Grant, a dynamite defensive second baseman who came up with the Buffalo Bisons before starring with the Cuban Giants, is often regarded as the best Negro Leaguer of the 19th century. 
239. Deacon White, 3B
238. Roger Bresnahan, C
237. Andy Cooper, SP
236. Pie Traynor, 3B
235. Hugh Duffy, CF
234. Edd Roush, CF
233. Travis Jackson, SS
232. Red Faber, SP
231. Willard Brown, OF
230. Sam Thompson, RF
229. Harry Hooper, RF
228. Ben Taylor, 1B
227. Hack Wilson, CF
226. Ernie Lombardi, C
225. Frank Chance, 1B
224. Jose Mendez, SP
Traynor's name was actually Harold -- as the story goes, he just really loved pie growing up -- but he was still a career .320 hitter who helped lead the Pirates to a 1925 World Series title. Wilson's career was cut short due to injury, but at his peak he was one of the most feared sluggers of his generation: In 1930, he slugged 56 homers and drove in 191 runs, still a single-season record. 

223. Herb Pennock, SP
222. Jim O'Rourke, LF
221. Chief Bender, SP
220. Heinie Manush, LF
219. Hilton Smith, SP
218. Rollie Fingers, RP
217. Bid McPhee, 2B
216. Cristobal Torriente, CF
215. Bill Mazeroski, 2B
214. Sam Rice, RF
213. Addie Joss, SP
212. Jud Wilson, 3B
211. Hughie Jennings, SS
210. Jack Chesbro, SP
209. Kiki Cuyler, RF
208. Eppa Rixey, SP
Fingers helped redefine what a closer could be (and how outrageous a mustache could get) while helping the A's capture three straight World Series titles in the early 70s. Mazeroski was known more for his slick defense at second than his bat -- his career OPS+ was just 84 -- but he is responsible for possibly the most iconic homer in Major League history, so we'll call it even:

207. Ray Brown, SP
206. King Kelly, RF
205. Red Schoendienst, 2B
204. Catfish Hunter, SP
203. Jake Beckley, 1B
202. Bruce Sutter, RP
201. Dave Bancroft, SS
200. Monte Irvin, LF
199. Phil Rizzuto, SS
198. Johnny Evers, 2B
197. Jack Morris, SP
196. Waite Hoyt, SP
195. Burleigh Grimes, SP
194. Louis Santop, C
193. Gabby Hartnett, C
192. Mickey Welch, SP
This group has personality in spades: Kelly was one of baseball's first true stars, a vaudeville showman who got a movie made in his honor; Rizzuto was an MVP and six-time champion on the field and an even bigger legend in the broadcast booth; Grimes holds the title of MLB's last legal spitballer. Then there's Morris, the first 2018 inductee on the list, who authored one of the greatest starts in big league history:

191. Max Carey, CF
190. Ed Walsh, SP
189. Bobby Doerr, 2B
188. Billy Herman, 2B
187. Vic Willis, SP
186. Chuck Klein, RF
185. Judy Johnson
184. Earl Averill, CF
183. Earle Combs, CF
182. Joe Kelley, LF
181. Tim Keefe, SP
180. John Clarkson, SP
179. Jesse Burkett, LF
178. Biz Mackey, C
177. Joe Tinker, SS
176. Nellie Fox, 2B
Ruth and Gehrig were the engine of the Murderer's Row Yankees, but Combs was the leadoff man, a perennial .300 hitter with plenty of speed (he scored a whopping 152 runs in 1927). Mackey was somehow not a grizzled noir detective, but he was one of the Negro Leagues' premier backstops -- so good that Cool Papa Bell called him the best catcher he ever saw.
175. Jimmy Collins, 3B
174. Leon Day, SP
173. Joe Sewell, SS
172. Elmer Flick, RF
171. Bob Lemon, SP
170. Fred Clarke, LF
169. Dan Brouthers, 1B
168. Ed Delahanty, LF
167. Stan Coveleski, SP
166. Lefty Gomez, SP
165. Ted Lyons, SP
164. Mickey Cochrane, C
163. George "Mule" Suttles, 1B
162. Roger Connor, 1B
161. Joe McGinnity, SP
160. Bill Foster, SP
It's quite possible that Sewell was the hardest hitter in Major League history to strike out: In 14 big league seasons spent mostly with Cleveland, he whiffed just 114 times -- an average of just eight per year. Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige got the press, but Suttles was quietly one of the best hitters in Negro League history, a slugger whose batting practice displays became the stuff of legend.
159. Bill Terry, 1B
158. Willie Keeler, RF
157. Tony Lazzeri, 2B
156. Jim Rice, LF
155. Early Wynn, SP
154. Amos Rusie, SP
153. Bobby Wallace, SS
152. Goose Goslin, LF
151. Ray Dandridge, 3B
150. Zack Wheat, LF
149. Enos Slaughter, RF
148. Jim Bunning, SP
147. Pud Galvin, SP
146. Orlando Cepeda, 1B
145. Joe Gordon, 2B
144. Billy Hamilton, CF
Bunning's 1964 perfect game was the first the NL had seen in 84 years, and he later went on to serve Kentucky in both the House and Senate. "Wee" Willie Keeler stood just 5-foot-4 -- and depending on who you ask, even that's generous -- but that didn't stop him from becoming one of the best hitters of the 19th century. We could tell you about what a great hitter Slaughter was (he made 10 All-Star teams, after all) but instead we'll just say that we're really bummed Twitter wasn't around for the Mad Dash:

143. Joe Cronin, SS
142. Billy Williams, LF
141. Don Sutton, SP
140. "Cyclone" Joe Williams, SP
139. Luis Aparicio, SS
138. Tony Perez, 1B
137. Joe Medwick, LF
136. Richie Ashburn, CF
135. Eddie Plank, SP
134. George Davis, SS
133. Lou Brock, LF
132. Turkey Stearnes
131. Sam Crawford, RF
130. Buck Ewing, C
129. Three Finger Brown, SP
128. Dizzy Dean, SP
Yes, the "Three Finger" nickname was a literal descriptor -- he lost parts of two fingers on his throwing hand in a childhood accident -- but Brown was still one of the best pitchers of the Deadball Era, with 271 complete games to his credit. Brock, meanwhile,  was a rare combination of power and speed, the first player to ever hit 20 homers and steal 50 bases in the same season. (He was also clutch: His 13 hits in the 1968 World Series against the Tigers are still an MLB record.)

127. Bill Dickey, C
126. Kid Nichols, SP
125. Martin Dihigo, SP
124. Kirby Puckett, CF
123. Larry Doby, CF
122. Home Run Baker, 3B
121. Hal Newhouser, SP
120. Paul Waner, RF
119. Dazzy Vance, SP
118. Red Ruffing, SP
117. Harry Heilmann, RF
116. Whitey Ford, SP
115. Lou Boudreau, SS
114. Rube Waddell, SP
113. Trevor Hoffman, RP
112. Don Drysdale, SP
Admittedly, Waddell's this high partly because he was incredibly entertaining -- he loved fire, and would routinely help out fire departments in whatever city he happened to be pitching in -- but he also posted a career 2.16 ERA. The first black player to play in the American League, Doby was more than a trailblazer: He was a darn good center fielder, making seven straight All-Star teams and leading the AL in homers twice. And even if Hoffman wasn't No. 2 on the all-time saves list, he would still make it in for "Hell's Bells" alone:

111. John Smoltz, SP
110. Craig Biggio, 2B
109. Dave Winfield, RF
108. Carl Hubbell, SP
107. Willie Wells
106. Roberto Alomar, 2B
105. Luke Appling, SS
104. Hoyt Wilhelm, RP
103. Alan Trammell, SS
102. Barry Larkin, SS
101. Goose Gossage, RP
100. Bullet Rogan
99. Tim Raines, LF
98. Ralph Kiner, LF
97. Willie Stargell, LF
96. Eddie Murray, 1B
Here's where the list hits another gear. Trammell and Larkin served as precursors to the era of the big, do-everything shortstop, while Smoltz was a key part of one of the best rotations in baseball history ... and none of them cracked the top 100. In our defense, though, Stargell was one of the coolest players of all-time -- a threat to literally hit one out of any stadium at any moment:

95. Robin Roberts, SP
94. Andre Dawson, CF
93. Pee Wee Reese, SS
92. Arky Vaughan, SS
91. Vlad Guerrero, RF
90. Ferguson Jenkins, SP
89. Frankie Frisch, 2B
88. Johnny Mize, 1B
87. George Sisler, 1B
86. Pop Lloyd, SS
85. Harmon Killebrew, 1B
84. Carlton Fisk, C
83. Paul Molitor, 3B
82. Ivan Rodriguez, C
81. Dennis Eckersley, RP
80. Gaylord Perry, SP
Reese was the anchor of those memorable Brooklyn Dodger teams, earning nine straight All-Stars appearances thanks to great defense at shortstop, and his embrace of a rookie Jackie Robinson is one of baseball's most iconic moments. Pudge Rodriguez was quite possibly the greatest defensive catcher ever, with plenty of pop to boot. But now that we've reached the Guerrero section of the list we are legally obligated to share with you one (1) Guerrero highlight, so please enjoy:

79. Cap Anson, 1B
78. Phil Niekro, SP
77. Al Simmons, LF
76. Oscar Charleston, CF
75. Jim Thome, 1B
74. Charlie Gehringer, 2B
73. Tom Glavine, SP
72. Ryne Sandberg, 2B
71. Frank Thomas, 1B
70. Roy Campanella, C
69. Robin Yount, SS
68. Jeff Bagwell, 1B
67. Bert Blyleven, SP
66. Mike Piazza, C
65. Hank Greenberg, 1B
64. Brooks Robinson, 3B
You could make an argument for putting these first basemen in any order, really, but what Greenberg meant to the Tigers (and the fact that he missed the tail end of his prime serving in World War II) gives him the nod. You could also flip Piazza and Campanella, but while the latter won three MVPs and threw out a still-record 56 percent of would-be base-stealers, it's hard to deny the best offensive catcher ever.

63. Gary Carter, C
62. Jim Palmer, SP
61. Cool Papa Bell, CF
60. Duke Snider, CF
59. Ron Santo, 3B
58. Juan Marichal, SP
57. Old Hoss Radbourn, SP
56. Willie McCovey, 1B
55. Ozzie Smith, SS
54. Chipper Jones, 3B
53. Bob Feller, SP
52. Nolan Ryan, SP
51. Tony Gwynn, RF
50. Reggie Jackson, RF
49. Rod Carew, 2B
48. Al Kaline, RF
Bell and Radbourn are both the stuff of legend. The former is one of the fastest players to ever grace a diamond -- so fast he once scored from first on a sac bunt -- while the latter holds one of the most unbreakable records the sport has: 59 wins in a single season, set back in 1884. And we haven't even gotten to maybe the greatest pure defender (Smith) and maybe the greatest pure hitter (Gwynn) in baseball history.

47. Eddie Collins, 2B
46. Ernie Banks, SS
45. Yogi Berra, C
44. Warren Spahn, SP
43. Wade Boggs, 3B
42. Eddie Mathews, 3B
41. Lefty Grove, SP
40. Jimmie Foxx, 1B
39. Buck Leonard, 1B
38. Steve Carlton, SP
37. Mel Ott, RF
36. Nap Lajoie, 2B
35. George Brett, 3B
34. Carl Yastrzemski, LF
33. Cal Ripken, Jr., SS
32. Frank Robinson, RF
Franchise-defining players galore here: Between Banks, Brett, Yaz and Ripken, there are 84 seasons with just four franchises (along with six MVPs and 64 All-Star appearances, but who's counting). But the most dangerous hitter of the group is still the underappreciated Robinson, who from 1959 to 1971 put up a .955 OPS -- including several homers that may or may not have landed yet.

Flag raising marking Frank Robinson HR that entirely left Memorial Stadium. Only HR ever to do so, 50 yrs ago Sunday pic.twitter.com/C4yidX1WH0

— Ron Cassie (@ron_cassie) May 9, 2016

31. Tris Speaker, CF
30. Sandy Koufax, SP
29. Mike Schmidt, 3B
28. Greg Maddux, SP
27. Tom Seaver, SP
26. Randy Johnson, SP
25. Pedro Martinez, SP
24. Joe Morgan, 2B
23. Bob Gibson, SP
22. Roberto Clemente, RF
21. Grover Alexander, SP
20. Johnny Bench, C
19. Satchel Paige, SP
18. Joe DiMaggio, CF
17. Christy Mathewson, SP
16. Ken Griffey, Jr., CF
A friendly reminder that turn-of-the-millennium Pedro was quite possibly the greatest run of pitching that we've ever seen, considering the offensive context and how many great hitters he faced on a regular basis. If you're wondering why that sentence reads "quite possibly" instead of "definitely," look no further than the man right in front of him: Gibson's 1.12 ERA in 1968 is still the lowest ever, and fails to account for the fact that facing him must've been absolutely terrifying.
Speaking of which: Strictly by the numbers, 16 might be too high for Griffey, but when an entire generation of kids grow up trying to emulate your every move, you get an extra boost:

15. Rickey Henderson, LF
14. Honus Wagner, SS
13. Rogers Hornsby, 2B
12. Josh Gibson, C
11. Mickey Mantle, CF
10. Stan Musial, RF
9. Cy Young, SP
8. Walter Johnson, SP
7. Jackie Robinson, 2B
6. Lou Gehrig, 1B
5. Ty Cobb, CF
4. Ted Williams, LF
3. Hank Aaron, RF
2. Willie Mays, CF
1. Babe Ruth, RF
Gibson might be the best player you don't know about, a Negro League legend claimed by those who saw him to be one of the greatest power hitters ever. Henderson is the best leadoff hitter of all-time, Aaron broke the record many thought was unreachable and Mays had a combination of strength and speed that we may not see again. 
In the end, though, there was only one choice for the top spot. The Major Leagues have seen plenty of icons come and go -- we just ranked a lot of them -- but none dominated his competition and captured public imagination quite like the Babe, who redefined how good (and how famous) a hitter could be.