The best baseball players born on July 13
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 July 13.
1) Yadier Molina (1982)
Molina concluded a 19-year career -- all with St. Louis -- in which he established himself as a likely future Hall of Famer. He was a 10-time All-Star, won nine Gold Gloves, four Platinum Gloves, a Silver Slugger Award and was a two-time World Series champion. Molina was also regarded as one of the best defensive catchers in MLB history. His father was an amateur second baseman, and his two older brothers, Bengie and José, also developed into standout defensive catchers with lengthy MLB careers. Molina is also known for his philanthropic efforts off the field through his Foundation 4. After a Category 5 hurricane devastated his home island of Puerto Rico in 2017, Molina raised over $800,000 in relief aid and returned to the country to personally assist in the rebuilding effort.
2) Cody Bellinger (1995)
Bellinger was a fourth-round pick in the 2013 Draft and was promoted to the Dodgers on April 25, 2017, and it didn't take long for him to make an impact. He launched his first big league dinger four days later as part of a two-homer game against the Phillies. Bellinger was named to the first of his two All-Star teams that July and competed in the Home Run Derby. He would go on to slash .267/.352/.581 with 39 homers and 97 RBIs en route to unanimously winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award. Bellinger's 39 homers set an NL rookie record, one more than the previous mark held by Frank Robinson (1956) and Wally Berger (1930). Two years later, Bellinger turned in the best season of his young career, slashing .305/.406/.629 with a 1.035 OPS, 47 homers and 115 RBIs to win the NL MVP Award. After six seasons with the Dodgers, Bellinger inked a deal to join the Cubs prior to the start of the 2023 season. He won the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award and his second career Silver Slugger Award in his first season with Chicago.
3) DJ LeMahieu (1988)
Following a seven-year tenure with the Rockies in which he slashed .299/.352/.408, LeMahieu took his game to another level when he inked a two-year deal to join the Yankees prior to the 2019 season. Primarily a second baseman, he's also seen time at third, first and shortstop. During the pandemic-shortened season in 2020, LeMahieu posted a Major-League best .364 average. LeMahieu is the first player to win undisputed batting titles in both the American and National Leagues after winning the NL title with a .348 average in 2016. He is a three-time All-Star, won four Gold Gloves and two Silver Slugger Awards. On Jan. 15, 2021, LeMahieu inked a six-year, $90 million to deal to stay in the Bronx.
4) Stan Coveleski (1889)
Growing up in Shamokin, Pa., Coveleski quit school when he was 12 years old to work six days a week for $3.75. According to the Society for American Baseball Research, "Coveleski built up his strength by hauling timber for the miners, stopping every now and then to throw rocks at birds. When he got home, Stan continued to practice by throwing rocks at tin cans; he later claimed he could even hit them blindfolded. It was while throwing at cans, Covey later recalled, that he was approached by a local school teacher to pitch on the school team." After going 2-1 with a 3.43 ERA in five games with the Phildelphia A's in 1912, Coveleski returned to the Minors and didn't reach the big leagues until 1916. Two years later, he won 22 or more games in four consecutive seasons. In 1920, he went 24-14 with an AL-best 133 K's as Cleveland won the pennant. In the World Series, he went 3-0 with a scintillating 0.67 ERA in Cleveland's last World Series championship season. His best pitch was a then-legal spitball, but even after spitballs were banned after the 1920 season, he was one of 17 pitchers grandfathered into using the pitch until they retired. Coveleski was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1969 and passed away on March 20, 1984.
5) Shin-Soo Choo (1982)
Over a 16-year career spent with Texas, Cleveland, Seattle and Cincinnati, Choo slashed .275/.377/.447 with an .824 OPS, 218 homers and 782 RBIs. On July 21, 2015, he hit the eighth cycle in Rangers history in a 9-0 win over the Rockies at Coors Field. Choo is also the first Asian player to accomplish the feat. He also had a knack of reaching base by getting hit by pitches. He lead the Majors with 26 HBP and finished his career with 152 overall. Choo received MVP votes in 2010 (14th) and 2013 (12th). His lone All-Star appearance came in 2018 when he was named as a reserve to the AL squad. Choo would go 1-for-2 with a run scored in the AL's 8-6 victory at Nationals Park.
Others of note ...
Kyle Lewis (1995)
Lewis was named the unanimous winner of the Jackie Robinson American League Rookie of the Year Award in 2020. He led all AL rookies in fWAR (1.7), runs scored (37), walks (34), total bases (90) and games played (tied, 58). Lewis tied for first in home runs (11), finished second in hits (54) and RBIs (28), and tied for fifth in stolen bases (five). Lewis was the Mariners' first Rookie of the Year since right fielder Ichiro Suzuki in 2001 and fourth in franchise history, joined also by closer Kazuhiro Sasaki ('00) and first baseman Alvin Davis (1984). After spending four seasons with Seattle, he was traded to Arizona after the 2022 season.
Don Pavletich (1938)
Pavletich made his Major League debut in 1957 as an 18-year-old with the Reds, but he didn't record his first big league hit until five years later. After grounding out as a pinch-hitter on April 20 that season, Pavletich enlisted in the Army. Following two years of service overseas as a medic, he played his second game in the Majors, this time as a pinch-runner. His time in the big leagues was short-lived, as he was optioned to the Minors and didn't return to the big leagues until 1962. On April 29, 1962, Pavletich singled in Game 1 of a doubleheader vs. the Cardinals. In 536 games spanning 12 seasons, he slashed .254/.328/.420 with 46 homers and 193 RBIs. Following his playing career, he became a successful realtor.
Want to see more baseball birthdays for July 13? Find the complete list on Baseball Reference.