The best baseball players born on March 22
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 March 22.
1) Ramon Martinez (1968)
Brother of Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez, Ramon Martinez had quite a career himself, spent mostly with the Dodgers. In 14 seasons, the elder Martinez won 135 games and posted a 3.67 ERA, accruing 25.9 WAR, according to Baseball Reference. Martinez, a noted workhorse, finished top-five in Cy Young Award voting on two separate occasions, and he led the Majors with 12 complete games in 1990. During a 10-year stretch in L.A. from 1989-98, Martinez posted a 3.44 ERA and never once recorded an ERA above 4.00 in any of those seasons. He finished his career with brief stints in Boston and Pittsburgh.
2) Juan Uribe (1979)
A two-time World Series champ, Uribe authored his share of indelible October moments. Playing shortstop, he made a running play to record the final out of the White Sox's 2005 World Series title. He was a critical piece in the Giants' championship run in '10, and his two-run homer proved decisive in the Dodgers' National League Division Series victory over the Braves in '13. On top of the October heroics, Uribe put forth a stellar 16-year career in which he played for seven different franchises -- mostly at shortstop, but also plenty of time at second and third base. His 199 homers are the most for any player born on March 22.
3) Billy Goodman (1926)
Goodman put forth his best season in 1950 with the Red Sox, winning the batting crown with a .354 average and finishing as the runner-up to Phil Rizzuto in the race for AL MVP Award. Goodman's best seasons came in Boston, but he also spent time with Baltimore, Chicago and Houston as one of the sport's most versatile players. He spent significant time at every defensive position except catcher during his 16-year big league career. A renowned contact hitter, Goodman finished with an even .300 batting average across more than 5,000 plate appearances -- but he hit only 19 homers.
4) Dexter Fowler (1986)
Fowler's best season came during the Cubs' run to their famous 2016 World Series title. He batted .276/.393/.447, serving as the team's primary leadoff man. Fowler reached his lone All-Star Game in 2016 and was worth 4.0 WAR, by far the best mark of his career. In 14 seasons with five different clubs, Fowler has racked up 1,306 hits, entering the 2022 season. More than 600 of those came during his six seasons with Colorado.
5) Edwin Díaz (1994)
Díaz's 205 saves are easily the most for any pitcher born on March 22, and he's accumulated a 2.93 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP in 404 appearances across seven seasons. The right-hander began his career with three seasons in Seattle, including a remarkable 2018 campaign in which he racked up a Major League-leading 57 saves and posted a 1.96 ERA. He was dealt to the Mets the following offseason and turned in a stellar 2022, striking out 50.2% of batters (118 K's of 235 batters faced).
Others of note:
Dick Ellsworth (1940)
In 13 big league seasons from 1958-71, Ellsworth won 115 games and posted a 3.72 ERA. His best season came in 1963, when he won 22 games for the Cubs and posted a 2.11 ERA. Ellsworth was named to his only All-Star team the following season.
Glenallen Hill (1965)
With 186 homers, Hill trails only Uribe among players born on March 22. The hulking outfielder posted a career slash line of .271/.321/.482 across 13 seasons from 1989-2001. His most memorable stretch came after being dealt to the Yankees in 2000, when Hill hit 16 homers in 40 games. He would pick up his lone World Series ring that October.
Joe Smith (1984)
Among pitchers with at least 200 innings, Smith's 3.09 ERA is second only to Díaz for March 22 birthdays. The right-hander has pitched for eight teams across 15 big league seasons -- including five trips to the postseason. He owns a 2.57 playoff ERA in 18 appearances.
Want to see more baseball birthdays for March 22? Find the complete list on Baseball Reference.