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 May 24.

1) Bartolo Colon (1973)
During a 21-year Major League career, the stocky right-hander known as “Big Bart” accumulated several distinctions: He was the last member of the Montreal Expos to play in the Majors, he was the last active pitcher from the 20th century, and he was the oldest player in MLB history to hit his first career home run. On top of all that, if Colón were to suit up once more in a big league uniform, he would become the sole four-decade player in Major League history whose career started in the 1990s. The ageless wonder last appeared in 2018, but he spent the ‘21 season in the Mexican League hurling for Acereros de Monclova as a 48-year-old.

2) Brad Penny (1978)
While Josh Beckett’s Game 6 heroics earned him MVP honors for the 2003 Marlins’ World Series title, it was Penny who ensured that they were in position to upset the heavily favored Yankees. The two-time All-Star drew the Game 1 start at Yankee Stadium and threw 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball to deliver a one-run victory. Then, with the Series deadlocked at two games apiece, Penny tossed seven strong innings to put the Marlins one win away from a championship.

3) Jack Pfiester (1878)
A key part of the Cubs’ rotation during the dead-ball era -- when they won consecutive World Series titles in 1907-08 -- Pfiester posted a career 2.02 ERA over eight seasons, the third best in the Modern Era (since 1900). He won the National League ERA title with a 1.15 mark in ’07, the sixth-lowest single-season ERA in AL/NL history. Pfiester also earned the nickname “Jack the Giant Killer” for racking up seven shutouts and a 15-5 record against the vaunted New York Giants.

4) Ellie Rodríguez (1946)
A defensive-minded big league catcher, Rodríguez was one of the few Puerto Rican-born players to man the position during a nine-year Major League career in the late 1960s and early ‘70s. He was named to the AL All-Star team in 1969 for his prowess behind the plate, becoming the first Royals player to earn that honor during the franchise’s inaugural season.

5) Joe Oeschger (1892)
Oeschger -- along with his opponent, Leon Cadore -- accomplished one of the game’s rarest feats on May 1, 1920, as they each pitched a complete game in the longest Major League contest of all time (by innings). The 26-inning affair between the Boston Braves and the Brooklyn Robins ended in a 1-1 tie. Oeschger is the only pitcher with two games of 20-plus innings in his career, however, as he also lasted 20 frames for the Phillies on April 30, 1919 -- in yet another tie.

Others of note:
Chad Green (1991)
The first player from the 11th round of the 2013 MLB Draft to make the Majors, Green has spent his opening seven years in the big leagues as a valuable member of the Yankees’ bullpen.

Jerry Dipoto (1968)
While Dipoto posted a winning record (27-24) and a decent ERA (4.05) in his eight-year career as a reliever, the Mariners’ president of baseball operations is much better known for his work in the front office.

Want to see more baseball birthdays for May 24? Find the complete list on Baseball Reference.