Best baseball player born in every year
Baseball’s history is as rich as it is long.
One common thread throughout all that time? The best players in the game enthrall us. Their skills command our attention. We follow the stories of their careers and debate their relative merits. And the most legendary among them carve their names so deeply in the history books that 100-plus years later, they remain vivid in our memories and imaginations.
So let’s celebrate these greats by looking back at the player with the most career Wins Above Replacement (WAR), per Baseball-Reference, born in each year of baseball history. The 2023 season brought the Major League debuts of the first nine players born in 2002, as well as the first three born in 2003. So we'll start our exercise there and go all the way back to 1847 (the first to produce a Hall of Fame player). And we’re using WAR because, while it’s hardly a perfect metric, it’s the best single number available for comparing players across positions and eras.
Note: MLB officially recognized many Negro Leagues with Major League status in December 2020, and Baseball-Reference includes WAR totals for Negro Leagues players on its leaderboards. However, that data is incomplete, and as a result, only two men who primarily played in the Negro Leagues rank first for a given year. Many other standouts from Black baseball in the pre-integration era are represented in the “others of note” sections, which include five players per year back to 1930, three back to 1880 and one prior to that point.
2002: Jordan Walker (debuted on Thursday) -- At 20 years and 312 days old, Walker became the youngest Cardinal to make his Major League debut in a season opener since Hall of Fame pitcher Steve Carlton came out of the bullpen in 1965.
Others of note: TBD
2001: Wander Franco (6.1 WAR) -- One of the most hyped prospects in recent history, Franco was only a few months past his 20th birthday when he debuted in June 2021.
Others of note: Michael Harris II, Gunnar Henderson, Vaughn Grissom, Francisco Álvarez, Ezequiel Tovar
2000: Julio Rodríguez (6.2 WAR) -- The 2022 AL Rookie of the Year Award winner became the Mariners’ Opening Day center fielder not long after his 21st birthday.
Others of note: Bobby Witt Jr., Corbin Carroll, Riley Greene, Nolan Gorman, Gabriel Moreno
1999: Fernando Tatis Jr. (13.6 WAR) -- Despite missing the entirety of the 2022 season, Tatis still leads this group -- by an eyelash over Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Others of note: Guerrero, Hunter Greene, Oswaldo Cabrera, Reid Detmers, Andrés Muñoz
1998: Juan Soto (23.2 WAR) -- A perennial MVP candidate, he has already established himself as one of the best hitters of this generation.
Others of note: Bo Bichette, Andrés Giménez, Adley Rutschman, Alek Manoah, Spencer Strider
1997: Ronald Acuña Jr. (17.6 WAR) -- So far, only 2021’s knee injury has slowed down Acuña since his arrival in ‘18.
Others of note: Ozzie Albies, Yordan Alvarez, Austin Riley, Kyle Tucker, Luis Arraez
1996: Rafael Devers (15.2 WAR) -- The hard-hitting third baseman led the Majors in total bases (359) as a 22-year-old in 2019.
Others of note: Julio Urías, Logan Webb, Gleyber Torres, Jonathan India, Eloy Jiménez
1995: Cody Bellinger (17.8 WAR) -- While Bellinger has struggled since 2021, he still has an NL Rookie of the Year Award, NL MVP Award, Gold Glove Award and World Series ring.
Others of note: Sandy Alcantara, Dylan Cease, Shane Bieber, Zac Gallen, Germán Márquez
1994: Carlos Correa (39.5 WAR) -- The 2015 AL Rookie of the Year is one of the elite shortstops in the game.
Others of note: Shohei Ohtani, Alex Bregman, Corey Seager, Corbin Burnes, Walker Buehler
1993: Francisco Lindor (36.6 WAR) -- A four-time All-Star, Lindor established himself as a force in Cleveland before being traded to the Mets and signing a $341 million contract.
Others of note: Trea Turner, Aaron Nola, Matt Chapman, Byron Buxton, Tim Anderson
1992: Mookie Betts (56.4 WAR) -- One of the best players of his generation, the outfielder won the 2018 AL MVP and is a six-time All-Star with six Gold Glove Awards and two World Series titles.
Others of note: Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, José Ramírez, Xander Bogaerts
1991: Mike Trout (82.4 WAR) -- While injuries have slowed down his pace in recent seasons, he is still about 30 WAR ahead of the field here.
Others of note: Nolan Arenado, Christian Yelich, J.T. Realmuto, Robbie Ray, Kevin Gausman
1990: Jose Altuve (46.5 WAR) -- The 2017 AL MVP is a three-time batting champion and two-time World Series champion.
Others of note: Gerrit Cole, Zack Wheeler, Marcus Semien, Anthony Rendon, Salvador Perez
1989: Freddie Freeman (49.0 WAR) – A consistently superb hitter (.895 career OPS), Freeman brought a title to Atlanta in 2021 before jumping to the Dodgers.
Others of note: Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo, George Springer, Chris Sale, Madison Bumgarner
1988: Clayton Kershaw (75.9 WAR) -- The first pitcher on this list is a three-time Cy Young Award winner and the all-time WAR leader for a storied Dodgers franchise.
Others of note: Jacob deGrom, Stephen Strasburg, Craig Kimbrel, Starling Marte, Elvis Andrus
1987: Paul Goldschmidt (58.5 WAR) -- An eighth-round pick, he has blossomed into a seven-time All-Star and now an NL MVP Award winner.
Others of note: Buster Posey, José Abreu, J.D. Martinez, Michael Brantley, Justin Upton
1986: Félix Hernández (49.7 WAR) -- The King thrilled his Court over 15 seasons in Seattle, including his 2010 AL Cy Young campaign.
Others of note: Andrew McCutchen, Lorenzo Cain, Johnny Cueto, Corey Kluber, Yu Darvish
1985: Evan Longoria (58.1 WAR) -- The 2008 AL Rookie of the Year with the Rays has launched more than 300 career home runs.
Others of note: Josh Donaldson, David Price, Adam Jones, Carlos González, Yoenis Céspedes
1984: Max Scherzer (71.7 WAR) -- With more than 3,000 strikeouts and 200 wins, the three-time Cy Young Award winner has compiled an impressive resume for five teams.
Others of note: Jon Lester, Ryan Zimmerman, Justin Turner, Troy Tulowitzki, Prince Fielder
1983: Justin Verlander (77.7 WAR) -- One of the most accomplished pitchers of his era, he joined the exclusive club of three-time Cy Young Award winners in 2022.
Others of note: Miguel Cabrera, Zack Greinke, Joe Mauer, Joey Votto, Cole Hamels
1982: Robinson Canó (68.1 WAR) -- Only Jeff Kent has hit more homers as a primary second baseman than this eight-time All-Star.
Others of note: Adrian Gonzalez, Ian Kinsler, Yadier Molina, David Wright, Francisco Rodriguez
1981: Curtis Granderson (47.2 WAR) -- He belted 344 home runs, including 84 from 2011-12 with the Yankees.
Others of note: Adam Wainwright, Ben Zobrist, Carl Crawford, Justin Morneau, Jake Peavy
1980: Albert Pujols (101.6 WAR) -- His impressive final season in 2022 made him only the fourth player to reach the 700-homer mark.
Others of note: Mark Teixeira, Matt Holliday, Nelson Cruz, CC Sabathia, José Bautista
1979: Adrián Beltré (93.5 WAR) -- The likely future Hall of Famer racked up 3,166 hits and 477 home runs over the course of a 21-year career.
Others of note: Mark Buehrle, Johan Santana, Brandon Webb, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth
1978: Chase Utley (64.5 WAR) -- He topped the 7-WAR mark for five straight seasons (2005-09), which included the Phillies’ 2008 title run.
Others of note: Cliff Lee, Jimmy Rollins, Aramis Ramirez, Victor Martinez, Barry Zito
1977: Carlos Beltrán (70.1 WAR) -- He’s the only switch-hitter in history with at least 300 career home runs and 300 career steals.
Others of note: Eric Chavez, Roy Halladay, Andruw Jones, Roy Oswalt, Kerry Wood
1976: Lance Berkman (51.9 WAR) -- Mickey Mantle is the only switch-hitter with a higher career OPS+ since 1900 (minimum 7,000 plate appearances).
Others of note: Troy Glaus, Paul Konerko, Edgar Renteria, Alfonso Soriano, Michael Young
1975: Alex Rodriguez (117.6 WAR) -- A-Rod sits fifth on the all-time home run list with 696 and was a three-time AL MVP Award winner and 14-time All-Star.
Others of note: David Ortiz, Vladimir Guerrero, Scott Rolen, Torii Hunter, Tim Hudson
1974: Derek Jeter (71.3 WAR) -- “The Captain” of the Yankees’ dynasty of the late 1990s, the Hall of Fame shortstop collected 3,465 hits and five World Series rings with New York.
Others of note: Bobby Abreu, Miguel Tejada, Hideki Matsui, Joe Nathan, R.A. Dickey
1973: Todd Helton (61.8 WAR) -- The career-long Rockie was one of the best hitters in baseball during his prime, slashing .333/.432/.585 from 1998-2007.
Others of note: Ichiro Suzuki, Bartolo Colon, Mike Cameron, Nomar Garciaparra, Johnny Damon
1972: Chipper Jones (85.3 WAR) -- The first-ballot Hall of Famer won the 1999 NL MVP Award and finished his career with a .303/.401/.529 slash line over 19 seasons.
Others of note: Manny Ramirez, Carlos Delgado, Shawn Green, Andy Pettitte, Brad Radke
1971: Pedro Martinez (83.9 WAR) -- The three-time Cy Young Award winner was about as dominant at his peak as any pitcher in baseball history.
Others of note: Ivan Rodriguez, Billy Wagner, Brian Giles, Jason Giambi, Ray Durham
1970: Jim Thome (73.1 WAR) -- The Hall of Fame slugger belted 612 home runs and was a five-time All-Star.
Others of note: Jim Edmonds, Jorge Posada, Javy Lopez, Craig Counsell, Mark Grudzielanek
1969: Ken Griffey Jr. (83.8 WAR) -- The Kid, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016, was a 10-time Gold Glove winner, seven-time Silver Slugger, 13-time All-Star and the 1997 AL MVP.
Others of note: Mariano Rivera, Juan Gonzalez, Troy Percival, Robb Nen, Bret Boone
1968: Mike Mussina (82.8 WAR) -- One of five current Hall of Famers born in 1968, Mussina racked up 270 wins and 2,813 strikeouts over his 18-year career.
Others of note: Jeff Bagwell, Frank Thomas, Roberto Alomar, Mike Piazza, Gary Sheffield
1967: John Smoltz (69.0 WAR) -- He’s the only pitcher in history with at least 200 wins and 100 saves.
Others of note: Trevor Hoffman, Kenny Lofton, Luis Gonzalez, Robin Ventura, Omar Vizquel
1966: Greg Maddux (106.6 WAR) -- The ultimate artist on the mound, he’s one of just four pitchers with four Cy Youngs and ranks first all-time with 18 Gold Gloves.
Others of note: Tom Glavine, Curt Schilling, Larry Walker, Moises Alou, Tim Wakefield
1965: Kevin Brown (67.8 WAR) -- A six-time All-Star right-hander, Brown won two ERA titles, as well as a World Series ring with the 1997 Marlins.
Others of note: Craig Biggio, Matt Williams, Al Leiter, Steve Finley, Orlando Hernandez
1964: Barry Bonds (162.8 WAR) -- The all-time (762) and single-season (73) home run leader is also the only member of the 400-home run/400-steal club.
Others of note: Rafael Palmeiro, Barry Larkin, Will Clark, Dwight Gooden, Bret Saberhagen
1963: Randy Johnson (101.1 WAR) -- The Big Unit ranks second all time in both Cy Young Awards (five) and strikeouts (4,875).
Others of note: David Cone, Edgar Martinez, Fred McGriff, Mark McGwire, David Wells
1962: Roger Clemens (139.2 WAR) -- The Rocket won more Cy Young Awards than anyone in history (seven) and ranks third all time in strikeouts (4,672).
Others of note: Eric Davis, Jamie Moyer, Darryl Strawberry, Tony Fernandez, Chuck Finley
1961: Jimmy Key (48.9 WAR) -- The five-time All-Star lefty won two World Series rings and the 1987 Major League ERA title.
Others of note: Don Mattingly, Andres Galarraga, John Kruk, Vince Coleman, Tim Belcher
1960: Cal Ripken Jr. (95.9 WAR) -- MLB’s Iron Man played in a record 2,632 consecutive games and spent his entire 21-year career with the Orioles.
Others of note: Tony Gwynn, Kirby Puckett, Joe Carter, Fernando Valenzuela, John Franco
1959: Tim Raines (69.4 WAR) -- The Hall of Fame outfielder ranks fifth all-time with 808 career stolen bases.
Others of note: Ryne Sandberg, Harold Baines, Tony Phillips, George Bell, Todd Worrell
1958: Rickey Henderson (111.2 WAR) -- His 1,406 stolen bases are 468 more than second-place Lou Brock, and he swiped 100-plus in a season three times.
Others of note: Wade Boggs, Alan Trammell, Orel Hershiser, Julio Franco, Willie McGee
1957: Lou Whitaker (75.1 WAR) -- Aside from Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez, no Modern Era position player with as high a WAR as Whitaker is eligible for the Hall of Fame but not inducted.
Others of note: Kirk Gibson, Lee Smith, Dave Stewart, Dave Stieb, Brett Butler
1956: Paul Molitor (75.6 WAR) -- No player since Ty Cobb has collected both more hits (3,319) and more steals (504) than Molitor.
Others of note: Eddie Murray, Dale Murphy, Lance Parrish, Mookie Wilson, Rick Sutcliffe
1955: Robin Yount (77.4 WAR) -- The Hall of Fame shortstop and center fielder won two AL MVP Awards, collected 3,142 hits and slugged 251 home runs, all for the Brewers.
Others of note: Jack Morris, Jack Clark, Mike Scott, Willie Wilson, Chet Lemon
1954: Ozzie Smith (76.9 WAR) -- “The Wizard” was known primarily for his acrobatic defense, with his 13 Gold Glove Awards still the record for a shortstop.
Others of note: Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Dennis Eckersley, Dennis Martinez, Willie Randolph
1953: George Brett (88.6 WAR) -- A first-ballot Hall of Famer, the third baseman collected more than 3,100 hits and earned 13 All-Star selections with the Royals.
Others of note: Keith Hernandez, Dan Quisenberry, Jim Rice, Bruce Sutter, Frank Tanana
1952: Fred Lynn (50.2 WAR) -- He became the first player to be named Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season in 1975, kicking off a run of nine straight All-Star selections.
Others of note: John Denny, Darrell Porter, Mike Krukow, Pete Vuckovich, Roy Smalley
1951: Bert Blyleven (94.5 WAR) -- The Hall of Fame right-hander won 287 games and ranks fifth all-time with 3,701 strikeouts.
Others of note: Dave Winfield, Rich Gossage, Dwight Evans, Buddy Bell, César Cedeño
1950: Brian Downing (51.5 WAR) -- He spent 13 of his 20 seasons with the Angels, compiling 2,099 hits and 275 home runs.
Others of note: Ron Guidry, Frank White, Greg Luzinski, Ken Griffey Sr., Jon Matlack
1949: Mike Schmidt (106.8 WAR) -- Schmidt won three MVP Awards and 10 Gold Gloves at third base, while slugging 548 home runs.
Others of note: Bobby Grich, Ted Simmons, Dusty Baker, Vida Blue, Rick Reuschel
1948: Ron Cey (53.8 WAR) -- A six-time All-Star, Cey earned MVP honors in the 1981 World Series after leading the Dodgers past the Yankees.
Others of note: Toby Harrah, George Foster, Charlie Hough, Dave Concepcion, Steve Garvey
1947: Nolan Ryan (81.3 WAR) -- You could erase Ryan’s top two single-season strikeout totals (383 and 367), and he still would have an 89-K lead on Randy Johnson for first all-time.
Others of note: Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk, Jose Cruz, Darrell Evans, Thurman Munson
1946: Reggie Jackson (74.0 WAR) -- Mr. October hit .357/.457/.755 with 10 homers and 24 RBIs in 27 career World Series games.
Others of note: Bobby Bonds, Rollie Fingers, Catfish Hunter, Al Oliver, Bobby Murcer
1945: Rod Carew (81.2 WAR) -- Carew was an All-Star in each of his first 18 seasons, a stretch that included seven AL batting titles and the 1977 AL MVP Award.
Others of note: Jim Palmer, Don Sutton, Davey Lopes, Reggie Smith, Larry Bowa
1944: Tom Seaver (109.9 WAR) -- “Tom Terrific,” a Hall of Fame right-hander who won three Cy Young Awards, ranks sixth on the all-time strikeout list with 3,640.
Others of note: Steve Carlton, Graig Nettles, Rusty Staub, Sal Bando, Mark Belanger
1943: Joe Morgan (100.4 WAR) -- A first-ballot Hall of Famer, the second baseman won back-to-back NL MVP Awards and World Series titles with the Reds from 1975-76.
Others of note: Tommy John, Davey Johnson, Lou Piniella, Mike Marshall, Roy White
1942: Fergie Jenkins (84.1 WAR) -- He owns the most career wins (284) by a Black pitcher and was the first Canadian to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Others of note: Dick Allen, Tony Perez, Jim Wynn, Bert Campaneris, Jerry Koosman
1941: Pete Rose (79.6 WAR) -- MLB's hit king had 4,256 in his career and led the NL in that category seven times.
Others of note: Bill Freehan, Boog Powell, Wilbur Wood, Mel Stottlemyre, Tim McCarver
1940: Ron Santo (70.5 WAR) -- The Hall of Fame third baseman was a nine-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove Award winner who hit 342 home runs.
Others of note: Willie Stargell, Joe Torre, Luis Tiant, Willie Davis, Mickey Lolich
1939: Carl Yastrzemski (96.5 WAR) -- One of 11 players with at least 400 home runs and 3,000 hits, Yaz won three batting titles, including in his 1967 Triple Crown campaign.
Others of note: Phil Niekro, Lou Brock, Milt Pappas, Claude Osteen, Johnny Callison
1938: Gaylord Perry (90.0 WAR) -- The two-time Cy Young Award winner racked up 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts over his 22-year Hall of Fame career.
Others of note: Willie McCovey, Jim Kaat, Billy Williams, Tony Oliva, Curt Flood
1937: Brooks Robinson (78.5 WAR) -- One of the greatest defensive players in baseball history, he was the master of the hot corner for two decades.
Others of note: Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal, Mike Cuellar, Sonny Siebert, Don Buford
1936: Don Drysdale (67.1 WAR) -- The hard-throwing righty with the intimidating mound presence started five All-Star Games -- tied for the most among pitchers.
Others of note: Harmon Killebrew, Bill Mazeroski, Frank Howard, Bill Monbouquette, Ralph Terry
1935: Frank Robinson (107.2 WAR) -- The only player to win both AL and NL MVP Awards, Robinson also claimed a Triple Crown and a World Series MVP Award before becoming the first Black manager in AL/NL history.
Others of note: Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Felipe Alou, Tony Kubek, Bobby Richardson
1934: Hank Aaron (143.0 WAR) -- “Hammerin’ Hank” is an inner-circle Hall of Famer who remains the all-time leader in RBIs (2,297) and total bases (6,856).
Others of note: Roberto Clemente, Al Kaline, Luis Aparicio, Roger Maris, Camilo Pascual
1933: Norm Cash (52.0 WAR) -- A consistent force in the Tigers’ lineup for many years, the slugging first baseman was a key part of Detroit’s 1968 title team.
Others of note: Rocky Colavito, Herb Score, John Roseboro, Billy O’Dell, Norm Siebern
1932: Maury Wills (39.6 WAR) -- The speedy infielder won the NL MVP Award in 1962 after becoming the first player in the Modern Era (since 1900) to collect 100-plus steals.
Others of note: Johnny Podres, Dick Stuart, Bud Daley, Woodie Held, Don Blasingame
1931: Willie Mays (156.1 WAR) -- The “Say Hey Kid” is a Giants icon and MLB legend with 660 home runs, 3,293 hits, two MVP Awards and 12 Gold Glove Awards.
Others of note: Mickey Mantle, Eddie Mathews, Ernie Banks, Jim Bunning, Ken Boyer
1930: Bob Friend (40.8 WAR) -- A four-time All-Star pitcher, he won the 1955 NL ERA title and 1960 World Series with Pittsburgh.
Others of note: Dick Groat, Del Crandall, Bill Skowron, Harvey Kuenn, Johnny Antonelli
1929: Curt Simmons (43.3 WAR) -- A 1964 World Series champion with the Cardinals, Simmons pitched 20 MLB seasons, debuting as an 18-year-old in 1947.
Others of note: Elston Howard, Don Larsen, Jim Piersall
1928: Whitey Ford (57.1 WAR) -- One of the most decorated pitchers in MLB history, Ford won six World Series rings with the Yankees. The Hall of Famer also won the 1961 AL Cy Young Award, the 1961 World Series MVP Award, two ERA titles and earned 10 All-Star selections.
Others of note: Jim Gilliam, Gil McDougald, Pete Runnels
1927: Richie Ashburn (64.2 WAR) -- The Hall of Fame center fielder won two batting titles and four OBP titles with the Phillies.
Others of note: Nellie Fox, Smoky Burgess, Billy Pierce
1926: Robin Roberts (86.1 WAR) -- From 1952-55, the Hall of Fame righty led the NL in starts, complete games, innings and wins each season, averaging 330 innings per year.
Others of note: Don Newcombe, Duke Snider, Ralph Branca
1925: Yogi Berra (59.4 WAR) -- Stalwart catcher for the great Yankees teams of the 1950s and ’60s, a three-time AL MVP, 18-time All-Star and 10-time World Series champion.
Others of note: Vic Wertz, Harvey Haddix, Bobby Shantz
1924: Gil Hodges (43.9 WAR) -- The eight-time All-Star won two World Series titles as a player with the Dodgers and one as a manager with the Mets.
Others of note: Ted Kluszewski, Al Rosen, Sherm Lollar
1923: Larry Doby (56.5 WAR) -- Doby became the AL’s first Black player in 1947 and went on to make seven straight All-Star teams with Cleveland from 1949-55.
Others of note: Minnie Miñoso, Red Schoendienst, Bobby Thomson
1922: Ralph Kiner (48.1 WAR) -- Injuries cut his Hall of Fame career short, but the right-handed slugger led all AL/NL players in homers in every season from 1947-52.
Others of note: Hoyt Wilhelm, George Kell, Carl Furillo
1921: Warren Spahn (100.1 WAR) -- One of the great left-handers of all-time, Spahn was a 17-time All-Star who won 363 games and led the NL in that category eight times.
Others of note: Roy Campanella, Hal Newhouser, Andy Pafko
1920: Stan Musial (128.6 WAR) -- The three-time MVP and seven-time batting champion racked up 3,630 hits -- 1,815 at home and 1,815 on the road.
Others of note: Early Wynn, Bob Lemon, Vern Stephens
1919: Jackie Robinson (63.8 WAR) -- Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947 and then won the inaugural Rookie of the Year Award before taking NL MVP honors two years later.
Others of note: Monte Irvin, Johnny Pesky, Pete Reiser
1918: Ted Williams (122.0 WAR) -- One of the greatest hitters to ever pick up a bat, the Splendid Splinter twice captured the Triple Crown and is the all-time leader in OBP (.482).
Others of note: Pee Wee Reese, Bob Feller, Bobby Doerr
1917: Lou Boudreau (63.3 WAR) -- From 1942-50, Boudreau not only made six All-Star teams as Cleveland’s shortstop but also managed the club, including to a championship in ‘48.
Others of note: Phil Rizzuto, Dom DiMaggio, Sam Jethroe
1916: Enos Slaughter (57.8 WAR) -- “Country” was a 10-time All-Star and four-time World Series champ whose famous “Mad Dash” to home plate in Game 7 of the 1946 Fall Classic won it for the Cardinals.
Others of note: Leon Day, Bob Elliott, Phil Cavarretta
1915: Joe Gordon (55.8 WAR) -- A Hall of Fame second baseman and five-time World Series champ, Gordon was the 1942 AL MVP with the Yankees.
Others of note: Willard Brown, Walker Cooper, Dizzy Trout
1914: Joe DiMaggio (79.2 WAR) -- The nine-time World Series champ’s record 56-game hitting streak in 1941 remains one of the most iconic achievements in baseball history.
Others of note: Wild Bill Wright, Johnny Vander Meer, Bill Nicholson
1913: Johnny Mize (70.7 WAR) -- He hit a career-high 51 homers in 1947, one of four times he led the NL in dingers.
Others of note: Ray Dandridge, Mort Cooper, Rudy York
1912: Arky Vaughan (78.0 WAR) -- The Hall of Fame shortstop hit .318 with a .406 on-base percentage in his career and won a batting title with a .385 average in 1935.
Others of note: Augie Galan, Vince DiMaggio, Cookie Lavagetto
1911: Hank Greenberg (55.5 WAR) -- A two-time AL MVP and World Series champion with the Tigers, Greenberg won four AL home run crowns despite losing four seasons to World War II service.
Others of note: Josh Gibson, Ducky Medwick, Buck O’Neil
1910: Dizzy Dean (46.2 WAR) -- The Hall of Fame righty led MLB in strikeouts four times and was named NL MVP in 1934, when he led the Cardinals to a World Series title.
Others of note: Schoolboy Rowe, Dixie Walker, Sam Bankhead
1909: Mel Ott (110.8 WAR) -- When he retired following the 1947 season, Ott ranked third all-time in home runs behind Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx.
Others of note: Billy Herman, Stan Hack, Dutch Leonard
1908: Wes Ferrell (60.1 WAR) -- Despite his success on the mound, Ferrell is actually known more for what he did with his bat. No player has topped his 37 homers while in the lineup as a pitcher.
Others of note: Lefty Gomez, Ray Brown, Ernie Lombardi
1907: Jimmie Foxx (93.1 WAR) -- Double-X was one of the most ferocious sluggers in baseball history. From 1929-40, he averaged 40 homers and posted a 1.083 OPS.
Others of note: Luke Appling, Bill Dickey, Buck Leonard
1906: Joe Cronin (64.7 WAR) -- A seven-time All-Star shortstop, Cronin also held each of these jobs at various points: manager, GM and president of the AL.
Others of note: Satchel Paige, Lloyd Waner, Tommy Bridges
1905: Bob Johnson (55.6 WAR) -- An eight-time All-Star left fielder for the A’s, Senators and Red Sox, he hit 288 home runs over a 13-year MLB career.
Others of note: Martín Dihigo, Red Ruffing, Rick Ferrell
1904: Willie Wells (51.1 WAR) -- A longtime Negro Leagues star, most notably with the St. Louis Stars, Wells was an ultra-talented shortstop who won the Negro National League Triple Crown in 1930.
Others of note: Chuck Klein, Bill (Willie) Foster, Sam West
1903: Lou Gehrig (113.6 WAR) -- One of nine Hall of Famers born in 1903, the Iron Horse played 2,130 consecutive games, hit .340/.447/.632 with 493 homers and won six World Series titles with the Yankees before ALS sadly cut his career short.
Others of note: Cool Papa Bell, Carl Hubbell, Charlie Gehringer
1902: Al Simmons (68.1 WAR) -- Simmons fell 73 hits short of 3,000 during a 20-year career in which he produced a .334 average, 307 homers and 1,828 RBIs.
Others of note: Earl Averill, Rap Dixon, Ted Radcliffe
1901: Turkey Stearnes (49.8 WAR) -- The Hall of Famer was a terrific, five-tool center fielder who batted .349 over his long career in the Negro Leagues.
Others of note: Heinie Manush, Mule Suttles, Newt Allen
1900: Lefty Grove (106.8 WAR) -- A 300-game winner and the 1931 AL MVP, Grove led his league in ERA nine times and strikeouts seven times.
Others of note: Goose Goslin, Ted Lyons, Gabby Hartnett
1899: Waite Hoyt (52.3 WAR) – A three-time World Series champion with the Yankees, Hoyt pitched 21 seasons, debuting as an 18-year-old in 1918.
Others of note: Judy Johnson, Earle Combs, Charlie Root
1898: Bill Terry (56.5) -- He hit .401 in 1930 and was a .341 career hitter on his way to the Hall of Fame.
Others of note: Joe Sewell, Kiki Cuyler, Dick Lundy
1897: Frankie Frisch (71.8 WAR) -- The Hall of Fame infielder won four World Series, including one as a player/manager with the 1934 Cardinals.
Others of note: Biz Mackey, Ross Youngs, Andy Cooper
1896: Rogers Hornsby (127.3 WAR) -- A .358 career hitter, Hornsby topped the .400 mark three times and won seven batting titles and two Triple Crowns.
Others of note: Oscar Charleston, Alejandro Oms, Jud Wilson
1895: Babe Ruth (183.1 WAR) -- This iconic slugger changed the face of the game in the 1920s, and a century later he is still the all-time WAR leader thanks to his two-way greatness.
Others of note: George (High Pockets) Kelly, Heavy Johnson, Ray Kremer
1894: Harry Heilmann (72.5 WAR) -- He won four batting titles while spending most of his Hall of Fame career with the Tigers.
Others of note: Herb Pennock, Joe Judge, Howard Ehmke
1893: George Sisler (57.1 WAR) -- He finished his career with a .340 average and held the single-season hits record for 84 years until it was broken by Ichiro Suzuki in 2004.
Others of note: Cristóbal Torriente, Bullet Rogan, Burleigh Grimes
1892: Wilbur Cooper (53.6 WAR) -- The Pirates’ all-time leader with 202 wins, he posted a 2.89 ERA over a 15-year career.
Others of note: Dutch Leonard, Sad Sam Jones, Ray Schalk
1891: Dazzy Vance (60.2 WAR) -- The NL strikeout leader for seven straight seasons (1922-28), Vance also won the pitching Triple Crown in 1924 (28-6, 2.16 ERA).
Others of note: Dave Bancroft, Rabbit Maranville, Eppa Rixey
1890: Urban Shocker (58.6 WAR) -- A star pitcher, mainly for the St. Louis Browns, Shocker led the Majors with 27 wins in 1921.
Others of note: Max Carey, Sam Rice, Dick Redding
1889: Stan Coveleski (61.5 WAR) -- A 1920 World Series champion with Cleveland, Coveleski led the AL in ERA twice.
Others of note: Louis Santop, Smoky Joe Wood, Heinie Groh
1888: Tris Speaker (134.7 WAR) -- A .345 lifetime hitter, his 792 doubles are still the most in MLB history, and he ranks ninth in WAR.
Others of note: Zack Wheat, Ben Taylor, Red Faber
1887: Walter Johnson (164.9 WAR) -- The Big Train has the second-most WAR all-time behind Ruth, and nobody even approaches his record of 110 shutouts.
Others of note: Pete Alexander, Eddie Collins, Shoeless Joe Jackson
1886: Ty Cobb (151.5 WAR) -- Cobb batted at least .316 in 23 of his 24 seasons, including 11 at .375 or better.
Others of note: Home Run Baker, Rube Marquard, “Smokey” Joe Williams
1885: Art Fletcher (47.1 WAR) -- The longtime New York Giants shortstop was a slick fielder who played in four World Series.
Others of note: José Méndez, Ed Konetchy, Slim Sallee
1884: Sherry Magee (59.4 WAR) -- He spent the bulk of his career as a sweet-swinging Phillies left fielder, leading the NL in average, OBP, slugging, total bases, runs and RBIs in 1910.
Others of note: Eddie Cicotte, John Henry Lloyd, Charles Bender
1883: Jack Quinn (58.7 WAR) -- Born in what is now known as Slovakia, the righty won back-to-back World Series titles with the Philadelphia A’s in 1929-30 and made his final MLB appearance at the age of 50 in 1933.
Others of note: Hal Chase, Russ Ford, Lefty Leifield
1882: Babe Adams (52.7 WAR) -- The right-hander spent 18 seasons with the Pirates and was an integral member of Pittsburgh’s 1909 World Series championship team.
Others of note: Pete Hill, Ed Reulbach, Frank Schulte
1881: Ed Walsh (65.9 WAR) -- A master of the Dead Ball Era, Walsh’s 1.82 career ERA stands as the all-time record.
Others of note: Johnny Evers, Orval Overall, Branch Rickey
1880: Christy Mathewson (106.6 WAR) -- The pitching legend is tied for third all-time with 373 wins, won two Triple Crowns and led the Giants to the 1905 World Series title.
Others of note: Sam Crawford, Joe Tinker, Addie Joss
1879: Doc White (48.6 WAR) -- A 1906 World Series champion with the White Sox, White threw 3,041 innings across a 13-year career.
Others of note: Roger Bresnahan
1878: Jimmy Sheckard (49.5 WAR) -- A two-time World Series champion with the Cubs, Sheckard racked up 465 career stolen bases.
Others of note: Miller Huggins
1877: Tommy Leach (47.1 WAR) -- A star of the Dead Ball Era, Leach teamed with Honus Wagner to lead the 1909 Pirates to a World Series title.
Others of note: Earl Moore
1876: Vic Willis (63.2 WAR) -- The Hall of Fame righty (also on that 1909 Pirates squad) led the NL in 1902 with 46 starts, 45 complete games and 410 innings pitched.
Others of note: Mordecai Brown
1875: Eddie Plank (90.8 WAR) -- His resume includes 326 wins and a 2.35 ERA, as well as two World Series championships with the A’s in 1911 and ’13.
Others of note: Harry Steinfeldt
1874: Honus Wagner (130.8 WAR) -- This inner-circle Hall of Famer won eight batting titles and finished his 21-year MLB career (18 of which were with the Pirates) with 3,420 hits.
Others of note: Nap Lajoie
1873: Bobby Wallace (76.3 WAR) -- One of the top shortstops of the Dead Ball Era, he played in the Majors for 25 seasons and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1953.
Others of note: John McGraw
1872: Fred Clarke (67.9 WAR) -- A successful player-manager, Clarke tallied 2,678 career hits and helped lead the Pirates to the 1909 World Series championship.
Others of note: Willie Keeler
1871: Amos Rusie (65.8 WAR) -- The Hall of Famer won a pitching Triple Crown for the Giants in 1894 with 36 wins, a 2.78 ERA and 195 strikeouts.
Others of note: Joe McGinnity
1870: George Davis (84.5 WAR) -- A Hall of Fame shortstop, he racked up 2,665 hits and led the White Sox to the 1906 World Series title.
Others of note: Bill Dahlen
1869: Kid Nichols (116.3 WAR) -- Nichols threw 5,067 1/3 innings across 15 seasons and led the NL in wins three straight times from 1896-98.
Others of note: Clark Griffith
1868: Jesse Burkett (59.7 WAR) -- He won three NL batting titles and topped a .400 BA twice in his Hall of Fame career.
Others of note: Silver King
1867: Cy Young (163.6 WAR) -- The man whose given name was Denton True Young is the all-time record holder in several pitching categories, including wins (an unimaginable 511).
Others of note: Ed Delahanty
1866: Billy Hamilton (63.2 WAR) -- Born 124 years before the other big leaguer bearing the same name, this Hall of Fame outfielder was an epic base stealer himself, cracking the 100 mark four times.
Others of note: Hugh Duffy
1865: Mike Griffin (40.8 WAR) -- A center fielder for the Orioles, A’s and Brooklyn Bridegrooms from 1887-98, he led the Majors in runs with 152 in 1889, and doubles with 36 in ’91.
Others of note: Billy Nash
1864: Bob Caruthers (59.5 WAR) -- The Shohei Ohtani of the American Association, Caruthers had a season (1886) in which he went 30-14 with a 2.32 ERA, while batting .334/.448/.527 and playing 43 games in the outfield.
Others of note: Ed McKean
1863: Jimmy Ryan (43.7 WAR) -- He still ranks among the top 10 in Cubs history in many offensive categories, including triples (142, first), runs (1,410, second) and steals (370, third).
Others of note: Tommy McCarthy
1862: Ed Morris (38.4 WAR) -- He threw 2,678 innings over seven seasons, all of which came before the mound was moved to its current distance of 60 feet, 6 inches in 1893.
Others of note: Connie Mack
1861: John Clarkson (83.2 WAR) -- The Hall of Fame pitcher won 328 games, including 53 in 1885 and 49 in 1889, second- and fourth-most ever in a single season.
Others of note: Pete Browning
1860: John Ward (62.3 WAR) -- A two-way star who went on to the Hall of Fame, Ward threw the second official perfect game in Major League history, on June 17, 1885 -- albeit from a mound that was 45 feet from home plate at the time.
Others of note: Sam Thompson
1859: Mickey Welch (62.3 WAR) -- Nicknamed ‘Smiling Mickey,’ he pitched for the Troy Trojans from 1880-82 before 10 seasons with the Giants.
Others of note: Buck Ewing
1858: Dan Brouthers (78.7 WAR) -- The Hall of Fame first baseman was a big bat in his era, leading the NL in slugging each year from 1881-86.
Others of note: John Reilly
1857: Tim Keefe (86.9 WAR) -- In the National League’s early days, Keefe led the circuit in ERA three times.
Others of note: Roger Connor
1856: Jim McCormick (76.2 WAR) -- Born in Glasgow, Scotland, McCormick was a standout pitcher with the NL’s Cleveland Blues in the early 1880s.
Others of note: Pud Galvin
1855: Paul Hines (44.9 WAR) -- The first Triple Crown winner in NL history hit .358 with four home runs and 50 RBIs for the 1878 Providence Grays (albeit before RBIs were an official stat).
Others of note: Hardy Richardson
1854: Old Hoss Radbourn (75.4 WAR) -- The legendary right-hander posted some brain-bending numbers. He went 60-12 with a 1.38 ERA and 73 complete games for the 1884 Providence Grays.
Others of note: Will White
1853: Mike Dorgan (8.5 WAR) -- Primarily an outfielder, he also saw some time behind the plate, and baseball historian Peter Morris credits him with being the first player to wear a catcher’s mask in an NL game.
Others of note: Jack Manning
1852: Cap Anson (94.3 WAR) -- He was a top star in baseball’s early days, but his legacy has been tarnished by the role he played in establishing racial segregation in the game.
Others of note: George Bradley
1851: Bobby Mathews (55.1 WAR) -- His 297 wins are the most for any non-Hall of Famer besides Roger Clemens, although most of those came in the National Association and American Association.
Others of note: Orator Shafer
1850: Al Spalding (60.3 WAR) -- A Hall of Fame pitcher, Spalding is the all-time leader in winning percentage (.795), with a 252-65 career record -- including 54-5 for the Boston Red Stockings in 1875.
Others of note: Jim O'Rourke
1849: Jim Devlin (32.9 WAR) -- He led the National League in starts (68), innings (622) and strikeouts (122) in its inaugural 1876 season.
Others of note: Ezra Sutton
1848: Candy Cummings (36.2 WAR) -- His Hall of Fame plaque credits him with inventing and throwing the first curveball.
Others of note: George Bechtel
1847: Deacon White (45.5 WAR) -- Nobody else inducted in the Hall of Fame as a player was born before White, who didn’t receive the honor until 2013, 74 years after his death in 1939. (George Wright was born earlier in 1847 but was inducted as an executive).
Others of note: George Wright