Johnnie's Top 1,000 MLB Players of All-Time: 101-125

There are 20 Hall-of-Famers in this group, the most so far in any bunch of 25. The outfield is well-represented here, especially centerfielders. However, we also have two of the best-hitting catchers to ever play. We also have the best fielding shortstop in history along with the player who holds the career ERA record. Let's continue our journey as we wrap up the bottom 900 on our way to the top of the best MLB players ever.

Be sure to check out the rest of our series: MLB 976-1,000 | 951-975 | 926-950 | 901-925 | 876-900 |850-875 | 826-850 | 801-825 | 776-800 | 751-775 | 726-750 | 701-725 | 676-700 | 651-675 | 626-650 | 601-625 | 576-600 | 551-575 | 526-550 | 501-525 | 476-500 | 451-475 | 426-450 | 401-425 | 376-400 | 351-375 | 326-350 | 301-325 | 276-300 | 251-275 | 226-250 | 201-225 | 176-200 | 151-175 | 126-150

#125 - Andre Dawson - Outfield - 1976-1996

The Hawk was a five-tool player until playing on the Montreal turf ruined his knees. Nevertheless, Dawson was a feared hitter and won an MVP in 1987 with the Chicago Cubs. From 1980-1990, he slashed .287/.334/.501 (129 OPS+) averaging 29 home runs, 23 stolen bases, and 104 RBIs per 162. He was ROY in 1977 and hit 49 home runs with 137 RBIs in his MVP season and he was runner-up twice. Dawson was an eight-time All-Star and a four-time Silver Slugger. He won eight Gold Gloves, four in centerfield and four in right field. Dawson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010 by the BBWAA.

#124 - Jim Edmonds - Centerfield - 1993-2008, 2010

Aside from the catch we've seen countless times, Edmonds was an excellent player. From 1995-2005, he slashed .293/.388/.554 (141 OPS+) averaging 38 doubles, 36 home runs, and 105 RBIs per 162. During that time, Edmonds was also a four-time All-Star, finished in the top 5 in MVP voting twice, and won eight Gold Gloves. He hit 25 home runs 10 times and drove in 100 runs four times. Edmonds hit 40 homers, scored 100 runs, drove in 100 runs, and walked 100 times twice. Mickey Mantle is the only other centerfield in history to have a season like that multiple times.

#123 - Sandy Koufax - Left-Handed Pitcher - 1955-1966

After a mediocre beginning to his career, Koufax put together a ridiculous four-year stretch preceded by two very good seasons. He led the league with 269 strikeouts in 1961 and led the league with a 2.54 ERA in 1962. Then, from 1963-1966, Koufax was 97-27 with a 1.86 ERA (172 ERA+) averaging 298 innings with 307 strikeouts per year. He won three CYA, an MVP, and two WS MVPs during those four seasons. Koufax also won the pitching Triple Crown three times. His postseason ERA was 0.95 in 57 innings with a 61-to-11 K/BB rate. His 382 strikeouts in 1965 are still an NL record and was only eclipsed by one in 1973 by Nolan Ryan. Koufax was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972 by the BBWAA.

#122 - Oscar Charleston - Centerfield/First Base - 1920-1927, 1929, 1933-1937, 1939-1941

Charleston dominated the Negro Leagues the way Babe Ruth dominated the Major League during the 1920s. From 1920-1927, Oscar slashed .384/.467/.661/ (206 OPS+) averaging 45 doubles, 17 triples, 29 home runs, 49 stolen bases, 171 runs, and 169 RBIs per 162. He won the Triple Crown three times while batting over .400 each of those seasons. He is the only player in Negro League history with 125 home runs and 200 stolen bases. Charleston was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1976 by the Negro League Committee.

#121 - Andruw Jones - Centerfield - 1996-2012

Jones was arguably the best defensive centerfielder ever. He is number one in TZR with 230. For context, Willie Mays is second with 178. Jones was also a serious offensive force during his prime. From 1998-2006, he slashed .270/.347/.513 (119 OPS+) averaging 36 home runs and 107 RBIs while chipping in 13 stolen bases per 162. He finished second in MVP voting in 2005 with 51 home runs and 128 RBIs which both led the league. Jones was a five-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner.

#120 - Juan Marichal - Right-Handed Pitcher - 1960-1975

Marichal was one of the best pitchers of the 60s despite being in the same league as Gibson and Koufax. He led the league in wins twice, shutouts twice, and ERA once. From 1963-1969, he was 154-65 (.703 winning%) with a 2.34 ERA (146 ERA+) and averaged 289 with 215 strikeouts to just 48 walks. Marichal also completed two-thirds of his games and was a top 10 vote-getter three times. Since 1947, Marichal is one of six pitchers with 3,000 innings pitched and a sub-3.00 ERA. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983 by the BBWAA.

#119 - Mike Piazza - Catcher - 1992-2007

The best offensive catcher ever was pretty much an afterthought when he was drafted. However, Piazza went on to have a Hall of Fame career. He was a 12-time All-Star and 10-time Silver Slugger finishing in the top 5 of MVP voting four times. From 1993-2002, Piazza slashed .322/.389/.579 (155 OPS+) averaging 41 home runs and 126 RBIs per 162. His 1997 season is the best offensive season by a catcher in history. Piazza batted .362 with 40 home runs and 124 RBIs. His 185 OPS+ led the league, and he also had 201 hits, and 104 runs scored. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016 by the BBWAA.

#118 - Bill Dahlen - Shortstop - 1891-1911

Dahlen is the best shortstop not in the Hall of Fame. In fact, he is probably a top 10 shortstop all time. His offensive peak was in the 19th century from 1892-1899 when he slashed .303/.391/.452 (124 OPS+) averaging 17 triples, 49 stolen bases, and 145 runs per 162. He was a defensive star at his position for his era leading the league four times in assists and double plays. His .927 fielding percentage was well above the league average of .915. Dahlen is one of eight players in history with 1,500 runs, 1,200 RBIs, 500 stolen bases, and a .350 OBP.

#117 - Tim Raines - Left Field - 1979-1999, 2001-2002

Raines became a regular starter in 1981, and if it weren't for Fernandomania", he would've taken home the ROY award. Instead, he stole 71 bases in 88 games which began a stretch of six consecutive seasons with 70 and four straight stolen base titles. From 1981-1993, Raines slashed .299/.388/.430 (129 OPS+) averaging 109 runs and 67 stolen bases per 162. He led the league in batting and OBP in 1986 and was a seven-time All-Star. Not only did Raines steal a bunch, but he also rarely got thrown out. There have been five seasons when a player had 70 stolen bases and was thrown out 10 or fewer times. Raines has three of them. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017 by the BBWAA.

#116 - Kenny Lofton - Centerfield - 1991-2007

While Lofton was absolutely robbed of the ROY award in 1992, he carved out an excellent career. He led the league in steals five straight seasons and is 15th all-time in stolen bases with 622. From 1992-1999, he slashed .311/.387/.432 (115 OPS+) averaging 127 runs and 65 stolen bases per 162. Defensively, Lofton was one of the best. He is 5th in TZR at 117 and is 16th in assists from centerfield with 138. He won four Gold Gloves and was a six-time All-Star. Lofton is the all-time postseason leader with 34 steals.

#115 - Scott Rolen - Third Base - 1996-2012

After 37 games in 1996, Rolen started his career off properly in 1997 winning the ROY award. From 1997-2004, he slashed .287/.379/.524 (133 OPS+) averaging 40 doubles, 31 home runs, and 114 RBIs per 162. In 1998, he became the first third baseman with 45 doubles, 30 home runs, and 110 RBIs in a season. Rolen was a seven-time All-Star and eight-time Gold Glove winner. He is one of five third basemen (min. 1,000 games) with 500 doubles, 300 home runs, and 100 stolen bases. Rolen was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023 by the BBWAA.

#114 - Willie Stargell - Left Field/First Base - 1962-1982

Pops is synonymous with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The larger-than-life figure was one of the most feared hitters in the league during his time. From 1966-1975, he slashed .289/.373/.547 (158 OPS+) averaging 36 home runs and 113 RBIs per 162. He led the league in home runs twice and RBIs once. Stargell finished runner-up in MVP voting twice as well and finally tied for the award in 1979 with Keith Hernandez. During the "We Are Family" run in 1979, Stargell won the NLCS MVP and the WS MVP going 17-for-41 with five homers and 13 RBIs in 10 games. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988 by the BBWAA.

#113 - Roy Campanella - Catcher - 1937-1942, 1944-1945, 1948-1957

Debuting as a 15-year-old in the Negro Leagues had to be tough and Campanella struggled a bit in the beginning. However, he batted .320 as a 19-year-old and won the NN2 batting title in 1944 with a .388 average. From 1944-1955, Campy slashed .294/.374/.526 (135 OPS+) averaging 32 home runs and 120 RBIs per 162. In 1953, he became the first catcher with 40 home runs and 125 RBIs and only Johnny Bench has ever matched it. Campanella was an 11-time All-Star and a three-time MVP winner. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969 by the BBWAA.

#112 - Dick Allen - First Base/Third Base/Left Field - 1963-1977

Allen was one of the most dangerous hitters from the mid-60s to the mid-70s. Although more famous sluggers overshadowed him, he put up insane numbers. From 1964-1974, Allen slashed .299/.386/.554 (165 OPS+) averaging 35 home runs, 107 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases per 162. During that time, he is one of only two players (Hank Aaron) with 300 homers, 900 RBIs, and 100 stolen bases. Allen was the 1964 NL ROY leading the league in triples and the AL MVP in 1972 leading the league in homers, RBIs, and OPS. He was a seven-time All-Star and led the league in OPS four times. Allen will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.

#111 - Duke Snider - Centerfield - 1947-1964

As the old song "Willie, Mickey, and the Duke" indicates, Snider was the third wheel in New York among centerfielders. That should not diminish his accomplishments. He hit 40 home runs five years in a row and was a top 10 MVP candidate six times in seven years. In the 1950s, Snider slashed .308/.390/.569 (147 OPS+) averaging 37 home runs and 118 RBIs per 162. He was an eight-time All-Star and hit 11 home runs and 26 RBIs in 36 postseason games with an OPS of .945. Snider is one of 15 players with multiple seasons of 40 home runs, 130 RBIs, and a .400 OBP. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980 by the BBWAA.

#110 - Ozzie Smith - Shortstop - 1978-1996

Ozzie was the best defensive shortstop ever and maybe the best defensive player in history. His 44.2 dWAR ranks first all-time and as far as position players go, he and Pudge Rodriguez are tied for second with 13 Gold Gloves behind Brooks Robinson. Smith has the single-season record for assists by a shortstop (621, 1980) and also the career record (8,375). He led the league in fielding percentage eight times, assists eight times, and range factor seven times. Offensively, he was solid during his peak. From 1984-1992, Smith slashed a respectable .278/.360/.348 (99 OPS+) averaging 41 stolen bases per 162. The Wizard was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002 by the BBWAA.

#109 - Paul Waner - Right Field - 1926-1945

Waner is one of the few unsung players in the 3,000-hit club. He had double-digit triples each of his first 10 years and led the league twice. In 1927, Waner was the NL MVP and led the league in batting (.380), triples (18), and RBIs (131). From 1926-1937, he slashed .348/.417/.507 (142 OPS+) averaging 43 doubles, 16 triples, and 93 RBIs per 162. He led the league in batting three times and hit over .350 six times. Waner was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1952 by the BBWAA.

#108 - Turkey Stearnes - Centerfield - 1923-1940

In his first six years, Stearnes led the league in doubles once, triples four times, and home runs three times. He then proceeded to win the batting title twice after that. From 1923-1931, Stearnes had video game numbers slashing .359/.421/.660 (186 OPS+) averaging 41 doubles, 21 triples, 35 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and 183 RBIs per 162. He is the only player in the Negro Leagues with over 1,000 RBIs and also has the most home runs with 187. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000 by the Veteran's Committee.

#107 - Ed Walsh - Right-Handed Pitcher - 1904-1917

The all-time leader in ERA at 1.82 had a relatively short career. However, he packed a lot into a peak that was second to none. From 1907-1912, Walsh won 151 games with a 1.69 ERA (158 ERA+) averaging 375 innings with 228 strikeouts to just 70 walks per year. He also averaged seven shutouts and five saves during that time. He led the league in shutouts three times and saves five times. In 1910 he became the only pitcher to lead his league in ERA (1.27) and losses (20). Walsh was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1946 by the Old Timer's Committee.

#106 - Al Simmons - Outfield - 1924-1941, 1943-1944

Even though offense was plentiful in the 20s and 30s, Simmons was one of the most dangerous hitters around. From 1925-1934, he slashed .359/.403/.589 (151 OPS+) with 45 doubles, 13 triples, 27 home runs, 127 runs, and 151 RBIs per 162. He finished in the top 5 of MVP voting six times including two runner-up finishes. Simmons led the league twice in hits and twice in batting. He is the only player with back-to-back seasons of 30 home runs and 150 RBIs while batting .360. Simmons is 21st in batting average with a .334 mark (min. 5,000 PA), 21st in RBIs (1,828), and 41st in doubles (539). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1953 by the BBWAA.

#105 - Tony Gwynn - Right Field - 1982-2001

"Mr. Padre" could get a hit off of anyone. He led the league in hits seven times and batting average eight times. From 1984-1997, Gwynn slashed .342/.393/.460 (135 OPS+) averaging 218 hits, 97 runs, and 24 stolen bases per 162. In 1987, he batted .370 with 56 steals. The last time a player hit .370 with 50 swipes in a season was 1922 and it hasn't been done since Gwynn. He batted over .350 seven times including five years in a row from 1993-1997. He was a 15-time All-Star, seven-time Silver Slugger, and five-time Gold Glove winner. Gwynn was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007 by the BBWAA.

#104 - Joe Jackson - Outfield - 1908-1920

Before Jackson was banned from baseball for his involvement with the "Black Sox", he was a great hitter batting .356 in his career which stands third all-time (min 5,000 PA). In 1911, he batted .408 and led the league with a .468 OBP. Jackson led the league in hits the following two seasons and slugging in 1913. He led the league in triples three times, twice with fewer strikeouts than three-baggers. His 168 triples rank 26th ever despite batting fewer than 6,000 times. Since 1920, Jackson has been one of only 10 players with 40 doubles, 20 triples, and 100 RBIs in a season.

#103 - Bullet Rogan - Right-Handed Pitcher/Outfield - 1920-1929, 1937-1938

One of the most talented two-way players in history, Rogan was Shohei Ohtani 100 years ago. On the mound, he led the league in 1921 with a 1.72 ERA. He led the league in wins twice and strikeouts twice. Rogan finished with a 120-52 record and a 2.65 ERA (161 ERA+). In the playoffs, he was 8-2 with a 2.72 ERA in 79.1 innings. At the plate, Rogan slashed .338/.413/.521 (152 OPS+) averaging 100 RBIs per 162. In the postseason, he slashed .385/.435/.410 in 86 PA. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998 by the Veteran's Committee.

#102 - Larry Walker - Right Field - 1989-2005

Because of how great he was in Colorado; people forget that Walker was excellent in Montreal before that. He was an All-Star and won two Gold Gloves with the Expos and also led the league in doubles in 1994. However, from 1995-2002, Walker was a force. He slashed .341/.425/.636 (150 OPS+) averaging 43 doubles, 39 home runs, 123 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases per 162. He was the NL MVP in 1997 leading the league with 49 home runs and a 1.172 OPS. Walker led the league in batting three of the next four years including batting .379 in 1999. He won five more Gold Gloves in Colorado and was an All-Star four times. Walker was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020 by the BBWAA.

#101 - Willie McCovey - First Base - 1959-1980

McCovey battled knee and foot injuries throughout his career but was one of the most feared hitters in the late 60s. In 1959, he was the NL ROY and in 1963, he led the league with 44 home runs. After an injury-plagued season in 1964, McCovey came back with a vengeance. From 1965-1970, he slashed .291/.405/.578 (174 OPS+) averaging 41 home runs and 115 RBIs per 162 while walking more than he struck out. He led the league three times in OPS and homers. McCovey was the NL MVP in 1969 when he hit .320 with 45 home runs, 126 RBIs, and 121 walks. He became the first NL player to reach those marks, which would only be equaled by Barry Bonds in 2001. McCovey was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986 by the BBWAA.

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