100 Greatest Baseball Players

The Society for American Baseball Research, or SABR for short, is the most widely recognized authority on baseball history. Their research in every field of baseball has lead to more books and information found in books than any other group in history. Members of Society for American Baseball Research voted in 1999 on five different lists and these are the results of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"If I'd just tried for them dinky singles I could've batted around .600." - Babe Ruth

100 Greatest Baseball Players

by SABR (1999)

100 Joe Medwick 50 Mickey Cochrane
99 Addie Joss 49 Eddie Collins
98 Ryne Sandberg 48 Pete Rose
97 Rube Waddell 47 Roy Campanella
96 Fergie Jenkins 46 Charlie Gehringer
95 Kirby Puckett 45 Carl Yastrzemski
94 Eddie Plank 44 Nolan Ryan
93 Willie Stargell 43 Cal Ripken, Jr.
92 Carlton Fisk 42 Mel Ott
91 Harry Heilmann 41 Carl Hubbell
90 Sam Crawford 40 Greg Maddux
89 Ralph Kiner 39 Tony Gwynn
88 Luis Aparicio 38 Nap Lajoie
87 Johnny Mize 37 Joe Morgan
86 Luke Appling 36 Jackie Robinson
85 Ed Walsh 35 Hank Greenberg
84 Joe Cronin 34 Roger Clemens
83 Robin Roberts 33 Lefty Grove
82 Eddie Murray 32 Brooks Robinson
81 Paul Molitor 31 Eddie Mathews
80 Wade Boggs 30 Steve Carlton
79 Robin Yount 29 George Brett
78 Bill Terry 28 Tom Seaver
77 Hoyt Wilhelm 27 Ernie Banks
76 Rollie Fingers 26 Yogi Berra
75 Mordecai Brown 25 Grover Alexander
74 Dizzy Dean 24 Frank Robinson
73 Lou Brock 23 Tris Speaker
72 Frankie Frisch 22 Bob Feller
71 Paul Waner 21 Sandy Koufax
70 Pie Traynor 20 Roberto Clemente
69 Harmon Killebrew 19 Johnny Bench
68 Duke Snider 18 Cy Young
67 Reggie Jackson 17 Bob Gibson
66 Al Simmons 16 Mike Schmidt
65 Barry Bonds 15 Warren Spahn
64 Dennis Eckersley 14 Jimmie Foxx
63 Bill Dickey 13 Christy Mathewson
62 Willie McCovey 12 Mickey Mantle
61 Mark McGwire 11 Walter Johnson
60 Rickey Henderson 10 Honus Wagner
59 Al Kaline 9 Rogers Hornsby
58 Juan Marichal 8 Willie Mays
57 Jim Palmer 7 Ty Cobb
56 Ozzie Smith 6 Joe DiMaggio
55 George Sisler 5 Stan Musial
54 Whitey Ford 4 Hank Aaron
53 Ken Griffey, Jr. 3 Ted Williams
52 Joe Jackson 2 Lou Gehrig
51 Rod Carew 1 Babe Ruth
100 Greatest Players by SABR
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baseball almanac fast facts

Pie Traynor, listed at number seventy, was the first third baseman ever elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and he finished in the top ten for the National League Most Valuable Player Award six times.

Did you know that Addie Joss, the last placed pitcher (and ranked ninety-ninth overall), finished his Major League career with a lifetime earned run average of 1.89?

Compare their results to Sporting News and Total Baseball legendary lists for fun — would you have made different choices? Do you agree or disagree with these choices? Share your opinion on our message board.