You Pick BestYouPickBest

The 21 Greatest MLB Pitchers of All Time

By YPB Team

Dead Ball Era legends, strikeout kings, and dominant aces of the modern era all make the cut — spanning over a century of the art of the pitch. Which arm stands alone?

  1. Nolan Ryan — ranked #11
    Nolan Ryan
    The Ryan Express — seven no-hitters and 5,714 career strikeouts, the all-time record holder.
    1000pts
  2. Cy Young — ranked #22
    Cy Young
    The namesake of pitching's highest award — 511 career wins, the all-time record that will never be broken.
    795pts
  3. Lefty Grove — ranked #33
    Lefty Grove
    A 300-141 career record with a 3.06 ERA — the most dominant pitcher of the 1920s and 30s.
    702pts
  4. Warren Spahn — ranked #44
    Warren Spahn
    The winningest left-hander in history — 363 victories spanning four decades, including service in World War II.
    636pts
  5. Randy Johnson — ranked #55
    Randy Johnson
    The Big Unit — 4,875 career strikeouts and five Cy Young Awards, one of the most overpowering left-handers ever.
    636pts
  6. Walter Johnson — ranked #66
    Walter Johnson
    The Big Train — 417 wins and 110 career shutouts, the dominant force of the Dead Ball Era.
    537pts
  7. Jim Palmer — ranked #77
    Jim Palmer
    Three Cy Young Awards and never allowed a grand slam — the anchor of the Baltimore Orioles dynasty.
    537pts
  8. Clayton Kershaw — ranked #88
    Clayton Kershaw
    Three-time Cy Young winner and the best left-handed pitcher of his generation, a Dodgers franchise icon.
    537pts
  9. Sandy Koufax — ranked #99
    Sandy Koufax
    Three consecutive Cy Young Awards in the 1960s, Koufax's dominance over a six-year peak has never been matched.
    537pts
  10. Tom Seaver — ranked #1010
    Tom Seaver
    Tom Terrific — led the Miracle Mets to the 1969 World Series and finished with 311 wins and a 2.86 ERA.
    454pts
  11. Satchel Paige — ranked #1111
    Satchel Paige
    The ageless Negro Leagues legend who dominated for decades before MLB integration and defied age to pitch into his 50s.
    353pts
  12. Whitey Ford — ranked #1212
    Whitey Ford
    The Chairman of the Board — the best winning percentage (.690) of any 200-win pitcher in history.
    353pts
  13. Bob Feller — ranked #1313
    Bob Feller
    Rapid Robert — 266 wins and three no-hitters, achieved despite losing four prime seasons to WWII military service.
    353pts
  14. Max Scherzer — ranked #1414
    Max Scherzer
    Mad Max — three Cy Young Awards and two no-hitters in a single season, one of the fiercest competitors in modern baseball.
    353pts
  15. Justin Verlander — ranked #1515
    Justin Verlander
    Three Cy Young Awards across three different teams, still pitching at elite level into his 40s.
    227pts
  16. Bob Gibson — ranked #1616
    Bob Gibson
    Gibby — his 1968 ERA of 1.12 prompted the lowering of the mound, symbolising how untouchable he was.
    227pts
  17. Pedro Martinez — ranked #1717
    Pedro Martinez
    Three Cy Young Awards and a 2.93 career ERA — his seasons with Boston in the steroid era were virtually untouchable.
    65pts
  18. Steve Carlton — ranked #1818
    Steve Carlton
    Four-time Cy Young winner who compiled 241 of his 329 wins on losing Phillies teams — carrying a franchise alone.
    65pts
  19. Greg Maddux — ranked #1919
    Greg Maddux
    Four straight Cy Young Awards and 18 Gold Gloves — the most cerebral pitcher in baseball history.
    1pts
  20. Christy Mathewson — ranked #2020
    Christy Mathewson
    Deadball Era legend who threw three consecutive shutouts in the 1905 World Series without allowing a single run.
    1pts
  21. Roger Clemens — ranked #2121
    Roger Clemens
    The Rocket — 354 wins and a record seven Cy Young Awards across a legendary 24-year career.
    1pts

#usa305#sports636#baseball24#players565

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first!

Make your own rankingAny question with 2–50 answers. AI fills in options and pictures in a minute.Create →Add rankings to your siteEmbed any ranking. Your readers vote right on your page.How it works →