Cooperstown locks, October heroes and steady everyday catchers all share a birth year here. The gap between first and fifth is a real argument.
1Miguel CabreraVenezuelan slugger who won the 2012 AL Triple Crown, AL MVP awards in 2012 and 2013, and finished with 3,174 hits and 511 home runs.1000pts
2José ReyesNew York Mets shortstop who led the NL in steals each year from 2005 to 2007, won the 2011 NL batting title and stole 517 career bases.789pts
3Justin VerlanderRight-hander who won the 2006 AL Rookie of the Year, the 2011 AL MVP, three AL Cy Young Awards and World Series titles with Houston in 2017 and 2022.752pts
4Jim JohnsonBaltimore Orioles closer who led the AL with 51 saves in 2012 and 50 saves in 2013.546pts
5Zack GreinkeRight-hander who won the 2009 AL Cy Young with Kansas City, led the NL with a 1.66 ERA in 2015 and won 225 career games.546pts
6Howie KendrickSecond baseman with a .294 career average who was named 2019 NLCS MVP and hit a go-ahead home run for Washington in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series.546pts
7Joey VottoCincinnati Reds first baseman from 2007 to 2023 who won the 2010 NL MVP and finished with 356 home runs and a .294 average.473pts
8Brett GardnerNew York Yankees outfielder from 2008 to 2021 who won the 2009 World Series, led the AL with 49 steals in 2011 and won a Gold Glove in 2016.473pts
9Charlie MortonRight-hander who won 147 games, made All-Star teams in 2018 and 2019 and won World Series titles with Houston in 2017 and Atlanta in 2021.473pts
10Dustin PedroiaBoston Red Sox second baseman who won the 2007 AL Rookie of the Year, the 2008 AL MVP and four Gold Gloves.473pts
11Kurt SuzukiCatcher who played 16 MLB seasons, made the 2014 All-Star team with Minnesota and won the 2019 World Series with Washington.473pts
12Nick MarkakisRight fielder with 2,388 career hits for the Orioles and Braves who won three Gold Gloves and made the 2018 All-Star team.473pts
13Kendrys MoralesCuban switch-hitter who hit 213 career home runs and won a Silver Slugger as designated hitter for the 2015 World Series champion Royals.473pts
14Hunter PenceOutfielder who made four All-Star teams and won the World Series with the San Francisco Giants in 2012 and 2014.473pts
15Francisco LirianoLeft-hander who made the 2006 AL All-Star team as a Twins rookie, threw a no-hitter in 2011 and won the 2017 World Series with Houston.473pts
16Cole HamelsLeft-hander who won 163 games and was named MVP of both the NLCS and the World Series when the Phillies won the 2008 title.473pts
17Geovany SotoChicago Cubs catcher who won the 2008 NL Rookie of the Year and made the All-Star team that same season.387pts
18Ryan BraunMilwaukee Brewers outfielder who won the 2007 NL Rookie of the Year and the 2011 NL MVP and hit 352 home runs, all for Milwaukee.387pts
19Huston StreetCloser who won the 2005 AL Rookie of the Year with Oakland and finished with 324 career saves.387pts
20Russell MartinCanadian catcher who made four All-Star teams and won both a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger with the Dodgers in 2007.387pts
21Hanley RamírezShortstop who won the 2006 NL Rookie of the Year with the Marlins and the 2009 NL batting title with a .342 average.387pts
22Sergio RomoReliever who won World Series titles with the San Francisco Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014 and made the 2013 All-Star team.387pts
23Joe MauerMinnesota Twins catcher and first baseman who won three AL batting titles and the 2009 AL MVP and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2024.284pts
24Edwin EncarnaciónDominican slugger who hit 424 career home runs and led the AL with 127 RBI for Toronto in 2016.284pts
25Jacoby EllsburyRed Sox center fielder who led the AL in steals three times, won World Series titles in 2007 and 2013 and finished second in the 2011 AL MVP vote.284pts
26Miguel MonteroCatcher who made two All-Star teams with Arizona and won the 2016 World Series with the Chicago Cubs.284pts
27David FreeseSt. Louis Cardinals third baseman who was named both NLCS MVP and World Series MVP in 2011 and hit a walk-off home run in Game 6 of that World Series.0pts
28Martín PradoVenezuelan infielder who made the 2010 NL All-Star team with Atlanta and hit .287 over 14 MLB seasons.0pts
29Edinson VólquezDominican right-hander who made the 2008 NL All-Star team with Cincinnati and won the 2015 World Series with Kansas City.0pts
Photo credits
- Miguel Cabrera — Cbl62, CC BY-SA 3.0
- José Reyes — Arturo Pardavila III from Hoboken, NJ, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Justin Verlander — Keith Allison on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Jim Johnson — UCinternational, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Zack Greinke — Arturo Pardavila III on Flickr, CC BY 2.0
- Howie Kendrick — All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Joey Votto — Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0
- Brett Gardner — Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Charlie Morton — Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Dustin Pedroia — Arturo Pardavila III from Hoboken, NJ, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Kurt Suzuki — Ian D'Andrea on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Nick Markakis — Keith Allison on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Kendrys Morales — Arturo Pardavila III from Hoboken, NJ, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Hunter Pence — Arturo Pardavila III on Flickr, CC BY 2.0
- Francisco Liriano — Keith Allison on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Cole Hamels — https://www.flickr.com/photos/mel_rowling/, CC BY 2.0
- Geovany Soto — Paul Kehrer on Flickr, CC BY 2.0
- Ryan Braun — Ian D'Andrea from Philadelphia, PA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Huston Street — UCinternational, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Russell Martin — Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Hanley Ramírez — Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sergio Romo — Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Joe Mauer — Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Edwin Encarnación — Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Jacoby Ellsbury — Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Miguel Montero — Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- David Freese — Keith Allison from Owings Mills, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Martín Prado — UCinternational, CC BY 2.0
- Edinson Vólquez — UCinternational, CC BY-SA 2.0
