Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league played by 30 teams. This is split into two leagues, where 15 form part of the American League (AL) and the other 15 form part of the National League (NL). Each of these leagues is then further divided into three divisions, also known as the East, Central and West Divisions.
There’s a lot of action going on in this competition, with each team playing 162 games per season across six months. Additionally, there’s a lot of talent in the competition. Currently, players like Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, and Mookie Betts are performing exceptionally in the league, with punters betting on them without thinking twice.
However, before today’s brilliant players came several Baseball legends. Today, we will talk about seven of the best baseball players in MLB history. Let’s get started.
Babe Ruth
Born in February 1895, George Herman “Babe” Ruth Jr. was an American baseball player that played 22 seasons in the MLB. During his career, he broke several records, including most total bases in a season and the highest slugging percentage.
The pitcher started his Major League Baseball career in Boston and won three championships before moving to the New York Yankees. In 1927, he had hit 60 home runs in a season, a record that stood for 34 years.
Willie Mays
Nicknamed “Buck,” Willie Mays is one of the greatest players to ever play in the MLB. Born in 1931, the centerfielder made his first appearance in the league in 1951 when the San Francisco Giants signed him.
Before establishing himself as a hitter, Mays was famous for his spectacular leaping and diving catches. A notable one was that against the Cleveland Indians in the World Series, where he caught the ball at an estimated 460 feet from the plate. Mays hit 660 home runs, 10,924 at-bats, and .555% slugging throughout his career.
Walter Johnson
Next on the list is Walter Johnson, nicknamed “Barney.” He was an American baseball player who played his entire 21-year career in the MLB and was renowned as the power pitcher of his era. Johnson played his entire professional baseball career with the Washington Senators and earned a 2.17 run average, 3,508 strikeouts, and 110 shutouts.
Hank Aaron
Born in February 1934, Hank Aaron is a notable right fielder who played for the Milwaukee Braves. He was famous for his ability to hit home runs. Throughout the 23 seasons of his MLB career, the baseballer hit as many as 755 home runs. He won the Gold Glove Awards three times and had 2,297 career runs batted in.
Barry Bonds
Another top player in MLB history is Barry Bonds. Born in 1964, he played 22 seasons in the league, starting his career at Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986. Here, he was known for his hitting prowess, with a bat whipping speed of about 5 to 10 miles per hour. The kind of speed you imagine seeing from a Formula 1 car, or the symbols spinning from a slots game like the Reactoonz slot.
However, the left fielder later moved to San Francisco Giants, completing his career in 2007. Barry won 12 Silver Slugger awards, nine NL MVP awards, 14 All-Star selections, and still holds the record for the most home runs in MLB history – 762.
Ted Williams
This American baseballer also has his name in the MLB Hall of Fame. Ted Williams was born in 1918 and played 19 years in the MLB. Several things make the left fielder popular, including his ability to hit. He played his entire major baseball games for Boston Red Sox. Willams has a total of 2,654 hits and 521 home runs.
Ty Cobb
Nicknamed “The Georgia Peach,” Ty Cobb was a centerfielder in the MLB during his 22 seasons career. He was known for his aggressive base running style and was credited with setting several records. As a baseballer, Cobb started his career in the MLB playing for the Detroit Tigers, where he won the AL MVP, Triple Crown, and AL Home Run Leader. By the end of his career, he had 4,189 hits and 117 home runs.
Conclusion
We’ve talked about seven of the greatest players in the MLB. These players have won numerous titles and set records during their time. From Babe Ruth to Ty Cobb, each player proved to be at the top of their game and was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame. Apart from these players, who else do you think is noteworthy to mention?
