The Sporting News 100 Greatest MLB Players

The Sporting News 100 Greatest MLB Players

In 1999, The Sporting News compiled this list of the greatest players to ever play baseball. Selections and voting were made by twelve editors from The Sporting News. A book (with the foreword written by baseball great Willie Mays) and a television special were created from this list.

RankPlayerPosition 
1 Babe Ruth Babe RuthOutfield / Pitcher 
2 Willie Mays Willie MaysOutfield 
3 Ty Cobb Ty CobbOutfield 
4 Walter Johnson Walter JohnsonPitcher 
5 Hank Aaron Hank AaronOutfield 
6 Lou Gehrig Lou GehrigFirst Base 
7 Christy Mathewson Christy MathewsonPitcher 
8 Ted Williams Ted WilliamsOutfield 
9 Rogers Hornsby Rogers HornsbySecond Base 
10 Stan Musial Stan MusialOutfield / First Base 
11 Joe DiMaggio Joe DiMaggioOutfield 
12 Grover Cleveland Alexander Grover Cleveland AlexanderPitcher 
13 Honus Wagner Honus WagnerShortstop 
14 Cy Young Cy YoungPitcher 
15 Jimmie Foxx Jimmie FoxxFirst Base 
16 Johnny Bench Johnny BenchCatcher 
17 Mickey Mantle Mickey MantleOutfield / First Base 
18 Josh Gibson Josh GibsonCatcher 
19 Satchel Paige Satchel PaigePitcher 
20 Roberto Clemente Roberto ClementeOutfield 
21 Warren Spahn Warren SpahnPitcher 
22 Frank Robinson Frank RobinsonOutfield 
23 Lefty Grove Lefty GrovePitcher 
24 Eddie Collins Eddie CollinsSecond Base 
25 Pete Rose Pete RoseOutfield / Third Base / Second Base / First Base 
26 Sandy Koufax Sandy KoufaxPitcher 
27 Tris Speaker Tris SpeakerOutfield 
28 Mike Schmidt Mike SchmidtThird Base 
29 Nap Lajoie Nap LajoieSecond Base 
30 Steve Carlton Steve CarltonPitcher 
31 Bob Gibson Bob GibsonPitcher 
32 Tom Seaver Tom SeaverPitcher 
33 George Sisler George SislerFirst Base 
34 Barry Bonds Barry BondsOutfield 
35 Joe Jackson Joe JacksonOutfield 
36 Bob Feller Bob FellerPitcher 
37 Hank Greenberg Hank GreenbergFirst Base 
38 Ernie Banks Ernie BanksShortstop / First Base 
39 Greg Maddux Greg MadduxPitcher 
40 Yogi Berra Yogi BerraCatcher 
41 Nolan Ryan Nolan RyanPitcher 
42 Mel Ott Mel OttOutfield 
43 Al Simmons Al SimmonsOutfield 
44 Jackie Robinson Jackie RobinsonSecond Base 
45 Carl Hubbell Carl HubbellPitcher 
46 Charlie Gehringer Charlie GehringerSecond Base 
47 Buck Leonard Buck LeonardFirst Base 
48 Reggie Jackson Reggie JacksonOutfield 
49 Tony Gwynn Tony GwynnOutfield 
50 Roy Campanella Roy CampanellaCatcher 
51 Rickey Henderson Rickey HendersonOutfield 
52 Whitey Ford Whitey FordPitcher 
53 Roger Clemens Roger ClemensPitcher 
54 Harry Heilmann Harry HeilmannOutfield / First Base 
55 George Brett George BrettThird Base 
56 Willie McCovey Willie McCoveyFirst Base 
57 Bill Dickey Bill DickeyCatcher 
58 Lou Brock Lou BrockOutfield 
59 Bill Terry Bill TerryFirst Base 
60 Joe Morgan Joe MorganSecond Base 
61 Rod Carew Rod CarewFirst Base / Second Base 
62 Paul Waner Paul WanerOutfield 
63 Eddie Mathews Eddie MathewsThird Base 
64 Jim Palmer Jim PalmerPitcher 
65 Mickey Cochrane Mickey CochraneCatcher 
66 Cool Papa Bell Cool Papa BellPitcher / Outfield 
67 Oscar Charleston Oscar CharlestonOutfield 
68 Eddie Plank Eddie PlankPitcher 
69 Harmon Killebrew Harmon KillebrewFirst Base 
70 Pie Traynor Pie TraynorThird Base 
71 Juan Marichal Juan MarichalPitcher 
72 Carl Yastrzemski Carl YastrzemskiOutfield 
73 Lefty Gómez Lefty GómezPitcher 
74 Robin Roberts Robin RobertsPitcher 
75 Willie Keeler Willie KeelerOutfield 
76 Al Kaline Al KalineOutfield 
77 Eddie Murray Eddie MurrayFirst Base 
78 Cal Ripken, Jr. Cal Ripken, Jr.Shortstop / Third Base 
79 Joe Medwick Joe MedwickOutfield 
80 Brooks Robinson Brooks RobinsonThird Base 
81 Willie Stargell Willie StargellOutfield / First Base 
82 Ed Walsh Ed WalshPitcher 
83 Duke Snider Duke SniderOutfield 
84 Sam Crawford Sam CrawfordOutfield 
85 Dizzy Dean Dizzy DeanPitcher 
86 Kirby Puckett Kirby PuckettOutfield 
87 Ozzie Smith Ozzie SmithShortstop 
88 Frankie Frisch Frankie FrischSecond Base 
89 Goose Goslin Goose GoslinOutfield 
90 Ralph Kiner Ralph KinerOutfield 
91 Mark McGwire Mark McGwireFirst Base 
92 Chuck Klein Chuck KleinOutfield 
93 Ken Griffey, Jr. Ken Griffey, Jr.Outfield 
94 Dave Winfield Dave WinfieldOutfield 
95 Wade Boggs Wade BoggsThird Base 
96 Rollie Fingers Rollie FingersPitcher 
97 Gaylord Perry Gaylord PerryPitcher 
98 Dennis Eckersley Dennis EckersleyPitcher 
99 Paul Molitor Paul MolitorDesignated Hitter / Shortstop / Second Base 
100 Early Wynn Early WynnPitcher 
Information Provided by The Sporting News
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