Wrapping up the first 750 players on our list, we have a group that includes 10 men enshrined in Cooperstown. We also have an active player, two guys on the current ballot, and a bunch with a legitimate case for being in the Hall of Fame. There are a few very good lefties and a couple of 19th-century pitchers who packed a lot of innings in a short career. Plus, how can you not love a group that includes a king, the devil, the penguin, and a thunderbolt? Let's continue our journey through the top 1,000 MLB players of All Time.
Be sure to check out the rest of our series: MLB 976-1,000 | 951-975 | 926-950 | 901-925 | 876-900 |850-875 | 826-850 | 801-825 | 776-800 | 751-775 | 726-750 | 701-725 | 676-700 | 651-675 | 626-650 | 601-625 | 576-600 | 551-575 | 526-550 | 501-525 | 476-500 | 451-475 | 426-450 | 401-425 | 376-400 | 351-375 | 326-350 | 301-325 | 276-300
#275 - Bob Elliott - Third Base - 1939-1953
Not a name many people remember, but Elliott led the major leagues in RBIs in the 1940s. He was a six-time All-Star, finishing in the top 10 of MVP voting four times. Elliott won the award in 1947. In 1948, he led the league in walks with 131. He also had 23 homers and 100 RBIs. Elliott is one of nine players since 1948 to have 20 home runs, 100 RBIs, and 100 walks while maintaining a 2-to-1 BB/K rate. For his career, he slashed .289/.375/.440 averaging 98 RBIs per 162.
#274 - Kevin Appier - Right-Handed Pitcher - 1989-2004
Appier was the ace on some mediocre Kansas City Royals teams in the 90s. However, from 1990-1997, he was as good as anyone, winning 103 games with a 3.22 ERA (140 ERA+) and averaging 205 innings per year. He finished third in ROY voting in 1990 (he should've won it) and finished third in CYA voting in 1993 while leading the league with a 2.56 ERA. Appier struck out a career-high 207 in 1996.
#273 - Elmer Flick - Right Field - 1898-1910
Flick was a speedster in the outfield and a solid defender. His offense was also impressive at the turn of the century. He led the league with 110 RBIs in 1900 and then led the league three straight years in triples (1905-1907). Flick also led the league in stolen bases twice and batting once. He is 30th all-time in triples with 164. He finished with a slash of .313/.389/.445 (148 OPS+) averaging 18 triples and 36 stolen bases per 162. Flick was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1963 by the Veteran's Committee.
#272 - Brian Downing - Left Field/Catcher - 1973-1992
Downing was a light-hitting catcher until 1977 with the Chicago White Sox. He went to the California Angels in 1978, and the following year broke out. From 1979-1992, Downing slashed .273/.376/.448 (129 OPS+) averaging 22 home runs, 90 runs, and 82 RBIs per 162. He hit 20 home runs six times and scored 100 runs twice. He led the league in walks with 106 in 1987. Downing is the all-time leader in fielding percentage for left field at .995 making just seven errors in 735 games.
#271 - Bobby Mathews - Right-Handed Pitcher - 1871-1877, 1879, 1881-1887
On May 4, 1871, Mathews pitched and won what many consider the first major league baseball game. From 1872-1876, he won 146 games with a 2.56 ERA averaging 514 innings per year. Mathews led the league in strikeouts three years in a row and led the league with 625.2 innings pitched in 1875. After a few tumultuous years, Mathews bounced back in 1882 to win 109 games with a 2.77 ERA averaging 380 innings over the next four years.
#270 - Earl Averill - Centerfield - 1929-1941
Averill may not be a household name, but he was one of the best players in Cleveland's history. If there were a ROY award in 1929, he certainly would've won it slashing .332/.398/.538 (136 OPS+) with 18 home runs and 96 RBIs. From that season until 1936, Averill slashed .325/.398/.549 (138 OPS+) averaging 125 runs, 121 RBIs, and 26 homers per 162. In 1931, he set a franchise record with 140 runs. Averill finished in the top 4 of MVP voting three times. He is the franchise leader in runs (1,154) and triples (121). Averill was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975 by the Veteran's Committee.
Hack was a fixture at the hot corner for the Cubs from 1932-1947. He was a four-time All-Star and received MVP votes for eight consecutive years. He led the league twice in stolen bases and twice in hits and batted .300 six times. Hack was also an excellent defender. He led the league in putouts five times, assists twice, and fielding percentage twice. He is one of four third basemen (min. 1,500 games) with 2,000 hits, 1,000 walks, and a .300 average.
Mauer may have ended his career as a light-hitting first baseman, but he started out as one of the best catchers. From 2004-2013, he played 920 games behind the plate. During that time, he slashed .323/.405/.468 (135 OPS+) averaging 39 doubles and 87 RBIs per 162 while walking more than he struck out. Mauer won three batting titles, three Gold Gloves, and the MVP in 2009. He is one of three catchers (min. 100 games and 500 plate appearances) to hit .350 and his .365 average in 2009 is a record. Mauer was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024 by the BBWAA.
#267 - Enos Slaughter - Outfield - 1938-1942, 1946-1959
Slaughter was shaping up to be a star in the league before missing three prime years to WWII. The four seasons before that, he slashed .314/.386/.493 (138 OPS+) averaging 16 home runs and 97 RBIs per 162. He led the league in doubles, hits, and triples once each. Slaughter came back and from 1946-1952, he continued to hit. He slashed .304/.387/.453 (124 OPS+) averaging 12 homers and 107 RBIs per 162. He was a 10-time All-Star and finished top 3 in MVP three times. Slaughter was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985 by the Veteran's Committee.
#266 - Bob Caruthers - Right-Handed Pitcher - 1884-1892
Caruthers had a short career but stuffed a lot of pitching in those years. From 1885-1891, he was 209-87 with a 2.73 ERA (118 ERA+) averaging 378 innings per year. He led the league twice in wins with 40 victories in both 1885 and 1889. Caruthers also led the league in ERA with a 2.07 mark in 1885. His .688 winning percentage is second to Whitey Ford at .690 for the best ever (min. 200 wins). We can't ignore his hitting either. Between 1886 and 1887, Caruthers slashed .347/.456/.557 (182 OPS+) averaging 11 home runs, 117 RBIs, and 66 stolen bases per 162. He led the league in OPS in 1886 and for his career, he had a .791 OPS (134 OPS+) in 2,906 plate appearances.
#265 - Cole Hamels - Left-Handed Pitcher - 2006-2020
Hamels was one of the top left-handers in baseball for a decade. From 2007-2016, he won 127 games with a 3.27 ERA (126 ERA+) averaging 208 innings per year. He was a three-time All-Star and finished in the top 8 of CYA voting four times. In the 2008 postseason, Hamels went 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA in 35 innings and a 30/9 K/BB rate. He was the NLCS and World Series MVP that year helping the Philadelphia Phillies to their first championship in 28 years. He is one of 11 lefties in history to have 2,500 strikeouts.
#264 - Tony Perez - First Base/Third Base - 1964-1986
Perez was a key cog in the "Big Red Machine". From 1967-1975, he slashed .288/.353/.491 (137 OPS+) averaging 29 home runs and 110 RBIs per 162. He set career highs with 40 home runs and 129 RBIs in 1970 finishing third in MVP voting. Despite never leading the league in either category, Perez hit 20 home runs nine times and drove in 100 seven times. He finished his career with 1,652 RBIs (32nd), 2,732 hits (60th), and 505 doubles (61st). Perez was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000 by the BBWAA.
#263 - Mark Buehrle - Left-Handed Pitcher - 2000-2015
For 14 years from 2001-2014, Buehrle had at least 10 wins, threw 200 innings, and made 30 starts. He led the league twice in innings pitched and once in WHIP. He was a five-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner. In 2005, he finished fifth in CYA voting with 16 wins and a career-best 3.12 ERA. On July 23, 2009, Buehrle pitched a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays. He finished his career with 214 wins and a 3.81 ERA (117 ERA+).
#262 - Willie Keeler - Right Field - 1892-1910
"Hit 'em where they ain't" was his philosophy, and he did just that. Keeler had a .341 batting average for his career and only struck out 136 times. At his peak from 1894-1901, he slashed .378/.421/.472 (136 OPS+) averaging 172 runs, 263 hits, 17 triples, and only seven strikeouts per 162. He had 200 hits each season and led the league three times. Keeler batted .424 in 1897 with 239 hits. He is the only player with more triples than strikeouts in his career (min. 4,000 plate appearances). Keeler was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939 by the BBWAA.
#261 - Dwight Gooden - Right-Handed Pitcher - 1984-1994, 1996-2000
Anyone old enough to remember forty years ago certainly recalls the hype of Doctor K especially in the New York area. Gooden was 19 years old, won the ROY award, and finished second in CYA voting (he should have won). Gooden captured the triple crown the following year, winning the CYA and finishing fourth in MVP voting. He finished in the top 5 twice more and was a four-time All-Star. By the time he was 25, he had 100 wins and a 2.64 ERA. Gooden's 1.53 ERA in 1985 is the lowest since the mound was lowered after Gibson's 1.12.
#260 - Willie Wells - Shortstop - 1924-1939, 1942, 1945-1948
Although he was aided by a friendly home ballpark for a few years, Wells was one of the best all-around players in the Negro National League. His peak from 1926-1930 was ridiculous. During those five years, Wells slashed .374/.454/.665 (195 OPS+) averaging 39 home runs, 32 stolen bases, and 179 RBIs per 162. He won the Triple Crown in 1930, also leading the league in every offensive category except triples. Wells was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997 by the Veteran's Committee.
#259 - Jerry Koosman - Left-Handed Pitcher - 1967-1985
Koosman finished second in ROY voting in 1968 behind Johnny Bench. He won 19 games and had a 2.08 ERA. He followed that up with 17 wins and a 2.28 ERA while helping the Mets to a World Series title. He was 2-0 in that series and ended the series with a complete game in Game Five. Koosman tossed 200 innings 12 times and was runner-up in CYA voting in 1976 when he won 21 games with a 2.69 ERA and a career-high 200 strikeouts. He is the only left-hander in history with 3,500 innings, 2,500 strikeouts, and fewer than 300 home runs allowed.
Despite Rice not getting his 1,000th plate appearance until he was 29, he put together quite a career. He had over 200 hits six times leading the league twice. Rice had 10 consecutive years of double-digit triples leading the league with 18 in 1923. He batted .300 12 times and led the league with 63 steals in 1920. Although he slowed down a bit in his later years, he was an excellent defender in his prime. He led the league in assists four times and is sixth on the all-time list with 189 assists from right field. Rice was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1963 by the Veteran's Committee.
#257 - Tony Mullane - Right-Handed Pitcher - 1881-1884, 1896-1894
Mullane's first three full seasons were excellent. He won 101 games with a 2.22 ERA (142 ERA+) averaging 496 innings per year. He even had a .712 OPS (128 OPS+) in 1884 with 19 doubles. After a year off and a down season, Mullane bounced back in 1887. From that year to 1892, he won 124 games with a 2.93 ERA (123 ERA+) averaging 325 innings per year. He was valuable with the bat as well. From 1888-1890, Mullane had 742 plate appearances and racked up 16 triples, 55 stolen bases, and scored 121 runs while batting .275.
#256 - Jimmy Collins - Third Base - 1895-1908
Although he missed a few milestones, one hit shy of 2,000, 17 RBIs short of 1,000, six stolen bases short of 200, Collins was an excellent player. From 1897-1903, he slashed .314/.361/.448 (120 OPS+) averaging 21 stolen bases, 115 runs, and 111 RBIs per 162. He led the league in home runs in 1898 with 15. Collins played premier defense at third, leading the league in putouts five times, assists four times, and double plays three times. He had a .928 career fielding percentage when the league average was .907. Collins was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1945 by the Old Timer's Committee.
For a stretch from 1975-1981, Cey was probably the best third baseman in the National League not named Mike Schmidt. During that time, he slashed .269/.369/.465 (133 OPS+) averaging 27 home runs and 94 RBIs per 162. He was a six-time All-Star and despite not winning a Gold Glove because of the aforementioned Schmidt, Cey was an excellent fielder. He led the league twice in fielding percentage and is 15th in games played at third (1,989) and 12th in assists (4,018). In 1981, he was the World Series MVP going 7-for-20 with a homer and six RBIs.
From 1960-1971, Cash slashed .275/.379/.497 (142 OPS+) averaging 31 home runs and 93 RBIs per 162. He had a historic season in 1961 leading the league with 193 hits and a .361 batting average. Cash also blasted 41 homers and drove in 132. He is one of four first basemen, and the last in the AL, to bat .350 with 40 home runs and 130 RBIs. In 1968, he helped the Tigers win the World Series going 10-for-26 with a home run and five RBIs. Cash hit 20 home runs 11 times and was a five-time All-Star.
#253 - Felix Hernandez - Right-Handed Pitcher - 2005-2019
Unfortunately, we didn't get to see Hernandez into his late 30s as he hung up the cleats at 33. However, he was a workhorse in this era starting 30 games and tossing 190 innings 10 years in a row. The bulk of his success was at a great peak from 2009-2015. During that time, he won 86 games with a 2.73 ERA (141 ERA+) averaging 226 strikeouts in 232 innings. Hernandez won the 2010 CYA and finished runner-up two other times. He led the league in wins in 2009 and ERA twice (2010,2014). Since 2000, he is one of six pitchers with 2,500 strikeouts and a sub-3.50 ERA.
#252 - Jose Altuve - Second Base - 2011-present
Altuve has been the best second baseman in baseball over the last 12 years. He had a ridiculous four-year stretch from 2014 to 2017. Altuve slashed .334/.384/.496 (144 OPS+) averaging 18 home runs and 40 stolen bases per 162. He led the league each season in hits and won three batting titles. His career average of .306 is the best among active players. Altuve won a Gold Glove in 2015 and the MVP award in 2017. He was a nine-time All-Star and won seven Silver Sluggers. He is one of six players with a .340 average, 225 hits, and 50 stolen bases in a season. He and Ichiro are the only two to do it in the last 100 years.
#251 - Amos Rusie - Right-Handed Pitcher - 1889-1895, 1897-1898, 1901
"The Hoosier Thunderbolt" was the 19th-century version of Nolan Ryan. Rusie led the league in strikeouts five times and walks five times. For eight seasons from 1890-1898 (he missed 1896), he won 234 games with a 2.89 ERA (137 ERA+) while striking out 229 and walking 199 in 441 innings per year. Rusie led the league in ERA twice and won the pitching Triple Crown in 1894. His 289 walks in 1890 are still a record. However, his 341 strikeouts that same year have only been matched by five pitchers since and is still the NL record by a right-hander. Rusie was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977 by the Veteran's Committee.
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