The Baseball Scholar

Updated 11/16/2025

Rankings based on seasons 1901 – 2021.

Eligibility for position players requires 1,500 plate appearances, starting pitchers require 75 games started, and relief pitchers require 300 innings pitched.

1. Hank Aaron



• Age: 20 – 40
• Years: 1954 – 1974
• Position(s): RF, LF, CF, 1B

Hank Aaron

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
142.6	156	3076	13089	11628	2107	3600	600	96	733	2202	240	1297	1294	.310	.376	.566	.943

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2. Eddie Mathews



• Age: 20 – 34
• Years: 1952 – 1966
• Position(s): 3B, LF

Eddie Mathews

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
94.0	145	2223	9533	8049	1452	2201	338	70	493	1388	66	1376	1387	.273	.377	.516	.894

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3. Phil Niekro



• Age: 25 – 44, 48
• Years: 1964 – 1983, 1987
• Position(s): SP

Phil Niekro

WAR	ERA-	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO %	WHIP
89.6	84	740	595	268	230	3.20	4622.2	226	43	29	1922	1645	1458	2912	15.1%	1.23

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4. Chipper Jones



• Age: 21, 23 – 40
• Years: 1993, 1995 – 2012
• Position(s): 3B, LF

Chipper Jones

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
85.3	141	2499	10614	8984	1619	2726	549	38	468	1623	150	1512	1409	.303	.400	.529	.930

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5. Greg Maddux



• Age: 27 – 37
• Years: 1993 – 2003
• Position(s): SP

Greg Maddux

WAR	ERA-	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO %	WHIP
66.2	61	363	363	194	88	2.63	2526.2	61	21	0	845	739	383	1828	18.1%	1.05

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6. Warren Spahn



• Age: 21, 25 – 43
• Years: 1942, 1946 – 1964
• Position(s): SP

Warren Spahn

WAR	ERA-	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO %	WHIP
91.8	83	714	635	356	229	3.05	5046	374	63	29	1912	1710	1378	2493	12.0%	1.19

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7. Andruw Jones



• Age: 19 – 30
• Years: 1996 – 2007
• Position(s): CF, RF

Andruw Jones

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
61.0	114	1761	7276	6408	1045	1683	330	34	368	1117	138	717	1394	.263	.341	.497	.838

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8. John Smoltz



• Age: 21 – 32, 34 – 41
• Years: 1988 – 1999, 2001 – 2008
• Position(s): SP, RP

John Smoltz

WAR	ERA-	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO %	WHIP
66.9	79	708	466	210	147	3.26	3395	53	16	154	1336	1229	992	3011	21.6%	1.17

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9. Tom Glavine



• Age: 21 – 36, 42
• Years: 1987 – 2002, 2008
• Position(s): SP

Tom Glavine

WAR	ERA-	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO %	WHIP
58.6	83	518	518	244	147	3.41	3408	52	22	0	1428	1291	1177	2091	14.6%	1.30

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10. Dale Murphy



• Age: 20 – 34
• Years: 1976 – 1990
• Position(s): CF, RF, 1B, LF, C

Dale Murphy

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
47.3	123	1926	8094	7098	1103	1901	306	37	371	1143	160	912	1581	.268	.351	.478	.829

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11. Freddie Freeman



• Age: 20 – 31
• Years: 2010 – 2021
• Position(s): 1B

Freddie Freeman

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
43.1	138	1565	6660	5767	969	1704	367	25	271	941	53	776	1312	.295	.384	.509	.893

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12. Wally Berger



• Age: 24 – 31
• Years: 1930 – 1937
• Position(s): CF, LF

Wally Berger

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
36.6	139	1057	4549	4153	651	1263	248	52	199	746	29	346	544	.304	.359	.532	.892

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13. Ronald Acuna, JrActive



• Age: 20 – 27
• Years: 2018 – 2025
• Position(s): RF, CF, LF

Ronald Acuna, Jr

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
28.6	143	817	3666	3156	655	913	157	13	186	459	205	439	821	.289	.384	.524	.908

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14. Joe Torre



• Age: 19 – 27
• Years: 1960 – 1968
• Position(s): C, 1B

Joe Torre

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
33.2	131	1037	4099	3700	470	1087	154	21	142	552	10	334	518	.294	.355	.461	.817

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15. Tommy Holmes



• Age: 25 – 34
• Years: 1942 – 1951
• Position(s): RF, CF

Tommy Holmes

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
36.1	123	1289	5525	4956	696	1503	291	47	88	580	40	476	118	.303	.362	.434	.796

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16. Bob Elliott



• Age: 30 – 34
• Years: 1947 – 1951
• Position(s): 3B

Bob Elliott

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
25.9	139	718	3047	2588	436	763	145	22	101	466	13	441	278	.295	.396	.484	.881

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17. Rico Carty



• Age: 23 – 27, 29 – 30, 32
• Years: 1963 – 1967, 1969 – 1970, 1972
• Position(s): LF

Rico Carty

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
23.2	144	829	3098	2746	385	871	137	14	109	451	11	322	375	.317	.387	.496	.884

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18. Vic Willis



• Age: 22 – 29
• Years: 1898 – 1905
• Position(s): SP

Vic Willis

WAR	ERA-	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO %	WHIP
28.2	90	206	197	89	109	2.70	1685.1	182	18	3	730	505	483	828		1.23

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19. David Justice



• Age: 23 – 30
• Years: 1989 – 1996
• Position(s): RF, 1B

David Justice

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
24.3	133	817	3349	2858	475	786	127	16	160	522	33	452	492	.275	.373	.498	.872

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20. Matt OlsonActive



• Age: 28 – 31
• Years: 2022 – 2025
• Position(s): 1B

Matt Olson

WAR	wRC+	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
20.7	134	648	2828	2448	389	638	149	6	146	435	2	341	683	.261	.354	.505	.859

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