Who are statistically the top 5 hitters in MLB history?
The MLB has been around for over 100 years, and throughout that period, has seen some amazing hitters.
From the likes of Mike Trout, to Ted Williams, spectators have become accustomed to seeing excellence on baseball fields from across the United States and Canada. However, in terms of statistics, which hitters are statistically the best in MLB history? Let's take a look at five of the best in terms of stats:
#5 Hank Aaron
- Career WAR (Hitter): 132.6
There can't be a discussion about the best statistical hitters without the former home run king Hank Aaron.
The late Braves icon sits fifth all-time in career Offensive Wins Above Replacement in a career that saw him hit 755 home runs. Aaron broke the all-time home run record in 1974 and stood on top of the list till 2007.
Throughout his MLB career, Aaron amassed 3,771 career hits (3rd all-time), and still remains the all-time leader in total bases (6,856) and runs batted in (2,997). In terms of longevity and cumulative achievements, not many players in Major League Baseball history can hold a candle to Hank Aaron.
#4 Stan Musial
- Career WAR (Hitting): 128.6
Stan "The Man" Musial was a hitting machine across his over 20-year career in the Majors. Musial is one of just five players in MLB history to amass over 3,500 career hits. His 3,630 career hits ranks fourth all time among all players who played in the Majors. Musial also knocked 475 career home runs and led the National League in batting average seven times throughout his pro career.
Musial's totals were even more impressive when taking into account that the Cardinals legend missed all of 1945. Musial served in the military for the United States that year, which came after a 1944 campaign in which he led the NL in total hits.
#3 Ty Cobb
- Career WAR (Hitter): 151.7
Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936, Cobb was arguably the best pure hitter of the early 1900s.
Cobb is second all time in career WAR as a hitter in MLB, thanks to his innate ability to smack balls with relative ease. "The Georgia Peach" is the all-time leader in career batting average (.366), and was one of just two players in MLB history to record more than 4,000 hits. The only other player to hit that mark is Pete Rose, who broke Cobb's all-time hit record (4,189) in 1985.
Cobb was not a power hitter by any stretch, as the Tigers legend only hit 117 home runs throughout his career. Yet, Cobb drove in 1,944 runs in his career, which ranks him ninth all time in cumulative RBIs.
#2 Babe Ruth
- Career WAR (Batting): 155.0
George Herman Ruth, or simply known as "The Babe," may not have faced the pitching of today, but his career totals can't be undervalued in the least. Ruth's 714 home runs rank third-all time, just behind Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds. That number is remarkable, especially since Ruth put up that total at a time that saw very few home run hitters. Ruth also sits second all time in RBIs (2,213).
While we don't know how hard Ruth hit baseballs during his time with the Yankees and Red Sox, some advanced statistics also show how great "The Babe" was at the plate. Ruth is also the all-time MLB leader in slugging percentage (.690) and OPS (1.164).
#1 Barry Bonds
- Career WAR: 143.6
Barry Bonds' career has been controversial, to say the least, but some of the records he put up in his career will be next to near impossible to eclipse.
Bonds recorded 762 career home runs throughout his MLB career, smashing Hank Aaron's previous all-time home run record. Bonds also sits in the top five in various other advanced analytics, including fifth in career OBP (.444), fifth in SLG (.607) and fourth in career OPS (1.051).
However, Bonds has been suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) in his career.
While he was never suspended for PEDs, nor did he test positive, the suspicion that the Giants legend's name appears on the Mitchell Report has not gone away. Bonds was on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for ten years following his career, but the BBWAA did not give Bonds the 75% vote needed to elect him to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
All WAR figures are from Baseball Reference.