Who is the GOAT of baseball? Find out the best player to ever play the game

Who is the GOAT of baseball? Find out the best player to ever play the game

Sospeter Itolondo
June 7, 2023 at 3:29 PM

Every sport usually has outstanding athletes that stand out above the rest. Sports GOATs are described by longevity, awards, providing special moments and leadership. Who is the GOAT of baseball?

Who is the goat of baseball all time?
Walter Johnson in 1924(Bottom right), Aaron Hank in 1998(Top right) and Ty Cobb in 1927(Left). Photo: Mark Rucker(Left), Jonathan Kirn(Top right) and Betttman(Bottom right)(Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Baseball has been home to great athletes such as Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Barry Bonds, and Ty Cobb. They have broken records and show their quality on the pitch, superseding expectations.

Who is the GOAT of baseball of all time?

The game has outstanding athletes, such as Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Lou Gehrig, who have impressed the world. Here are some other outstanding names in the game's history, all considered GOATS of baseball:

10. Walter Johnson

Johnson was nicknamed "Big Train" and was one of the best pitchers the game had ever seen. The star has a record of 110 shutouts that are difficult to match. Walter had a 2.17 ERA, 5914.3 innings and a 164.8 WAR.

Who is the goat of baseball?
Walter Johnson poses for a photo during a game against the New York Americans on 12th April 1916. Photo: Bettman
Source: Getty Images

The starting pitcher was known as the hardest thrower, with Ping Bodue describing his throw as,

"You can't hit what you can't see."

Johnson competed in 531 games, winning 417 of them. He also won the MVP Award once in 1913.

9. Lou Gehrig

The Yankees star played as a first base from 1923 to 1939. During his time, he had a .340 batting average, 493 home runs, 1995 RBI, 2721 hits and a 113.7 WAR. A disease was named after him after he bravely faced it before it finally took him.

who is the goat of Major League Baseball
New York Yankee Lou Gehrig photographed during practice. Photo: William Greene
Source: Getty Images

The star's intense abilities had him nicknamed "The Iron Horse". One highlight of his career is his .300 batting average for 12 straight seasons while leading the RBI five times.

8. Mickey Mantle

Mickey played for the New York Yankees between 1951 and 1968. The centre fielder retired with a .298 batting average. He made 536 home runs, 2415 hits, and a 110.2 WAR in his career.

who is the current goat of baseball
New York Yankee slugger Mickey Mantle holds a baseball marked '1000' to indicate that he got his 1000th hit in Washington DC on July 5th 1957. Photo: Bettman. Photo:
Source: Getty Images

The star won one Tripple Crown and three MVP Awards. He holds the record for the most home runs in a World Series, having garnered 18 home runs in the competition. The centre fielder won back-to-back AL MVP Awards. Mickey's main attributes include hitting power, runs, fields and throws.

7. Ken Griffey Jr.

His father played a huge role in the star, making himself memorable. Ken is known for one of the best swings in the game. Despite injuries shortening his career, Griffey Jr garnered 2781 hits, 630 home runs, 1836 RBS and 184 steals.

Who has the most hits in MLB?
Ken Griffey Jr. is seen on the field prior to the 2023 World Baseball Classic Quarterfinal game between Team USA and Team Venezuela at loanDepot Park on Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Miami, Florida. Photo: Daniel Shirey
Source: Getty Images

He played for the Seattle Mariner from 1989 to 1999 and 2009 to 2010, the Cincinnati Reds from 2000 to 2008 and the Chicago White Sox in 2008. The centerfield retired with a .284 batting average.

6. Ted Williams

The star was a one-team man who played for the Boston Red Sox from 1939 to 1942 and then from 1946 to 1960. His 0.344 batting average was one of the best in the game. Ted had a 122.2 WAR and made 521 home runs while having 1839 RBI.

Who has the best stats in baseball history?
Outfielder Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox poses for an action portrait during Spring Training in March 1950 in Sarasota, Florida. Photo: Diamond Images
Source: Getty Images

The left fielder was considered one of the best, if not the best pure hitter in the League's history. Williams was an all-star for 19 seasons, winning two Tripple Crowns and two MVP Awards. The gap in his career was due to taking part in the military during the World War.

5. Ty Cobb

With a .366 batting average, Ty Cobb comes in 5th. The centerfielder played for the Detroit Tigers between 1905 and 1926 and Philadelphia Athletics between 1927 and 1928. The star also made 4189 hits, 117 home runs and 1944 RBI.

Who is considered the goat of baseball?
Ty Cobb(L) is surrounded by some Congressional fans at Griffith Stadium in Washington and looks over their gifts before a game in 1923. Photo: Mark Rucker
Source: Getty Images

He has the record for the highest hitting average, as he was a beast during his early days. At the peak of his career, he won an MVP title and a Triple Crown.

4. Barry Bonds

Barry played for the Pittsburgh Pirates between 1986 and 1992 and the San Francisco Giants between 1993 and 2007. The fielder had a .298 batting average, having made 2935 hits, 762 home runs and 1996 RBIs.

The star's career was cut short due to PED issues, with many speculating that he would have made more than 3000 hits and 800 home runs. He was one of the most complete players in the League.

Who is the strikeout king?
Barry Bonds looks on during a ceremony after the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park on September 2019 in San Francisco, California. Photo: Lachlan Cunningham
Source: Getty Images

3. Hank Aaron

The star played as a right fielder for the Indianapolis Clowns in 1951 before moving to the Atlanta Braves in 1954 and staying until 1974. He then played for the Milwaukee Brewers from 1975 to 1976. He had a 0.305 batting, 755 home runs, 2297 RBI and a 143.1 WAR.

Who has never hit a home run?
Hank Aaron poses for a photo while playing for the Atlanta Braves baseball team. Photo: Bettman
Source: Getty Images

Aaron was regarded as one of the greatest hitters even though he was not among the traditional home-run hitters. His 2297 RBI is a record that may never be broken. The star's stats led him to 25 all-star selections, a record, three-time Golden Glove wins, two NL batting Championships and four home run leader rankings.

2. Willie Mays

The centre fielder played for the Birmingham Black Barons from 1948 to 1951 when he joined the New York Mets from 1951 to 1952. He plaid for the San Francisco Giants between 1954 and 1972 before joining the New York Mets from 1972 to 1973. In his career, Willie had a 0.301 batting average, with his highest coming up in his last stint at the Mets.

Who is the goat of baseball right now?
Willie Mays of the New York Giants. Waist-up photograph with hands on his hips in March 1955. Photo: Bettman
Source: Getty Images

The star also had 660 home runs, 1909 RBI, and a 156.1 WAR rating. One award the star won was 12 Gold Gloves, and he was named to the All-star teams 24 times. Willie was named Rookie of the Year in 1951 and won 2 MVP awards.

1. Babe Ruth

So, who would be considered the GOAT of baseball? Babe Ruth, known as "The Sultan of Swat" and "The Great Bambino", takes the sport as the ultimate best. The star played for the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees between 1914 and 1935.

Who is the goat of baseball all time?
Babe Ruth on the field in his Boston Red Sox uniform in 1919 in New York. Photo: Library of Congress
Source: Getty Images

Babe held the record of the most home runs for a long time at 714 before it was finally broken by Henry Aaron in 1974. He had 2873 hits, 714 home runs, 2214 RBIs, and 123 steals in his career. The star also had a 2.28 ERA and 448 strikeouts.

Who is considered the goat of baseball?
Babe Ruth on the field in his Boston Red Sox uniform in 1919 in New York. Photo: Library of Congress
Source: Getty Images

The Sultan of Swat won seven World Series Championships and made two all-star appearances, winning one MVP Award. He was one of the highest-paid baseball players at one time. Babe Ruth is undoubtedly the answer when the question of who the GOAT of Major League Baseball is.

Who is the GOAT of baseball right now in 2023?

Shohei Ohtani is the best player in baseball. The star has been performing at a high level for the last two seasons on his way to earning a second AL MVP Award. Ohtani plays for the Los Angeles Angels DH as a pitcher. The 6'4" starting and relief pitcher has had a.400 average, 3.23 ERA, 71 strikeouts and a 0.91 whip average in 2023, proving who is the current GOAT of baseball.

Is Jeter the GOAT?

Jeter is one the best players in MLB history and has the stats to back him up. He also made history playing with one of the best teams in the game, the New York Yankees. The star received praise from basketball legend Michael Jordan for his abilities.

Is Jeter the goat?
Michael Jordan looks on as Derek Jeter makes a speech at his retirement ceremony at Yankee Stadium in New York on September 7, 2014. Photo: Kyodo News
Source: Getty Images

The basketball star had this to say about Jeter,

"I appreciate him as a competitor. He wanted no faults in his game. To me, that's a champion. Willing to look at himself and say, 'How could I be better? How can I inspire other players?' Derek always had that mentality."

When he was active, the Yankees star won five World Series Championships, made 14 all-star appearances and won one MVP Award, making a solid case for him in the baseball goat debate.

Who has the most hits in MLB?

Pete Rose has the most hits in the MLB. The star leads the list with 4256 hits in his career. He is followed closely by Ty Cobb, who had 4189 hits.

Who has the best stats in baseball history?

Ty Cobbs has the best stats. Throughout his 24-year career, he played 3035 games, making 2246 home runs, 4189 hits and 726 RBIs. He also had a .366 batting average.

Who is the strikeout king?

Nolan Ryan is the strikeout king. The star recorded 300 strikeouts in just six seasons in the League in 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1989. In total, he had 5714 strikeouts and holds the strikeout record.

Who is the strikeout king?
Nolan Ryan pitches during an MLB game against the Milwaukee Brewers at County Stadium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the 1992 season. Photo: Ron Vesely
Source: Getty Images

Who has never hit a home run?

Home runs are one of the most celebrated parts of the game. Some talented athletes who have never hit a home run include Scott Fletcher, Dave Magadan, Lance Johnson, Butch Wynegar, Luis Castillo, Pete Rose, Willie Wilson, Brett Butler, Willie Randolf and Ozzie Smith.

Baseball has seen some of the most talented athletes, but Babe Ruth takes the top spot as the game's ultimate GOAT. He has some of the most impressive stats and has held on to records for a long time. The star also won several World Series Championships.

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