Who is the greatest Baseball Athlete of all time?

Babe Ruth leads Baseball with a verified GOAT Score of 94.6/100.

How is the Baseball GOAT ranking calculated?

Five verified categories are weighted against 1400 reference records. Only eligible profiles receive a score.

How many Baseball players are ranked?

712 eligible Baseball athletes currently have a published GOAT Score, from 1400 reference records.

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Baseball: the greatest of all time

GOAT Rank's data-driven ranking

Home runs, OPS and two-way value weighed against league context. Each players below is scored on verified career data and normalised against the full Baseball reference cohort — no shortlists, no unverified provisional numbers.

Quick answer

According to GOAT Rank's current model, Babe Ruth is the highest-ranked of the players in Baseball, with an in-sport GOAT Score of 94.6. Next are Willie Mays (93.8), Hank Aaron (93.7).

How the GOAT Score is calculated →

688 records fall below the data threshold and are excluded from this ranking. Eligibility rules →

Showing 712 of 712 ranked players# = official in-sport rank

Category

RoleCountryEraStatusSort

#	Athlete	Era	Home runs	World Series titles	Career OPS	Batting average	RBIs	GOAT
1	🇺🇸Babe RuthRetired	1914–1935	714	7	1.164	0.342	2,214	94.6
2	🇺🇸Willie MaysRetired	1951–1973	660	1	—	—	—	93.8
3	🇺🇸Hank AaronRetired	1954–1976	755	1	—	—	—	93.7
4	🇺🇸Nap LajoieRetired	1896–1916	—	—	—	—	—	93.0
5	🇺🇸Ty CobbRetired	1905–1928	—	—	—	—	—	92.8
6	🇺🇸Oscar CharlestonRetired	1915–1941	—	—	—	—	—	92.7
7	🇯🇵Sadaharu OhRetired	1959–1980	—	—	—	—	—	92.6
8	🇺🇸Barry BondsRetired	1986–2007	762	0	1.051	0.298	—	92.3
9	🇺🇸Cap AnsonRetired	1871–1897	—	—	—	—	—	92.2
10	🇺🇸Cy YoungRetired	1890–1911	—	—	—	—	—	92.1
11	🇺🇸Ted WilliamsRetired	1939–1960	521	—	—	—	—	91.8
12	🇺🇸Grover Cleveland AlexanderRetired	1911–1930	—	1	—	—	—	91.8
13	🇺🇸Walter JohnsonRetired	1907–1927	—	1	—	—	—	91.7
14	🇺🇸Chipper JonesRetired	1993–2012	—	—	—	—	—	91.2
15	🇺🇸Stan MusialRetired	1941–1963	475	3	—	—	—	90.9
16	🇺🇸Dan BrouthersRetired	1879–1904	—	—	0.989	—	—	90.9
17	🇩🇴Manny RamírezRetired	1993–2011	—	2	—	—	—	90.8
18	🇵🇦Mariano RiveraRetired	1990–2013	—	5	—	—	—	90.6
19	🇺🇸Pop LloydRetired	1906–1932	—	—	—	—	—	90.6
20	🇺🇸Jimmie FoxxRetired	1925–1945	—	2	—	—	—	90.6
21	🇺🇸Randy JohnsonRetired	1988–2009	—	1	—	—	—	90.5
22	🇺🇸George BrettRetired	1973–1993	—	1	—	—	—	90.5
23	🇺🇸Robin YountRetired	1974–1993	—	—	—	—	—	90.2
24	🇺🇸Jim PalmerRetired	1965–1984	—	3	—	—	—	90.1
25	🇺🇸Eddie CollinsRetired	1906–1930	—	4	—	—	—	90.1
26	🇺🇸Gaylord PerryRetired	1962–1983	—	—	—	—	—	90.0
27	🇺🇸Freddie FreemanActive	2010–present	—	2	—	—	—	90.0
28	🇺🇸Lou GehrigRetired	1923–1939	493	6	—	—	—	89.9
29	🇺🇸Bob FellerRetired	1936–1956	—	1	—	—	—	89.9
30	🇺🇸Dave WinfieldRetired	1973–1995	—	1	—	—	—	89.9
31	🇺🇸Honus WagnerRetired	1897–1917	—	1	—	—	—	89.8
32	🇺🇸Turkey StearnesRetired	1923–1942	—	—	—	—	—	89.8
33	🇺🇸Jim ThomeRetired	1991–2012	—	—	—	—	—	89.8
34	🇵🇦Rod CarewRetired	1967–1985	—	—	—	—	—	89.7
35	🇺🇸Buck LeonardRetired	1933–1950	—	—	—	—	—	89.7
36	🇺🇸Tony GwynnRetired	1982–2001	—	—	—	—	—	89.7
37	🇺🇸Roger ClemensRetired	1984–2007	—	2	—	—	—	89.6
38	🇺🇸Tom GlavineRetired	1987–2008	—	1	—	—	—	89.6
39	🇺🇸Willie McCoveyRetired	1959–1980	—	—	—	—	—	89.6
40	🇺🇸Rogers HornsbyRetired	1915–1937	—	1	—	—	—	89.5
41	🇺🇸Nolan RyanRetired	1966–1993	—	—	—	—	—	89.5
42	🇺🇸Zack GreinkeRetired	2004–2023	—	—	—	—	—	89.5
43	🇺🇸Bullet RoganRetired	1917–1938	—	—	—	—	—	89.4
44	🇺🇸Steve CarltonRetired	1965–1988	—	2	—	—	—	89.4
45	🇺🇸Greg MadduxRetired	1986–2008	—	1	—	—	—	89.3
46	🇩🇴Albert PujolsRetired	2001–2022	703	2	—	—	—	89.2
47	🇨🇦Ferguson JenkinsRetired	1965–1983	—	—	—	—	—	89.2
48	🇺🇸Rickey HendersonRetired	1979–2003	—	2	—	—	—	89.1
49	🇺🇸Christy MathewsonRetired	1900–1916	—	1	—	—	—	89.1
50	🇺🇸Warren SpahnRetired	1942–1965	—	1	—	—	—	89.1

1–50 of 712 athletes

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Compare top two: Ruth vs Mays

Coaches

Coaching career — listed separately from the player ranking.

🇺🇸 Connie MackManager 🇺🇸 Casey StengelManager

Top 10 Baseball players of all time

The ten highest verified GOAT Scores across every era.

1🇺🇸Babe Ruth1914–193594.6
2🇺🇸Willie Mays1951–197393.8
3🇺🇸Hank Aaron1954–197693.7
4🇺🇸Nap Lajoie1896–191693.0
5🇺🇸Ty Cobb1905–192892.8
6🇺🇸Oscar Charleston1915–194192.7
7🇯🇵Sadaharu Oh1959–198092.6
8🇺🇸Barry Bonds1986–200792.3
9🇺🇸Cap Anson1871–189792.2
10🇺🇸Cy Young1890–191192.1

By position

Two-way

1🇺🇸Babe Ruth1914–193594.6
2🇯🇵Shohei Ohtani2018–present83.7

Center fielder

1🇺🇸Willie Mays1951–197393.8
2🇺🇸Mickey Mantle1951–196888.5
3🇺🇸Joe DiMaggio1936–195188.3
4🇺🇸Ken Griffey Jr.1989–201086.1
5🇺🇸Mike Trout2011–present86.1

Right fielder

1🇺🇸Hank Aaron1954–197693.7
2🇯🇵Ichiro Suzuki1992–201988.3
3🇵🇷Roberto Clemente1955–197287.4

Second baseman

1🇺🇸Nap Lajoie1896–191693.0
2🇺🇸Eddie Collins1906–193090.1
3🇺🇸Rogers Hornsby1915–193789.5
4🇺🇸Charlie Gehringer1924–194288.8
5🇺🇸Craig Biggio1988–200788.7

Outfielder

1🇺🇸Ty Cobb1905–192892.8
2🇺🇸Oscar Charleston1915–194192.7
3🇺🇸Barry Bonds1986–200792.3
4🇺🇸Stan Musial1941–196390.9
5🇩🇴Manny Ramírez1993–201190.8

First baseman

1🇯🇵Sadaharu Oh1959–198092.6
2🇺🇸Cap Anson1871–189792.2
3🇺🇸Dan Brouthers1879–190490.9
4🇺🇸Jimmie Foxx1925–194590.6
5🇺🇸Freddie Freeman2010–present90.0

Pitcher

1🇺🇸Cy Young1890–191192.1
2🇺🇸Grover Cleveland Alexander1911–193091.8
3🇺🇸Walter Johnson1907–192791.7
4🇵🇦Mariano Rivera1990–201390.6
5🇺🇸Randy Johnson1988–200990.5

Left fielder

1🇺🇸Ted Williams1939–196091.8
2🇺🇸Rickey Henderson1979–200389.1
3🇺🇸Carl Yastrzemski1961–198387.4

By country

USA

1🇺🇸Babe Ruth1914–193594.6
2🇺🇸Barry Bonds1986–200792.3

United States

1🇺🇸Willie Mays1951–197393.8
2🇺🇸Hank Aaron1954–197693.7
3🇺🇸Nap Lajoie1896–191693.0
4🇺🇸Ty Cobb1905–192892.8
5🇺🇸Oscar Charleston1915–194192.7

Japan

1🇯🇵Sadaharu Oh1959–198092.6
2🇯🇵Ichiro Suzuki1992–201988.3
3🇯🇵Hideki Matsui1993–201288.0
4🇯🇵Yu Darvish2005–present87.6
5🇯🇵Masahiro Tanaka2007–present87.5

Dominican Republic

1🇩🇴Manny Ramírez1993–201190.8
2🇩🇴Albert Pujols2001–202289.2
3🇩🇴Pedro Martínez1992–200988.6
4🇩🇴Juan Soto2018–present87.6
5🇩🇴Adrián Beltré1998–201887.3

Panama

1🇵🇦Mariano Rivera1990–201390.6
2🇵🇦Rod Carew1967–198589.7

Canada

1🇨🇦Ferguson Jenkins1965–198389.2
2🇨🇦Larry Walker1989–200588.7

Venezuela

1🇻🇪Miguel Cabrera2003–202388.3
2🇻🇪Ronald Acuña Jr2018–present86.9
3🇻🇪Luis Aparicio1956–197383.2

Puerto Rico

1🇵🇷Iván Rodríguez1991–201188.3
2🇵🇷Edgar Martínez1987–200488.2
3🇵🇷Roberto Clemente1955–197287.4
4🇵🇷Francisco Lindor2015–present86.7
5🇵🇷Orlando Cepeda1958–197486.0

By era

1870s

1🇺🇸Cap Anson1871–189792.2
2🇺🇸Dan Brouthers1879–190490.9
3🇺🇸Pud Galvin1875–189289.1
4🇺🇸Bud Fowler1878–190483.6

1890s

1🇺🇸Nap Lajoie1896–191693.0
2🇺🇸Cy Young1890–191192.1
3🇺🇸Honus Wagner1897–191789.8
4🇺🇸Jesse Burkett1890–190587.7
5🇺🇸Fred Clarke1894–191587.5

1900s

1🇺🇸Ty Cobb1905–192892.8
2🇺🇸Walter Johnson1907–192791.7
3🇺🇸Pop Lloyd1906–193290.6
4🇺🇸Eddie Collins1906–193090.1
5🇺🇸Christy Mathewson1900–191689.1

1910s

1🇺🇸Babe Ruth1914–193594.6
2🇺🇸Oscar Charleston1915–194192.7
3🇺🇸Grover Cleveland Alexander1911–193091.8
4🇺🇸Rogers Hornsby1915–193789.5
5🇺🇸Bullet Rogan1917–193889.4

1920s

1🇺🇸Jimmie Foxx1925–194590.6
2🇺🇸Lou Gehrig1923–193989.9
3🇺🇸Turkey Stearnes1923–194289.8
4🇺🇸Bill Dickey1928–194689.0
5🇺🇸Charlie Gehringer1924–194288.8

1930s

1🇺🇸Ted Williams1939–196091.8
2🇺🇸Bob Feller1936–195689.9
3🇺🇸Buck Leonard1933–195089.7
4🇺🇸Arky Vaughan1932–194888.7
5🇺🇸Willard Brown1935–195888.5

1940s

1🇺🇸Stan Musial1941–196390.9
2🇺🇸Warren Spahn1942–196589.1
3🇺🇸Yogi Berra1946–196587.9
4🇨🇺Minnie Miñoso1946–198087.9
5🇺🇸Gil Hodges1943–196387.9

1950s

1🇺🇸Willie Mays1951–197393.8
2🇺🇸Hank Aaron1954–197693.7
3🇯🇵Sadaharu Oh1959–198092.6
4🇺🇸Willie McCovey1959–198089.6
5🇺🇸Frank Robinson1956–197688.9

1980s

1🇺🇸Barry Bonds1986–200792.3
2🇺🇸Randy Johnson1988–200990.5
3🇺🇸Tony Gwynn1982–200189.7
4🇺🇸Roger Clemens1984–200789.6
5🇺🇸Tom Glavine1987–200889.6

1990s

1🇺🇸Chipper Jones1993–201291.2
2🇩🇴Manny Ramírez1993–201190.8
3🇵🇦Mariano Rivera1990–201390.6
4🇺🇸Jim Thome1991–201289.8
5🇩🇴Pedro Martínez1992–200988.6

By country · By position · By era

Baseball GOAT debates

The closest calls in the ranking, with a full side-by-side breakdown.

Ruth vs Mays· Ruth ranks higher at 94.6 versus Mays at 93.8, a margin of 0.8 points.Mays vs Aaron· Mays ranks higher at 93.8 versus Aaron at 93.7, a margin of 0.1 points.Aaron vs Lajoie· Aaron ranks higher at 93.7 versus Lajoie at 93.0, a margin of 0.7 points.Lajoie vs Cobb· Lajoie ranks higher at 93.0 versus Cobb at 92.8, a margin of 0.2 points.Cobb vs Charleston· Cobb ranks higher at 92.8 versus Charleston at 92.7, a margin of 0.1 points.

How the Baseball ranking works

Every athlete is scored on five verified components — Dominance (25%), Peak (20%), Longevity (20%), Honours (20%) and Statistics (15%) — normalised against the full Baseball reference cohort rather than a shortlist. A record only receives a published score once it is editorially verified and complete: a season-by-season series, at least three career metrics, documented honours and independent sources. Read the full methodology.

Baseball GOAT — frequently asked

Who is the greatest Baseball Athlete of all time?: Babe Ruth leads Baseball with a verified GOAT Score of 94.6/100.
How is the Baseball GOAT ranking calculated?: Five verified categories are weighted against 1400 reference records. Only eligible profiles receive a score.
How many Baseball players are ranked?: 712 eligible Baseball athletes currently have a published GOAT Score, from 1400 reference records.