Today:
- Cody Bellinger – OF/1B – Dodgers
- World Series Champion
- 2x All-Star
- Mookie Betts – RF – Dodgers
- 2x World Series Champion
- 6x All-Star
- Previous Teams: Red Sox (2014-2019)
Gerrit Cole – RHP – Yankees
- 3x All-Star
- Previous Teams: Pirates (2013-2017), Astros (2018-2019)
Jacob deGrom – RHP – Mets
- 4xs All-Star
- 2x Cy Young Award winner
- Most consecutive strikeouts to start a game (8) & 30 straight starts with only 3 or less runs allowed
Aaron Judge – RF – Yankees
- 4x All-Star
Clayton Kershaw – LHP – Dodgers
- 9x All-Star
- 3x Cy Young Award Winner
- Pitched 1 no-hitter
- Triple Crown 2011
Albert Pujols – 1B/DH – Cardinals
- 2x World Series Champion
- 11x All-Star
- 5th most HRs of all time, 686
- Previous team: Dodgers (2021), Angels (2011-2021), Cardinals (2001-2011)
Mike Trout – CF – Angels
- 10x All-Star for his hitting ability
- Known for the highest paid contract in sports (until Patrick Mahomes in 2020) with a 12 year deal for $426.5MM
Justin Verlander – RHP – Astros
- World Series Champion
- 9x All-Star
- Previous Team: Tigers (2005-2017)
- 2x Cy Young Award winner
- Pitched 3 no-hitters
- Triple Crown 2011
- Famous wife: Model, Kate Upton
Christian Yelich – OF – Brewers
- 2x All-Star
- Previous team: Marlins (2013-2017)
Back in the Day:
- Hank Aaron – RF – Braves
- World Series Champion
- 25x All-Star – most ever
- Baseball HoF
- #44 is retired by the Braves and the Brewers
- Other teams: Brewers (1975-76)
- What he’s known for: He has the #2 most HRs of all time and broke Babe Ruth’s record with 755 HRs and 3,771 hits, Most All-Star appearances of all time
Yogi Berra – C – Yankees
- 13x World Series Champion
- Most ever as a player with 10
- 18x All-Star
- Baseball HoF
- #8 retired by the Yankees
- Previous teams: Mets 1965; Manager: Yankees and Mets; Coach: Mats, Yankees and Astros
- What he’s known for: Holds the all-time record for most shutouts caught (173) and most World Series wins. He is also known widely for his sayings like “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” He lived until 2015 and served during DDay as a gunner’s mate.
Barry Bonds – LF – Giants
- 14x All-Star
- #25 is retired by the Giants
- Other teams: Pirates (1986-1992)
- What he’s known for: He hit 762 HRs over his career and 73 over one season however there is an asterisk next to it as Bonds admitted to steroid use (‘the Clear’ scandal)
Ty Cobb – CF – Tigers
- Triple Crown 1909
- Baseball HoF
- Previous team: A’s (1927-1928) and Tigers (Manager 1921-1926)
- What he’s known for: He set 90 MLB records during his career. Still holds: highest batting average to this day (.367); most runs scored or batted in 4,065; most batting titles (11); stealing home base (54)
Joe DiMaggio – CF – Yankees
- 9x World Series Champion (2nd most to Yogi Berra with 10)
- 13x All-Star
- Baseball HoF
- #5 retired by the Yankees
- What he’s known for: He still holds the MLB record for a 56-game hitting streak. He’s also known for his marriage and devotion to Marilyn Monroe. The couple were married for 9 months in 1954 before their divorce but they went in and out of each others’ lives until her death in 1962. He sent 6 roses to her crypt 3xs a year for 20 years.
Lou Gehrig – 1B – Yankees
- 6x World Series Champion
- 7x All-Star
- Triple Crown 1934
- Baseball HoF
- #4 retired by Yankees
- What he’s known for: he still has the highest of runs scored + batted in per 100 plate appearances (35.08) and his #4 was the first number to be retired by a team. He also suffered from ALS, which is commonly known as Lou Gehrig disease in the US, which forced him to retire at the age of 36. He died 2 years later.
Derek Jeter – SS – Yankees
- 5x World Series Champion
- 14x All-Star
- Baseball HoF (inducted this year)
- #2 is retired by the Yankees
- What he’s known for: One of the main contributors to the Yankees success in the 90s and 00s. He was called “Captain Clutch” or “Mr. November” because of his incredible postseason performances. He played for the team since he was 20 years old until he was 40. He leads the Yankees in hits, doubles, games played, stolen bases, times on base, plate appearances and at-bats. He is now the CEO of the Marlins.
Mickey Mantle – CF – Yankees
- 7x World Series Champion
- 20x All-Star
- Triple Crown 1956
- Baseball HoF
- What he’s known for: he was the greatest switch hitter of all time and only player in history to hit 150 HRs from both sides of the plate (total: 536)
Willie Mays – CF – Giants
- World Series Champion
- 24x All-Star (2nd highest all time behind Hank Aaron)
- Baseball HoF
- #24 is retired by the Giants
- Other teams: Mets (1972-1973)
- What he’s known for: Many refer to him as the greatest all-around players to have ever played especially being one of the first African-Americans; he also serviced in the Army 1952-1953 and reported to spring training the day after he was discharged.
- Nickname: the Say Hey Kid
Jackie Robinson – 2B – Dodgers
- World Series Champion
- 6x All-Star
- Baseball HoF
- #42 retired by all MLB teams
- UCLA has retired the number in all sports
- What he’s known for: He was the first African-American to play in the MLB in the modern era in 1947. First athlete to have his number tired across the league. 4/15 is ‘Jackie Robinson Day.’ After baseball, he was the first black TV analyst for the MLB and first black VP of an American corp (Chock full o’Nuts).
- Little known fact: he also won the NCAA long jump in 1940 for UCLA and he lettered in 4 sports while attending the school (football, baseball, basketball and track)
Alex ‘ARod’ Rodriquez – SS/3B – Yankees
- World Series Champion
- 14x All-Star
- Previous teams: Mariners (1994-2000), Rangers (2001-2003)
- What he’s known for: He earned the most money over his career in MLB history ($441.3MM). He also took steroids from 2001-2003 and potentially again in 2013. The MLB suspended him for 162 games. He is now engaged to actress and singer, Jennifer Lopez
Pete Rose – OF – Reds
- 3x World Series Champion
- 17x All-Star
- #14 retired by the Reds
- Previous teams: Phillies (1979-1983), Montreal Expos (1984); (played for the Reds twice)
- Reds Manager 1984-1989
- What he’s known for: Still holds MLB records in hits (4,256), games played (3,562), At-bats (14,053), singles (3,215), and outs (10,328) but what he’s really known for is being banned from baseball for gambling while he was a player and manager. In 2004, he did admit to betting on his team. His exclusion from the HoF and banning from the sport is still a hot topic
Babe Ruth – OF/LHP – Yankees
- 7x World Series Champion
- 3 with Red Sox; 4 with Yankees
- 2x All-Star
- Baseball HoF
- #3 is retired by the Yankees
- Other Teams: Red Sox (1914-1919), Yankees (1920-1934) Braves (1935)
- What he’s known for (besides the candy bar named after him): He held the record for 714 HRs until Aaron broke it. Considered both a great pitcher and hard hitter.
- He hit 54 HRs in 1920 (no one else got 20)
Ted Williams – LF – Red Sox
- 19x All-Star
- 2x Triple Crown (1942, 1947)
- Baseball HoF
- #9 is retired by the Red Sox
- What he’s known for: his on base percentage was .482, the highest of all time and batting average is the highest if any MLB player in live-ball era (post 1920s) 7th all-time. It is believed that if he did not serve in WWII and the Korean war (5 years of total service) that he could’ve closed in on Babe Ruth’s HR record and Hank Aaron’s RBI record. During his military service for the Korean war, Ted was John Glenn’s wingman.
- He was also inducted into the IGFA Fishing HoF. Also in padres HoF because he grew up in SD.
Cy Young – RHP – Red Sox
- World Series Champion
- Triple Crown 1901
- Pitched a perfect game (1904) and 3 no-hitters
- Baseball HoF
- Other Teams: CLE Spiders (1890-98), Cardinals (1899-1900), CLE Naps (1909-1911), BOS Rustlers (1911)
- What he’s known for: He is the bridge from baseball early days to the modern era (used to pitch underhand, fouls were not strikes, mound was closer and no glove). The most coveted pitching award is named after him. He holds several records to this day: 511 wins; 815 games started; 749 complete games; 7,356 innings pitched and 25 1/3 consecutive hitless innings
