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11.9k voters

The Best Baseball Players NOT in the Hall of Fame

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated February 7, 2020 269.3k votes 11.9k voters 104.7k views511 items

List RulesOnly players who have not been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The best baseball players not in the hall of fame are here on this list, though the 2020 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot has room for some of these stars. In order to be considered as slighted by the baseball hall of fame, a player must be non-active and have had the ability to appear on the hall of fame ballot at least once. Some of these men are considered to be among the greatest baseball players of all time, yet remain off of the "official" list of the best MLB players ever at the baseball hall of fame in Cooperstown.

What keeps a player out of the baseball hall of fame? Some of these players- like Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire- have been involved in PED (performance enhancing drug) scandals, others broke the cardinal rule of not betting on the sport (Pete Rose), and still others were involved in a baseball player scandal, like Shoeless Joe Jackson who is said to have contributed to his team throwing the World Series. Some of the best baseball players are simply not on the list because they haven't yet acquired the 75% vote necessary for induction.

Who should be in the baseball hall of fame? What top baseball players are not in the hall of fame? Who are the best players not in the baseball hall of fame? These are the questions addressed here in the list of the greatest baseball players not in the hall of fame. If your favorite player isn't on the list, make sure to add them so others can agree or disagree.

If you're keeping track of the best current baseball players make sure to check on that list and vote for your favorite baseball all-star.

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1
5,223
868
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Outfielder
Birthplace: South Carolina
Teams: Philadelphia Athletics, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Naps, Cleveland Indians
2
5,853
1,663
Pete Rose
Manager, Outfielder
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, Montreal Expos, Cincinnati Reds
3
3,028
1,312
Fred McGriff
First baseman
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Tampa, Florida
Teams: San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Toronto Blue Jays
4
2,812
1,314
Dale Murphy
Right fielder, Outfielder
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Portland, Oregon
Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies
5
1,632
838
voting closed at #5
Larry Walker
Right fielder, Outfielder
Nationality: Canada
Birthplace: Maple Ridge, Canada
Bats: Left-handed
Teams: Montreal Expos, Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020

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#23 of 142 The Greatest Right-Fielders of All Time#49 of 104 The Greatest Throwing Arms of All Time
6
4,092
2,001
voting closed at #6
Edgar Martínez
Designated hitter, Third baseman
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: New York City, New York
Teams: Seattle Mariners
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019
7
2,161
1,136
Dave Parker
Designated hitter, Right fielder
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Calhoun City, Mississippi
Teams: Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, Cincinnati Reds

8
1,562
698
voting closed at #8
Lee Smith
Relief pitcher, Pitcher
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Jamestown, Louisiana
Teams: Montreal Expos, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals
Inducted in the Hall of Fame in 2019
9
3,528
2,101
Don Mattingly
Manager, First baseman
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Evansville, Center Township, Indiana, United States of America
Teams: New York Yankees
10
3,130
1,494
Roger Maris
Right fielder, Outfielder
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Hibbing, Minnesota, United States of America
Teams: Kansas City Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees
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#1433 of 1,816 The Best Athletes Of All Time#508 of 753 People We Wish Were Still Alive
11
1,930
1,088
Tommy John
Starting pitcher, Pitcher
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Terre Haute, Indiana, United States of America
Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees
12
2,082
1,033
Gil Hodges
First baseman
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Patoka Township, Princeton, Indiana, United States of America
Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers, Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Mets
13
3,611
2,337
Roger Clemens
Pitcher
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Dayton, Ohio, United States of America
Bats: Right-handed
Teams: Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, New York Yankees
14
2,421
1,455
Thurman Munson
Catcher
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Akron, Ohio
Teams: New York Yankees
15
2,578
1,563
voting closed at #15
Jack Morris
Pitcher
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: USA, Minnesota, Saint Paul
Teams: Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Indians
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018

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#19 of 107 College & Professional Athletes Who Were Raised Mormon#31 of 278 The Best Starting Pitchers of All Time
16
3,496
2,388
voting closed at #16
Alan Trammell
Shortstop
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Garden Grove, California, United States of America
Teams: Detroit Tigers
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018

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#12 of 132 The Greatest Shortstops of All Time#18 of 158 The Best Detroit Tigers of All Time
17
1,474
937
Jim Kaat
Starting pitcher, Pitcher
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Zeeland, Michigan, United States of America
Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees
18
3,570
2,854
Barry Bonds
Left fielder
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Riverside, California, United States of America
Bats: Left-handed
Teams: San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates
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#27 of 39 Longest Hitting Streaks in Baseball#408 of 583 The Greatest Entertainers of All Time
19
2,005
1,502
Lou Whitaker
Second baseman
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: New York City, New York
Teams: Detroit Tigers
20
2,181
1,503
Orel Hershiser
Pitcher
Nationality: United States of America, Germany
Birthplace: Buffalo, New York, United States of America
Teams: San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, New York Mets
21
2,038
1,381
Curt Schilling
Starting pitcher, Pitcher
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros
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#66 of 150 Athletes You Didn't Know Were Conservative#31 of 146 The Best Boston Red Sox Of All Time
22
1,866
1,124
voting closed at #22
Mike Mussina
Pitcher
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Teams: Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019
23
2,025
576
voting closed at #23
Derek Jeter
Shortstop
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Pequannock, New Jersey
Bats: Right-handed
Teams: New York Yankees
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020
24
1,693
1,414
Steve Garvey
First baseman
Nationality: United States of America
Birthplace: Tampa, Florida, United States of America
Teams: San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers
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#221 of 582 The Greatest Baseball Players Of All Time#242 of 708 The Best Hitters in Baseball History
25
2,267
686
voting closed at #25
Mariano Rivera
Relief pitcher, Pitcher
Nationality: Panama
Birthplace: Panama City, Panama
Bats: Right-handed
Teams: New York Yankees
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019

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#25 of 25 Longest Pitching Streaks in Baseball #120 of 255 The Best Players in the Baseball Hall of Fame