MLB Top 5: Washington Nationals Outfielders

This is the fourth article in a series that looks at the five best players at each position for the Washington Nationals. In this installment are the outfielders.

A five-tool player in baseball is defined as one who excels at hitting for average, hitting for power, speed, fielding ability and throwing arm. This list of outfielders for the Expos/Nationals franchise is loaded with players who check off multiple boxes from the definition. The team has had four Hall of Famers feature in their outfield lineup over the years and two more could call Cooperstown home once their playing careers end.

The best Outfielders in Washington Nationals History

Left Fielders

Honorable Mentions – Ron LeFlore got his break into baseball in a unique way. The Detroit native was in and out of trouble as a teenager, selling drugs, becoming a heroin addict and getting arrested for robbing a bar with a rifle While in jail, one of his fellow inmates got word to then-Tigers manager Billy Martin through a friend. Martin saw LeFlore play while in prison and Detroit signed him after he got out in 1973. He was a talented hitter, known for getting on base and disrupting opposing pitchers with his speed. With the Tigers, he was an All-Star in 1976, smacked 212 hits the following year and led the league with 126 runs and 68 stolen bases in 1978. LeFlore was traded to the Expos in 1980 and made the most of his only season in Montreal. He stole 97 bases, becoming the first player to lead both leagues in that category, helping the Expos to within one game of the eventual champion Phillies in the National League East. LeFlore spent his final two seasons with the White Sox, then was a baggage handler at an airport and was a minor and independent league manager before losing a leg due to arterial vascular disease in 2011.

While many athletes have lent their name and likeness to products through the years, not many have had their own candy bar. Enter Henry Rodriguez, a native of the Dominican Republic who got his start with the Dodgers in 1992. His career took off after he was traded to the Expos three years later. In his first full season, Rodriguez earned not just the only All-Star selection of his career, but the love of the fans in Montreal with his play. Despite leading the league with 160 strikeouts, Rodriguez batted .276 and posted career highs with 81 runs, 147 hits, 42 doubles, 36 home runs, 103 RBIs and 299 total bases. Although the candy bar was around for a while before he played, fans threw the “Oh Henry!” chocolate bar onto the field after one of his many homers. After hitting 26 more big flies in 1997, Rodriguez was traded to the Cubs, and he helped his new team reach the playoffs in his first season. He also spent time with the Marlins and Yankees before ending his career with an unsuccessful 20-game stint with the Expos in 2002.

Like the previous two entries, the stint of Alfonso Soriano with the franchise was short. The native of the Dominican Republic began his career in Japan before signing with Yankees. He was the MVP of the 1999 MLB All-Star Futures Game and became a star in New York, earning two All-Star selections and finishing high in both the Rookie of the Year and MVP voting. Soriano was sent to the Rangers in the 2004 blockbuster traded for Alex Rodriguez and continued his ascent as arguably the league’s top second baseman, earning the MVP Award in that year’s Midsummer Classic. After a trade to Washington, he moved to the outfield in 2006 but didn’t miss a beat. He amassed 119 runs, 179 hits, 41 doubles, 95 RBIs, 41 steals and a career-best 46 home runs, earning his fourth silver slugger and his fifth straight All-Star selection. Soriano signed a massive eight-year, $136 million contract with the Cubs the following season, and he continued his productive play, although his average started to slip. He was traded back to the Yankees, where he was a part-time player for his final two years. Soriano ended his 16-year career with seven All-Star selections, 412 home runs, 1,159 RBIs and 2,095 hits in 1,975 games.

5. Brad Wilkerson – The Kentucky native was drafted in the first round by the Expos in 1998. Two years later, he played in both the MLB All-Star Futures Game and the Summer Olympics in Australia, where he was a part of the gold medal-winning Team USA squad. Wilkerson made his debut in Montreal in 2001 and finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting after hitting 20 home runs the following season. He hit for the cycle in 2003 and had his best offensive campaign the following year, driving in 67 runs and setting career highs with 112 runs, 146 hits and 32 home runs, including the final long ball in Expos history. Wilkerson played one season with the franchise after the move to Washington, and he finished his five-year tenure (2001-05) with 369 runs, 580 hits, 265 RBIs and 1,024 total bases in 654 games. He played for the Rangers, Mariners and Blue Jays, then was a coach for a Florida middle school before moving up to high school and college before a stint as Yankees assistant hitting coach in 2023.

4. Warren Cromartie – The son of a Negro League player, he was drafted fifth by the Expos in 1973. After bouncing between the major and minor leagues for his first three years, Cromartie came up for good in 1977, using his strong contact and solid defense to finally stick around with the Expos. As a left fielder, he led the league in putouts three times, and both assists and double plays twice each before a move to first base in 1980. Cromartie responded with arguably his best season, batting .288 with 74 runs, 172 hits and setting career highs with 14 home runs and 70 RBIs. He played one more year at first base and two in right field before becoming a free agent. Cromartie spent a decade in Montreal (1974-83), and he ranks sixth in franchise history in triples (30), seventh in games (1,038), eighth in hits (1,063), ninth in doubles (222) and tenth in total bases (1,525) to go with a .280 average, 446 runs, 60 homers and 371 RBIs. He spent seven seasons in Japan, winning a title, a Central League MVP Award and earning three All-Star selections. Cromartie came back to the U. S. to play one season with the Royals in 1991, the focused on broadcasting and drumming following his baseball career.

3. Juan Soto – One of the games most polarizing figures began his career with the Nationals as a 19-year-old in 2018. Soto finished second in the Rookie of the Year Award voting after batting .292 with 22 home runs, then posted one of his better seasons the following year with a .282 average, 110 runs, 153 hits, 34 homers and a career-best 110 RBIs. He was just as good in the playoffs, totaling 12 runs, 18 hits, five home runs and 14 RBIs in 17 games during Washington’s run to the 2019 championship, including nine hits, three homers and seven RBIs against the Astros in the World Series, totals which helped him win the Babe Ruth Award.

“La Fiera” led the league with a .351 average during the COVID-shortened 2020 season while winning his first silver slugger and All-MLB Team honor and finishing in the top five of the MVP voting. Soto followed that with two stellar full seasons which included All-Star selections and silver sluggers. In 2021, he was the MVP runner-up after batting .313 with 111 runs, 157 hits, 29 homers, 95 RBIs and a league-leading 145 walks. Soto was having a down year the following season but still won the All-Star Home Run Derby before a trade to San Diego. He finished his five-year run in Washington (2018-22) batting .291 with 399 runs, 569 hits, 108 doubles, 119 home runs, 358 RBIs and 1,052 total bases in 565 games.

Soto had a stellar first full campaign with the Padres and another following a trade to the Yankees. He finished third in the MVP voting after posting a .288-41-109 stat line and leading the league with 128 hits. Soto cashed in on his continued stellar performances, signing a record deal with the Mets for 15 years and $765 million in December 2024. Despite his average plummeting to .249, he is on the way to leading the league in walks for the fourth time in his career, and he has hit 26 home runs through July.

2. Moises Alou – The Atlanta-born outfielder played for seven clubs and earned six All-Star selections during a 17-year major league career, but he played the longest under his father, longtime player and Expos manager, Felipe Alou. The younger Alou started his career with the Pirates in 1990 but was traded to the Expose before the end of the season. An ankle injury cost him the following year and took away much of his speed, but he was a solid contact hitter who finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting after batting .292 in 1992. Alou started developing his power by hitting 18 home runs the following year and earned his only All-Star selection with Montreal and finished third in the MVP race after batting .339 with 81 runs and 78 RBIs to help the Expos post the league’s best record before the strike ended the season early.

Alou struggled with shoulder issues but posted a .281-21-96 stat line in 1996. He signed with the Marlins, driving in 115 runs in the regular season and 15 more in the playoffs, including nine in the improbable World Series victory over the Indians, a performance that earned him the Babe Ruth Award. Like many of his teammates, Alou was traded in Florida’s “fire sale,” joining the Astros and batting .312 with 38 home runs and a career-high 124 RBIs. He missed the entire 1999 season after tearing his ACL in an offseason treadmill accident but returned to post a personal-best .355 average with 30 homers and 114 RBIs. Another similar season followed before Alou moved on to the Cubs and Giants before finishing his career with the Mets. He batted .303 for his career and amassed 332 home runs, 1,287 RBIs and 2,134 hits. Alou dropped off the Hall of Fame ballot after one season in 2014, and he has had great success as a general manager in his father’s native land, the Dominican Republic.

1. Tim Raines – A talented player with a ridiculous amount of speed, he was drafted by the Expos in 1977. After brief stints as a pinch runner and defensive replacement at second base, Raines moved to the outfield in 1981. He earned his first of seven straight All-Star selections during the strike-shortened season while finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting thanks to a .304 average and 71 stolen bases in just 88 games. Raines continued to get better, especially on the basepaths. He stole 78 bases the following year, then put together a top five MVP season in 1983, leading the league with 133 runs and 90 steals. Raines ended his run of four straight years leading the National League in stolen bases with 75 to go with an N.L.-best 38 doubles in 1984.

“Rock” was also a stellar contact hitter who posted a .300 or better average five times, including four in a row from 1984-87. He won the batting title with a .304 average in 1986 while stealing 70 bases for the sixth straight year and amassing a career-high 194 hits. Raines was one of the more prominent victims of the owner collusion scandal in the mid-1980s, and he missed the first month of the 1987 season thanks to the trickery. Despite this, he batted .330, stole 50 bases, led the league with 123 runs and was the All-Star Game MVP after driving in the contest’s only runs with a two-run triple in the 13th inning. Although he was still a terror on the basepaths, Raines’ numbers declined over the next three seasons, and he was traded to the White Sox.

Raines also won two titles in three seasons with the Yankees, spent one year with Oakland, missed the 2000 season dealing with lupus and split his final two seasons between the Expos, Orioles and Marlins. He spent 13 years with Montreal (1979-90 and 2001), and he is the all-time franchise leader in triples (82), steals (635) and walks (793). Raines also is second in runs (947), tied for second in average (.301), third in hits (1,622), fourth in games (1,452), fifth in doubles (281), total bases (2,355) and on-base percentage (.391) and sixth in RBIs (556) to go with 96 home runs. He also appeared in the only playoff series in Expos history, totaling five hits, two doubles, one run and on RBI in the five-game loss to the Dodgers in the 1981 NLCS. Raines was a minor league coach and manager and a major league coach for the White Sox and Blue Jays, serving as Chicago’s first base coach for the 2005 championship season. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his tenth year on the ballot in 2017.

Center Fielders

Honorable Mentions – Like several others on these lists, Otis Nixon had a brief time with the franchise, but that time was memorable. Speed was the name of the game in the late 1980s, and he could match up with just about everyone in that department. Nixon spent three seasons in Montreal (1988-90) and, despite reaching base less than 100 times per year, he stole 133 bases during that stretch, which ranks seventh in franchise history. The year after leaving Montreal for Atlanta, he swiped 72 bases, included a record-tying six in a loss to his former team in June. Overall, Nixon stole 620 bases in a 17-year career spent with nine teams. He fell off the Hall of Fame ballot after not receiving a single vote in 2005.

Victor Robles is a native of the Dominican Republic who signed with the Nationals in 2013 and played in the MLB All-Star Futures Game four years later. Robles earned Rookie of the Year consideration in 2019 after stealing 28 bases and setting career highs with 86 runs, 139 hits, 33 doubles, 17 home runs and 65 RBIs. He batted just .214 in the postseason but totaled nine runs, nine hits, one home runs and three RBIs in 14 games for Washington’s championship team. Robles struggled offensively over the next five years, and he was designated for assignment in 2024, ending his eight-year run with the Nationals batting .236 with 380 hits and 156 RBIs in 530 games. He was more than adequate defensively, winning the fielding title in 2022 while leading the league in assists and double plays twice each and putouts once. Robles rebounded after signing with the Mariners but has played just 10 games in 2025 after suffering a fractured shoulder making a diving catch.

5. Michael A. Taylor – The son of military parents, he was drafted by the Nationals in 2009 and appeared in the MLB All-Star Futures Game five years later. Taylor made his major league debut later in the 2014 season and took over as the starter the following year. His best season was 2017, when he hit 19 homers, drove in 53 runs and set career highs with a .271 average and 194 total bases. Span saw his numbers and playing time decline over the final few years, but he was a solid reserve for the 2019 championship team, totaling four runs, seven hits and two home runs (including one in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the World Series) in eight postseason games. He signed with the Royals and won a gold glove in 2021, ending his seven-year run with the Nationals (2014-20) with 395 hits and 184 RBIs in 574 games. Taylor hit a career-best 21 homers with the Twins two years later and spent one year with the Pirates before signing with the White Sox in 2025.

4. Denard Span – He was a first-round pick of the Twins in 2002 and showed off his speed and baserunning skill during a five-year run in Minnesota. The 2008 MLB All-Star Futures Game participant was traded to the Nationals following the 2012 season, and he continued to use his greatest asset in a new league. Span led the N. L. with 11 triples and was named a Wilson Defensive Player of the Year in his first season in Washington, and he earned MVP consideration in 2014 after batting .302 with 93 runs and career-high totals of 39 doubles, 31 stolen bases and 184 hits, which also led the league. Multiple surgeries limited him to 61 games in his final season with the Nationals, and he signed with the Giants in 2016. Span played two seasons in San Francisco and split 2018 between Tampa Bay and Seattle before retiring. He was a special assistant and then a television analyst for the Rays and is currently works on Twins broadcasts.

3. Rondell White – The Georgia native split his eight seasons in Montreal (1993-2000) between center and left field, but he played more games in center. A first-round pick of the Expos, White saw regular playing time beginning in 1995, and he responded by becoming the fourth player in franchise history to hit for the cycle when he accomplished the feat during a game in June. Two years later, he set career highs with 28 home runs and 82 RBIs while leading the league in putouts, double plays and fielding percentage. He posted similar numbers in 1999, hitting 22 long balls and batting .312. White was traded to the Cubs late in the 2000 season, finishing his time in Montreal with a .293 average, 420 runs, 808 hits, 165 doubles, 101 homers, 384 RBIs and 1,322 RBIs in 742 games. He earned his only All-Star selection with the Padres in 2003 and played for six teams over his final eight seasons. White fell off the Hall of Fame ballot after failing to garner a vote in 2013.

2. Marquis Grissom – Center fielders usually have great speed and Grissom was no exception. One of 16 children, he was drafted by the Expos in 1988 and made a brief debut the following year. Grissom earned Rookie of the Year consideration after stealing 22 bases in 98 games in 1990, then led the league in the category in each of the next two years with 76 and 78, respectively. His best season offensively came in 1993, when he made the All-Star team for the first time and won the first of four straight gold gloves after batting .298 with 104 runs, 188 hits, 53 steals, 19 home runs and a career-best 95 RBIs. Although his production numbers dropped the following year, he was an All-Star and a gold glove recipient once again.

Grissom was traded to Atlanta, ending his six-year tenure in Montreal with a .279 average, 430 runs, 747 hits, 130 doubles, 54 home runs, 276 RBIs, 1,085 total bases and 266 steals, which ranks second in franchise history. He won a title in his first season with the Braves, was named ALCS MVP after being traded to the Indians in 1997 and spent time with the Brewers, Dodgers and Giants before ending his 17-year career in 2005. Grissom fell off the Hall of Fame ballot after receiving four votes in 2011.

1. Andre Dawson – The Miami native and 1975 Expos draft pick became one of the most dominant and intimidating players of the 1980s. Dawson used both his power and speed to impress fans and the media, and he won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1977 after smacking 19 home runs and stealing 21 bases. He continued to improve while spending more than a decade north of the border (1976-86). Dawson totaled at least 20 home runs and 20 steals seven times apiece (including five 20-20 seasons), drove in more than 80 runs on six occasions, produced at least 80 runs and 150 hits five times and hit .300 or better three times. His best season with Montreal came in 1983, when he earned his third straight All-Star selection, won a gold glove and a silver slugger and finished as the MVP runner-up for the second time in three years after batting .299 with 32 homers, 113 RBIs, 103 runs, 25 steals and 189 hits, while both led the league and set a career high.

“Hawk” moved to right field in 1984, where he continued to put up decent numbers and win two more gold gloves. However, the turf field at Olympic Stadium aggravated knee issues which began in high school, and he wanted to play for a team that had a natural grass field. When Dawson received no offers, he tried a different approach, sending a “blank contract” to the Cubs and telling them to fill in the amount. Chicago filled in $500,000 plus incentives and the slugger accepted. Dawson rewarded his new franchise with an MVP performance, a .287 average, 178 hits and league-leading totals of 49 home runs, 137 RBIs and 353 total bases, while, also winning another gold glove and silver slugger. Although he put up quite so gaudy offensive numbers, he was an All-Star in his first five seasons in Chicago. Dawson played two seasons with the Red Sox (wining the Hutch Award in 1994) and two more with the Marlins, ending his 21-year career in 1996 with 438 home runs, 1,591 RBIs, 314 stolen bases and 2,774 hits.

During Dawson’s time in Montreal, he ranked second in franchise history with 67 triples despite his bad knees. He also ranks third in runs (828) homers (225), RBIs (838), steals (253), total bases (2,679) and strikeouts (896), fourth in hits (1,575) and doubles (295), fifth in games (1,443) and tied for tenth in slugging percentage (.476) to go with a .280 average. He was also a three-time All-Star who won six gold gloves and three silver sluggers with the Expos, and he led all center fielders in putouts and assists twice each. During the franchise’s first postseason experience in 1981, Dawson appeared in 10 games, totaling three runs, nine hits, including one triple, and two stolen bases. Following his playing career, he opened a soul food grille and ran a funeral home in Miami. Dawson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his ninth year on the ballot in 2010.

Right Fielders

Honorable Mentions – Ken Singleton was selected third overall by the Mets in 1967 and was another piece that went to the Expos in the Staub trade five years later. He became a full-time starter in Montreal and had a stellar season in 1973, batting .302 and producing 169 hits, 23 home runs, 103 RBIs, 268 total bases and a career-best 100 runs. After three years with the Expos, Singleton was traded to the Orioles following the 1974 season, and he blossomed into a star in Baltimore. Over his decade-long stay in Charm City, he played in three All-Star Games, finished third in the MVP voting in 1977 and was the runner-up two years later. Singleton won the Roberto Clemente Award in 1982 and won a title with the Orioles the following year despite being a reserve for the World Series win over the Phillies. His career ended in 1984 and embarked on a broadcasting career that lasted more than 35 years until his retirement in 2021.

Mitch Webster spent 13 years in the major leagues with six clubs, but Montreal was the only stop where he was a starter for a prolonged time. He was drafted by the Dodgers in 1977, went to Toronto in the minor league draft two years later and was sent to the Expos in 1985. Webster led the league with 13 triples and stole a career high 36 bases in his first full year with the club, but his best season was 1987, when he produced a .281 average, 165 hits and 33 steals while setting personal bests with 101 runs, 15 homers and 64 RBIs. He was traded to the Cubs (for future Nationals manager Dave Martinez) in 1988 and played with the Indians and Pirates before ending his career with the Dodgers in 1995. Webster worked in the scouting departments for the Dodgers and Royals, and he was elected to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.

While Juan Soto spent more time with the Nationals in left field, he had his best season with the club on the right side. The 2020 batting champion and All-MLB Team selection moved across the outfield the following year and finished as the MVP runner-up, batting .313 with 111 runs, 157 hits, 29 home runs, 95 RBIs and league-leading totals of 145 walks and a .465 on-base percentage. In 2022, Soto was an All-Star and won the Home Run Derby before being sent to the Padres at the trade deadline.

5B Ellis Valentine – A second round pick for Montreal in 1972, he was stuck as a reserve for his first few seasons until Gary Carter moved from right field to his natural position as catcher. While Carter became one of the game’s best backstops, Valentine, joined by Cromartie and Dawson in a talented Expos outfield, blossomed into an All-Star in 1977, batting .293 with 25 home runs and 76 RBIs. He matched those production numbers the following year while also setting career highs with 75 runs and 165 hits and winning a gold glove. Valentine continued to be productive over the next few years, but erratic behavior and drug use led to a move out of the starting lineup. Eventually, Valentine was traded to the Mets for Jeff Reardon, who would become one of the most successful relievers in franchise history. Valentine ended his seven-year stay in Montreal (1975-81) with a .288 average, 297 runs, 676 hits, 136 doubles, 95 homers, 676 RBIs and 1,119 total bases in 638 games, and his .476 slugging percentage is tied for tenth in team history. He had brief runs with the Mets and Angels, missed the entire 1984 season with a heel injury and played 11 games with the Rangers in 1985 before retiring. Valentine eventually overcame his addictions, and he now works as a counselor and runs a memorabilia service.

5A Jayson Werth – The Illinois native was a first-round pick of the Orioles in 1997, and he spent the early years of his career with the Blue Jays and Dodgers. After missing the 2006 season with a torn ligament in his knee, Werth became a started with the Phillies, won a World Series in 2008 and earned the only All-Star selection of his career the following year. He led the league with 46 doubles in 2010 and signed a seven-year, $126 million deal with the Nationals after the season. “Werewolf” overcame a slow start with his new team, as well as a 2012 wrist injury to post one of his best seasons. He won a fielding title and batted a career-best .318 in 2013 with 84 runs, 147 hits, 25 home runs and 82 RBIs. Werth followed that with another solid year before injuries derailed him in 2015. He played two more seasons in left field with the Nationals, finishing his seven-year tenure in Washington (2011-17) ranked eighth in franchise history in strikeouts (723), ninth in walks (403) and tenth in runs (450) to go with 781 hits, 162 doubles, 109 home runs, 393 RBIs and 1,284 total bases in 808 games. He also appeared in the postseason four time, totaling eight runs, 16 hits, four doubles, two homers and four RBIs in 19 games. He tried to play one more year with the Mariners, but suffered a hamstring injury, which led to his retirement. Following his playing career, Werth owned an organic farm and ran a horse racing stable.

4. Larry Walker – A native of British Columbia, Canada, he changed sports from hockey to baseball as a teenager and signed with the Expos in 1984. After five years in the minors, Walker made his major league debut in 1989 but struggled through his first two seasons. He replaced Brooks in an outfield that included Raines and Grissom and began to make better contact. Walker batted .290 in 1991 and bumped his average up to .301 the following year. He was an All-Star for his only time with Montreal and finished fifth in the MVP voting that season after amassing 85 runs, 159 hits, 23 home runs and 93 RBIs while also winning a gold glove and a silver slugger.

Although his average fell, Walker produced similar offensive numbers and won a gold glove in 1993. The following year, his average jumped to .322 and he led the league with 44 doubles for a team that was had the best record in baseball when the season was canceled due to the players’ strike. When the Expos slashed payroll, Walker was granted free agency and signed with the Rockies. He finished his six-year run in Montreal (1989-94) ranked eighth in franchise history in slugging percentage (.483) and tenth in stolen bases (98) to go with a .281 average, 368 runs, 666 hits, 147 doubles, 99 homers, 384 RBIs and 1,142 total bases in 674 games.

Walker became a bona fide star in Colorado, earning four All-Star selections and winning three batting titles, five gold gloves and two silver sluggers. He was the National League MVP in 1997 after batting .366, setting career highs with 143 runs, 208 hits, 46 doubles, 33 steals and 130 RBIs, and leading the league with 49 home runs, 409 total bases, a .452 on-base percentage and a .720 slugging percentage. Walker was traded to the Cardinals in 2004 and finished his career the following year. In 17 seasons, he batted .313 with 383 home runs, 1,311 RBIs, 230 stolen bases and 2,160 hits. Walker needed all 10 years on the ballot before he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.

3. Daniel “Rusty” Staub – The New Orleans native received his nickname from a hospital nurse when she saw his red hair shortly after his birth. Staub signed with the Houston Colt .45s and was as starter at age 19 in 1963. He developed as a hitter throughout his time in Texas, earning two All-Star selections and leading the league with 44 doubles in 1967. Two years later, Staub held out for more money and the Astros, with their authoritarian management style, traded him to the expansion Expos. The deal was originally supposed to have Donn Clendenon coming to Houston, but the first baseman refused to report because Astros manager Harry Walker was known around the league for being a racist. When management also tried to cut Clendenon’s pay, he sat out and threatened to retire when Commissioner Bowie Kuhn stepped in. Kuhn kept the trade in place but made the Astros replace Clendenon in the deal.

Staub took to his new home in Montreal by continuing his solid play and learning to speak French, which so endeared him to Expos fans that they gave him the nickname “Le Grand Orange”. He was an All-Star in all three of his seasons north of the border and added a memorable moment in the team’s first year. The Expos lost 20 straight games heading into an early June tilt with the Dodgers. Staub hit a two-run home run and made a leaping catch in front of the right field wall to end the game and give Montreal a 4-3 win. In 1970, Staub had another stellar season, driving in 94 runs and setting career highs with 98 runs and 30 homers. The following year, he posted a .311-19-97 stat line with 94 runs and a personal-best 186 hits.

“Le Grand Orange” was traded to the Mets in 1972 and helped his new club reach the World Series the following year. He was an All-Star with the Tigers in 1976, spent another stint with the Rangers in 1979 and played one year with the Rangers before finishing his career back with the Mets. In 23 seasons, Staub totaled 292 home runs, 1,466 RBIs, 1,189 runs and 2,716 hits. During his four years in Montreal, he ranked fourth in slugging percentage (.497) and fifth in average (.295) and on-base percentage (.402) to go with 531 hits, 81 home runs and 284 RBIs in 518 games. The 1978 Designated Hitter of the Year Award winner spent his post-playing career helping with causes such as education and support for families of fallen first responders, running two restaurants and working as a Mets broadcaster. Despite being a stellar player and a beloved ambassador of the game, Staub did not receive more than eight percent of the votes in any of his eight tries on Hall of Fame ballots, but he was voted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012. He passed away in 2018, three days before his 74th birthday.

2. Bryce Harper – Very few young players generated the kind of interest he did at the start of the previous decade. Despite playing at tiny College of Southern Nevada, the former High School Player of the Year Award winner was drafted by the Nationals with the top pick in the 2010 draft. Harper quickly ascended through the organization, appearing in the 2011 MLB All-Star Futures Game and making his major league debut. He was a starter from the beginning, winning the Rookie of the Year Award and being selected as an All-Star after posting a .270-22-59 stat line along with 98 runs and 144 hits. Harper had another All-Star season in 2013 but missed time the following year with a torn ligament in his thumb that required surgery. He matched the hype in 2015, winning the Most Valuable Player Award as well as his first silver slugger after driving in 99 runs, setting career highs with a. 330 average, 172 hits and 338 total bases and leading the league with 118 runs, 42 home runs, a .460 on-base percentage and a .649 slugging percentage.

Harper continued his stellar play over his next three seasons, batting .319 in 2017 He also scored 95 runs, which included 32 in April, setting a major league record for one month. Harper following that by hitting 34 homers, scoring 103 runs and driving in 100 while leading the league with 130 walks in 2018. He parlayed his success into a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies, which was the largest in baseball history at the time. Harper finished his seven-year run in Washington (2012-17) ranked third in franchise history in slugging percentage (.512) and walks (585), sixth in home runs (184), tied for sixth in strikeouts (834), eighth in runs (619), total bases (1,693) and on-base percentage (.388), ninth in RBIs (521) and tenth in hits (922) to go with a .279 average and 183 doubles in 927 games. He hit 20 or more home runs six times, scored at least 80 runs five times and drove in more than 80 in his final four seasons in Washington. Although Harper missed out on the Nationals’ championship in 2019, he was a part of four other playoff appearances, totaling 12 runs, 16 hits, four doubles, five homers, 10 RBIs and four steals in 19 games.

“Bam-Bam” started his career in Philadelphia by hitting 35 home runs and driving in a career-best 114 runs. In 2021, he won his second MVP Award, as well as the Hank Aaron Award, after posting a .309-35-84 stat line and leading the league with 42 doubles and a .615 slugging percentage. Harper is in his seventh season with the Phillies, and he has amassed two All-Star selections, three silver sluggers and four campaigns with at least 20 home runs in the City of Brotherly Love. Known for his liberal use of eye black, Harper was on the cover of the MLB the Show 19 video game and is nearing the end of a massive endorsement deal with Under Armour.

1. Vladimir Guerrero – The native of the Dominican Republic, who dropped out of school after the fifth grade to help support his family, became one of the most electrifying players in baseball thanks to his potent swing and powerful throwing arm. Guerrero was signed by the Expos in 1993 and made his major league debut three years later. Deemed too aggressive at the plate for some scouts, he batted .302 in 90 games in 1997. Guerrero saw his career take off faster than his towering home runs once he became a full-time starter the following year. From 1998-2002, he would average 30 homers, 116 RBIs, 363 total bases and nearly 200 hits per season while making four All-Star teams and winning three silver sluggers. Arguably his best campaign with Montreal came in 2002, when he finished fourth in the MVP voting after batting .336 with 39 home runs 111 RBIs, and 106 runs to go along with a career-high 40 steals and league-leading totals of 206 hits and 364 total bases.

“Vlad the Impaler” (a nickname based off a former Romanian ruler) batted .330 the next season but missed time due to a back injury while the Expos split home games between Montreal and Puerto Rico. Guerrero signed with the Angels the following year, finish his eight-year run (1996-2003) as the all-time franchise leader in average (.323) and slugging percentage (.588). He also ranks second in home runs (234), third in triples (34), fifth in RBIs (702), sixth in runs (641), total bases (2,211) and on-base percentage (.390), seventh in hits (1,215) and eight in games (1,004), doubles (226) and steals (123). Although he was not a talented fielder and led the league in errors by an outfielder for six straight years, he also topped the N. L. in putouts and assists twice and made several highlight reel throws.

Guerrero mad an immediate impact with his new team, winning the MVP Award in 2004 after setting a career high with a .337 average, belting 39 home runs, driving in 126 runs, posting 205 hits and leading the league with 124 runs and 366 total bases. He was also earned All-Star selections and silver sluggers four straight years with the Angels, finished third in the MVP voting twice and won the 2007 Home Run Derby. Guerrero joined the Rangers in 2010, earning his ninth and final All-Star selection and winning the Edgar Martinez Award for best designated hitter after posting a .300-29-115 stat line. He finished his career the following year with the Orioles, although he had a tryout with the Blue Jays in 2012 and played in his home country for a year before officially retiring in 2014 with 449 home runs, 1,496 RBIs, 1,328 runs, 2590 hits and 4,506 total bases. Guerrero was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his second year on the ballot in 2018. He is the father of current Blue Jays star, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.