MLB Top 5: San Diego Padres Outfielders

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

The San Diego Padres have had plenty of talented outfielders throughout their 55-year history. The top stars and starters played for the club in the first three decades, but a star who is a converted infielder has a chance to move up the list. Unfortunately, he plays the position with the most depth of the three spots, right field, which features two Hall of Famers at the top.

The best Outfielders in San Diego Padres history

Left Fielders

5B Justin Upton – He played just one season in San Diego but was an All-Star in 2015. After success early in his career with the Diamondbacks (two All-Star selections and a silver slugger) and Braves, he was traded to the Padres in 2015 and, starting next to his brother, B.J., batted .251 with 85 runs scored, 26 home runs, 81 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. “J-Up” signed a big contract with the Tigers the following year but lasted less than two seasons in the Motor City before he was traded to the Angels. He dealt with knee and back issues in his final three years with Los Angeles and has not played since he was released by Seattle in 2022.

5A Juan Soto – He is another one-year (plus) wonder with the Padres. The Dominican-born star signed with the Nationals in 2015 and had a torrid five-year run to start his major league career that included second-place finishes in the Rookie of the Year (in 2018) and MVP voting (2021), two All-Star selections, three silver sluggers and a 2019 title with Washington that included him winning the Babe Ruth Award. One of his final acts with his original club was winning the Home Run Derby at the 2022 MLB All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium. The Nationals sent Soto to the Padres in a blockbuster deal at the trade deadline and he amassed seven runs, 11 hits, two home runs and seven RBIs to lead his new team to the NLCS. Soto played in all 162 games in 2023, batting .275 with 97 runs, 156 hits, 109 RBIs and a career-best 35 homers to earn All-Star and Silver Slugger honors once again. He also led the league in walks for the third time in his career. Soto was involved in another high-profile trade after the season, moving across the country to play for the Yankees.

4. Jurickson Profar – He came to the major leagues from Curaçao, an island in the Caribbean Sea that is under the control of the Netherlands. Profar signed with the Rangers as a 16-year-old in 2009, appeared in two MLB All-Star Futures Games and played parts of two seasons but missed two after undergoing shoulder surgery. After two more partial seasons, he had his first full campaign in 2018, hitting 20 home runs. Profar was traded each of the next two years, first to the Athletics and then the Padres for the 2020 COVID-shortened season. He slumped the following year but returned to hit 15 home runs in 2022 and signed with the Rockies as a free agent. Profar lasted less than a year in Colorado and was released in August, then returned to San Diego. Headed into the current season, the 2024 All-Star has 161 runs, 283 hits, 27 homers and 123 RBIs in 359 games with the Padres. The 2022 left field assists leader also appeared in 18 postseason contests, totaling seven runs, 15 hits, one home run and five runs batted in.

3. Greg Vaughn – He is best known for an eight-year run with the Brewers at the start of the year, but he played an integral part in the Padres reaching their second World Series. Vaughn was a Sacramento native who was selected in the draft five times in a three-year span in the mid-1980s. Milwaukee took him fourth overall in 1986 and his run with the team included two All-Star selections and four seasons with at least 20 home runs. He hit 10 in 43 games after being traded to San Diego in 1996 but slumped to a .218 average and 18 home runs the following year.

Vaughn rebounded in a big way in 1998, setting career highs with a .272 average, 112 runs, 156 hits, 28 doubles, 50 homers, 118 RBIs and 342 total bases while earning an All-Star selection, a silver slugger and finishing fourth in the MVP voting. He cooled a bit during the playoffs, totaling six runs, nine hits, three homers and five RBIs in 14 contests, but hit two home runs in a loss to the Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series. Vaughn was sent to the Reds after the season, becoming the first player to be traded after hitting 50 home runs. Despite hitting 45 more in 1999, he lasted just one season in Cincinnati. Vaughn spent three years with the Devil Rays and one with the Rockies, retiring in 2003 after hitting 355 home runs and driving in 1,072 runs during his 15-year career.

2. Carmelo Martinez – He was born in Puerto Rico and began his career with the Cubs, hitting a home run in his first major league at-bat in 1983. Martinez was traded to the Padres after the season and became part of the “M&M Boys” outfield along with center fielder Kevin McReynolds. The duo helped San Diego reach its first World Series, with Martinez driving in 66 runs and earning Rookie of the Year consideration in the regular season and amassing six hits in 10 postseason games. He had his most productive season in 1985, setting career highs with 130 hits, 21 home runs and 72 RBIs while leading all National League left fielders in putouts and assists.

Martinez spent three more years in an ever-crowded Padres outfield, posting a .273-15-70 stat line in 1987 and hitting 18 homers the following year. Martinez signed with Philadelphia in 1990, finishing his six-year San Diego tenure (1984-89) with 286 runs, 577 hits, 111 doubles, 82 home runs, 337 RBIs and 948 total bases in 783 games. He also spent time with the Pirates, Royals and Reds, and he played one year with the Orix BlueWave in Japan before retiring in 1992. Martinez spent 11 seasons as a manager in the Cubs organization.

1. Gene Richards – He was selected by the Padres first overall in 1975 and made his major league debut less than two years later. Richards finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting after batting .290 with 152 hits and a then-record for first-year players with 56 stolen bases in 1977. Richards saw his steals total fall to 37 the following year, but he scored 90 runs, had 171 hits and set career highs with a .308 average, 12 triples and 45 RBIs. His efforts helped the team go 84-78 for the first winning season in its 10-year history. After a down year in 1989, Richards received MVP votes in 1980 after batting .301 and setting personal bests with 91 runs, 193 hits and 61 stolen bases, which is the third-highest single-season total in team history.

Richards was a steadying presence on a team that was dealing with the loss of an owner and hiring seven managers in a six-year span. He led the league with 12 triples in 1981 but partially tore his ACL on a pickoff attempt the following year, Richards tried to play through the pain but eventually had to undergo surgery, which took away most of his speed. When he returned, the Padres outfield was much more crowded, and he spent his final season with the team as a reserve and platoon player. He signed with San Francisco in 1984, finishing his seven-year run in San Diego (1977-83) ranked second in franchise history in triples (63) and steals (242), third in runs (484), fourth in hits (994), fifth in games (939) and tied for fifth in average (.291) to go with 123 doubles, 26 home runs, 251 RBIs and 1,321 total bases. Richards played one final year as a reserve with the Giants, but his knee had not improved so he retired to run real estate and retail businesses. He was a minor league hitting coach for more than a decade with the Angels, Dodgers and Mets and now runs a company that teaches baseball to young players in Nevada.

Center Fielders

Honorable Mentions – Manuel Margot was a native of the Dominican Republic who signed with the Red Sox as a 17-year-old in 2011. He was sent to the Padres in the trade for Craig Kimbrel after the 2015 season and played in an MLB All-Star Futures Game for each team. Margot received a 10-game callup the year after the trade and was a starter in each of the next three seasons. He earned Rookie of the Year consideration after batting .263 with 39 RBIs and 17 stolen bases along with career-high totals of 128 hits, 13 home runs and 199 total bases. Margot drove in 51 runs the following year and added personal bests with 59 runs and 20 steals in 2019. He was traded to the Rays before the COVID campaign and spent four years in Tampa Bay before being moved twice in two months after the 2023 season, first to the Dodgers and then the Twins.

Trent Grisham was a first-round pick of the Brewers and received a big league callup after four seasons in the minor leagues. He was traded to the Padres in 2019 and spent the next four years as the starter in San Diego (2020-23). Grisham earned a pair of gold gloves and drove in at least 50 runs in each of his final three seasons. However, his batting average plummeted below .200 and he was traded to the Yankees in the Soto deal, finishing his time in San Diego with 228 runs, 342 hits, 55 home runs and 191 RBIs in 496 games. Grisham also appeared in 18 postseason contests with the Padres, totaling nine runs, 11 hits three home runs and seven RBIs, although he went 0-for-19 in the loss to the Phillies in the 2022 NLCS.

5. Mark Kotsay – He was taken ninth overall by the Marlins in 1996 after winning the Golden Spikes and College World Series Most Outstanding Player awards with Cal State Fullerton. Kotsay was traded to the Padres less than a week before Opening Day in 2001, and he moved from right field to center. He had three solid offensive seasons in San Diego and led all players at the position in assists twice in that span. Kotsay was traded to the Athletics following the 2003 season, and he played for four other teams before returning to the Padres in 2012. He was mostly a pinch-hitter over his final two years and ended his five-year tenure in San Diego (2001-03 and 12-13) with a .273 average, 230 runs, 482 hits, 37 home runs and 183 RBIs in 586 games. Kotsay spent one year in the Padres front office as a special assistant and another as the team’s hitting coach before going back to the Athletics. He was the bench and quality coach for six years before becoming Oakland’s manager in 2022.

4. Johnny Grubb – The Florida State product was drafted four times before sticking with the Padres after being taken in the first round in 1971. Grubb made his big-league debut in a September callup the following year and earned Rookie of the Year consideration after batting .311 in 1973. He earned his only All-Star selection the next season as the lone San Deigo representative and spent two more seasons with the team before being traded to the Indians. Grubb ranks ninth in franchise history with a .286 average, and he added 235 runs, 513 hits, 101 doubles, 25 home runs and 145 RBIs in 513 games. He missed most of 1977 with a hand injury and was traded to Texas the following year. After five seasons with the Rangers, Grubb was sent to the Tigers and was part of the team that beat the Padres in the 1984 World Series. He retired in 1987 after 16 seasons and spent his post-playing days coaching high school baseball in Virginia and participating in Tigers fantasy camps.

3. Kevin McReynolds – While he may be best known for being a slugger on the pennant-winning Mets team in 1988, he got his start as a first-round pick of the Padres (sixth overall) in 1981. The quiet, easygoing McReynolds, the son of an Army mechanic during World War II, made his debut two years later and quickly became one of the best players on the team. He drove in at least 75 runs in three of his four seasons in San Diego (1983-86) and hit the 20-home run mark twice. He hit 20 homers and drove in 75 runs during the regular season and had a home run and four RBIs against the Cubs in the NLCS, but he broke his wrist while breaking up a double play and missed the World Series. “Big Mac” had his best campaign with the Padres in 1986, batting .288 with 26 homers, 96 RBIs and 161 runs along with a career-best 89 runs. He was traded to New York after the season, finishing his time in San Diego with a .263 average, 233 runs, 470 hits, 65 home runs and 260 RBIs in 496 games while also leading the league in putouts twice and winning a fielding title in 1984. McReynolds finished third in the MVP voting in 1988 and helped the Mets reach the NLCS. He also played two seasons with the Royals before ending his career with a second stint with the Mets in 1994, with knee and back issues causing his production to decline. After retiring, McReynolds owned several businesses in Arkansas, including a restaurant, and ran a duck hunting club.

2. Clarence “Cito” Gaston – He got his nickname because of his resemblance to a Mexican wrestler who went by that name. Gaston played baseball and worked for a sanitation company in San Antonio when he was signed by the Braves in 1964. He went through the minor leagues, had a brief callup in 1967 and played in Venezuela to improve his skills during the winter months. Gaston found a new home after being selected with the last of San Diego’s 30 picks in the 1968 expansion draft. After struggling as a rookie, he had his best season in 1970, earning his only career All-Star selection after setting career highs with a .318 average, 92 runs, 186 hits, 29 home runs, 93 RBIs and 317 total bases. When his numbers dropped the following year, the free-swinging he was moved to right field, where he spent the final three years of his tenure in San Diego.

Gaston was a reserve in his last season with the Padres, finishing his six-year run (1969-74) with 269 runs, 672 hits, 29 triples (sixth in franchise history), 77 home runs, 316 RBIs and 1,054 total bases in 766 games. He was traded back to the Braves and spent four seasons with Atlanta before finishing his career by playing two games with Pittsburgh. Gaston played three seasons abroad, one in the Dominican Republic and two in Mexico before retiring and joining the Braves as a minor league hitting instructor. He became the hitting coach in Toronto in 1982 and stayed in that role until he was named the team’s manager in 1989. The patient, cerebral Gaston became the first African American skipper to lead a team to the playoffs and win a World Series as the Blue Jays won back-to-back titles in 1992-93. Although the team only finished above .500 once for the rest of his 12-year tenure (1989-97 and 2008-10), he finished with an 894-837 record, the most wins in Toronto franchise history. Gaston worked for the Blue Jays as a hitting coach and special assistant in between his managerial stints and returned to a consultant post for five seasons after leaving the dugout.

1. Steve Finley – He set several offensive records while at Southern Illinois University, was drafted by the Orioles in 1987 and made his big-league debut two years later. While Finley was solid defensively, Baltimore was in search of power and traded him to Houston, where he spent the next four years stealing bases and leading the league with 13 triples in 1993. Finley was again the victim of circumstance. The players’ strike hit quite a few teams in the wallet and the Astros got it particularly hard. In response, Finley and third baseman Ken Caminiti went to the Padres as the centerpieces of a 12-player trade. The trade revitalized the outfielder, who won a gold glove and batted .297 with 104 runs, 167 hits and a career-high 36 stolen bases.

In 1996, Finley had arguably his best season, earning MVP consideration and a second straight gold glove after driving in 95 runs, stealing 22 bases and setting career highs with a .298 average, 195 hits, 45 doubles, 30 home runs, 126 runs and 348 total bases, with those last two numbers setting team records. He was named an All-Star for the first time in 1997 after scoring 101 runs and driving in 92. Finley saw his batting average drop the following year, but he hit 50 doubles and scored 92 runs in the regular season and totaled five runs, nine hits, three doubles and three RBIs in 13 postseason games to help the Padres reach the World Series. He joined Arizona as a free agent, finishing his four-year run in San Diego (1995-98) with a .276 average, 423 runs, 662 hits, 134 doubles, 28 triples (seventh in franchise history), 82 home runs, 298 RBIs and 1,098 total bases in 602 games. During his six seasons with the Diamondbacks, Finley was an integral part of the starting lineup, especially during their 2001 title season. He played for five teams over his final four seasons and retired in 2007 with 2,548 hits and 304 home runs over 19 seasons. Finley was a broadcaster and a special assistant for player development with the Padres while also working as a broker and dealer for the Morgan Stanley investment company.

Right Fielders

Honorable Mentions – Hunter Renfroe is a Mississippi native who was drafted 13th overall by the Padres in 2013 and played in two MLB All-Star Futures Games before a brief callup at the end of the 2016 season. Although his average never finished above .250 in any of his three full seasons with the club, he was a consistent source of power, hitting 26 home runs in each of his first two campaigns and a career-best 33 in his third. Renfroe was traded to Tampa Bay following the 2019 season, finishing his four seasons in San Diego (2016-19) with 311 hits, 89 home runs and 204 RBIs in 390 games and leading National League right fielders in assists in 2017. Since the trade, he has bounced around the league, appearing for six team in five seasons, with the Royals being his current club.

Fernando Tatis Jr. started as a shortstop after his 2016 trade from the White Sox and started playing in the outfield sparingly after signing a huge extension before the 2021 season. He made the move on a full-time basis after missing 2022 with a fractured bone in his wrist and then a positive steroid test. “El Niño” earned a gold glove the following year while amassing 91 runs, 25 home runs and 78 RBIs and setting career highs with 148 hits and 29 stolen bases. The current starter at the position, he was named an All-Star in 2024.

5. Will Venable – The son of a 12-year major league veteran originally went to Princeton for basketball but became a baseball star for the Tigers. Venable was selected by the Padres in 2005 draft and earned a call-up three years later. He started getting regular playing time and worked on his weakness at the plate, hitting left-handed pitching. Venable had his best season in 2013, when he stole 22 bases and set career highs with a .268 average, 64 runs, 129 hits, 22 home runs, 53 RBIs and 233 total bases. Although his average sunk the following year, he won the fielding title among National League outfielders. Venable was traded to the Rangers in 2015, finishing his eight-year Padres career (2008-15) tied for third in franchise history in triples (39), seventh in games (918) and eighth in stolen bases (130) to go with 370 runs, 694 hits, 114 doubles, 81 home runs, 304 RBIs and 1,129 total bases. He spent the following year trying out for multiple teams before landing with the Dodgers and retired in 2017 after no teams gave him an opportunity. Venable was a special assistant and coach for the Cubs, spent two years as bench coach of the Red Sox and is now an associate manager with the Rangers.

4. Ollie Brown – One of a few original Padres hitters to make these lists, he grew up in a household with two brothers who both became professional athletes (older brother, Willie, who spent three years as an NFL running back, and younger brother, Oscar, who played for the Braves for five seasons). Ollie Brown signed with San Francisco in 1962, earned a brief call-up three years later and spent four seasons with the Giants. He became the first player in Padres history when the team selected him with the first pick in the expansion draft. The man nicknamed “Downtown” for his power display as a minor leaguer was a productive player for the young club, hitting 20 home runs and leading the team with a .264 average in the inaugural 1969 season. He had his best campaign the following year, setting career highs with a .292 average, 79 runs, 156 hits, 34 doubles, 23 homers, 89 RBIs and 261 total bases. Brown was still solid in 1971, but his power numbers dropped. He was traded to the Athletics the next year, finishing his four-tear Padres career (1969-72) with a .272 average, 194 runs, 450 hits, 52 home runs and 208 RBIs in 458 games while also finishing second in the National League in assists by a right fielder twice. Brown bounced around for a bit and was never a primary starter again in his career. He spent his last four years with the Phillies and retired following the 1977 season. Brown passed away in 2015 at age 71.

3. Brian Giles – Another member of a baseball family (his brother, Marcus, was also a big-league player), he was drafted by the Indians in 1989, bulked up while he was in the minor leagues and became one of baseball’s most dangerous power hitters. Giles debuted with Cleveland in 1995 and found himself in one of the league’s deepest and most potent outfields. He finally got a chance to shine after being traded to Pittsburgh in 1999, earning two All-Star selections and MVP consideration four times in five seasons. Giles hit at least 35 home runs in his first four years with the Pirates, and he amassed more than 100 runs, 160 hits and 100 RBIs three times each. He was moved again in 2003, going to the Padres in a deal that sent outfielder Jason Bay the other way. Giles was still a solid run producer but arthritis in his right knee was starting to work against him, as was the fact that he played in Petco Park, a stadium that was built to favor pitchers. Hie best season in San Diego was his first full campaign in 2004 when he batted .284 with 97 runs, 173 hits, 23 home runs and 94 RBIs. The following year, Giles finished in the top 10 of the MVP voting after batting .301 with 92 runs, a league-leading 119 walks and a .423 on-base percentage, which is the third most in team history.

In his final season, his knee issues took over, and he played his last game in June, ending his seven-year Padres run (2003-09) ranked second in franchise history in walks (509), third in doubles (189), fourth in runs (470), sixth in hits (872), tied for eighth in triples (25) and tenth in total bases (1,360) to go with a .279 average, 83 homers and 415 RBIs in 833 games. Giles also appeared in seven postseason contests, posting seven hits and two runs batted in. He retired after a tryout with the Dodgers in 2010. Giles has faced two off-field issues. He was sued by an ex-girlfriend for alleged domestic abuse (which ended with the court forcing her to give back the engagement ring he had given her). Also, former Pirates teammate Jason Kendall alleged Giles used Adderall, which is on the list of substances banned by Major League Baseball, a charge that the outfielder denied and was never proven.

2. Dave Winfield – The University of Minnesota standout became one of the most imposing batters in modern baseball history. Before that, Winfield has the incredible distinction of being drafted five times in three different sports. The Orioles selected him out of high school in 1969 and then the Padres took him fourth overall four years later. At 6-foot-6, Winfield was also a basketball standout, and he was taken by both the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and the ABA’s Utah Stars. Even though he didn’t play high school or college football, the Vikings thought enough of his athletic talent that they selected him in the 17th round of the NFL draft.

Ultimately, Winfield chose baseball and never played a game in the minor leagues, jumping directly to the majors after signing with San Diego. He was an all-around player who took off after letting his power do the talking, smacking at least 20 home runs five times with the Padres and posting at least 150 hits on four occasions. Despite his production, the Padres wanted him to take a pay cut in 1977, and he responded by asking to be traded. A unique solution was arranged where the team would give $100,000 (the amount the sides were apart in salary talks) to Winfield’s charity for underprivileged youths and Winfield would use the money to give the kids tickets to Padres games. The contract was signed, and the slugger responded by scoring 104 runs, hitting 25 home runs and earning his first of 12 straight All-Star selections, the first four with San Diego. Winfield was also a part of the 1978 team that posted the first winning record in franchise history, batting .308 with 181 hits and 24 homers.

Winfield had arguably his best season the following year, finishing third in the MVP voting and winning a gold glove after batting .308 with 97 runs, 184 hits, 34 home runs, a league-leading and career-high 118 RBIs and an N. L.-best 333 total bases. His numbers slipped in 1980, but he was still an All-Star and gold glove player. Winfield finally left the Padres after playing for six managers in eight seasons (1973-80) and signed a 10-year contract with the Yankees. He ranks second in franchise history in runs (599), RBIs (626) and total bases (1,853), third in games (1,117), hits (1,134), tied for third in triples (39), fourth in home runs (154), fifth in doubles (179), seventh in steals (133) and tenth in average (.284).

“Winny” continued his All-Star play in New York, hitting more than 20 home runs and driving in more than 100 runs six times each while winning five gold gloves and five silver sluggers. However, his time with the Yankees was marred by his “relationship” with George Steinbrenner, which began when the owner realized that the outfielder’s agent negotiated several extra incentives into his contract. His teammates openly rooted for teammate Don Mattingly to win the batting title over him in 1985. Two years later, Steinbrenner started withholding payments from Winfield’s foundation in violation of his contract, then sued to try and have the slugger removed as the leader of the charity. However, the worst of it came in 1990 with Winfield having missed the previous season after undergoing back surgery to repair a herniated disk. Meanwhile, Steinbrenner used Howard Spira, a gambler with alleged Mafia ties to dig up dirt on his star. Spira accused Winfield of betting on baseball but, once the truth came out, the player was exonerated, and the owner was banned from overseeing day-to-day operations of the team (with the lifetime suspension eventually reduced to 2½ years).

After all of the turmoil, Winfield finally got his wish and was traded to the Angels and had a late career power surge that included his one-year stop in Toronto. He won the silver slugger and the first Branch Rickey Award after driving in 108 runs in 1992 then helped the Blue Jays win their first of back-to-back titles. Winfield returned to his hometown to play two seasons for the Twins (getting his 3,000th hit in 1993) before spending his final campaign with the Indians, ending his 22-year career with seven gold gloves, six silver sluggers, 465 home runs, 1,833 RBIs and 3,110 hits. He focused his attention on television and radio appearances, worked in San Diego’s front office as well as the player’s union. Winfield and Steinbrenner eventually mended their relationship around the time the slugger was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001.

1. Tony Gwynn – With all of Winfield’s accolades, it would take someone truly special to keep him from the top spot on this list. Enter Gwynn, a Southern California native who went to San Diego state, was drafted by San Diego in 1981, spent his entire 20-year career with the same team and was given the nickname “Mr. Padre.” The brother of a 10-year major leaguer, he was a part-time player for two years before moving into the starting lineup in 1984. Gwynn had what many players would consider their best year, finishing third in the MVP race after leading the league with a .351 average and 213 hits to go with 71 RBIs and 33 steals, but he had at least half a dozen other similar seasons throughout his career. He helped the Padres make the playoffs for the first time in their history and totaled seven runs, 12 hits, three doubles and three RBIs to lead the team to the World Series. In 1987, he won his second batting title with a .370 average (third in team history), stole a career-high 56 bases and tied a team record with 13 triples.

Gwynn’s accolades are almost too numerous to mention. He batted .300 or better 19 times, earned 15 All-Star selections in a 16-year span, won eight batting titles (which tied a National League record), led the league in hits seven times and topped 200 on five occasions, won seven silver sluggers and five gold gloves and finished in the top 10 of the MVP voting seven times. Gwynn was a relentless worker, spending hours in the batting cages and watching videos of both himself and the pitchers he would face (with teammates giving him the nickname “Captain Video”), and he became a master of hitting the opposite way. He was on the cusp of what would have been his greatest accomplishment in 1994. Gwynn was looking to become the first player in more than half a century to hit .400 in a season and set club records with a .394 mark as well as a .454 on-base percentage when the strike ended the season prematurely. He followed that with three more seasons of .350 or better, a mark he hit seven times in his career.

Although his production was starting to fall, his average did not. Gwynn batted .372 with 119 RBIs in 1997, with both totals ranked second in team history, and his 39 doubles is a club record. He batted .321 the following year and was a big part of San Diego’s second National League pennant. He appeared in 14 playoff games, amassing four runs, 17 hits, three doubles, seven RBIs and his only postseason home run, which came in Game 1 of a sweep by the Yankees in the World Series. Gwynn reached another career milestone, smacking his 3,000th hit in 1999 and, he retired two years later after a pair of part-time seasons. In addition to the gold gloves, he won two fielding titles, led all National League right fielders in putouts three times and assists and double plays twice each. Gwynn added several honors to his statistical accolades, winning the Branch Rickey Award (community service) in 1995, the Lou Gehrig Award (spirit and character) in 1998 and the Roberto Clemente Award (character, community involvement and positive contributions) the following year.

“Mr. Padre” is the all-time franchise leader in batting average (.338), games (2,440), runs (1,383), hits (3,141), doubles (543), triples (85), RBIs (1,138), stolen bases (319), total bases (4,259) and walks (790). He is also tied for second in on-base percentage (.388) and sixth in home runs (135), and he owns the top seven single season batting average marks in team history as well as seven of the top eight hit totals. Following his retirement, Gwynn went back to his alma mater first as a coach and then manager for 12 seasons. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007 after getting 97.6 percent of the vote in his first year of eligibility. Gwynn’s use of chewing tobacco eventually caught up to him and led to him having three tumors removed from his neck, with his third one leading to a diagnosis of salivary gland cancer. He passed away from the condition in 2014 at age 54, and the award given to the National League batting champion now bears his name.