The history of Major League Baseball has been blessed with a long list of talented left fielders to grace the baseball diamond. From the likes of Stan “The Man” Musial to Ted Williams to Barry Bonds to Carl Yastrzemski to Ralph Kiner. Through time the left fielder position has seen some of the best hitters to play the game as well as some of the game’s most versatile and clutch performers. As the position is key to the history of MLB, the big question is who the Greatest MLB Left Fielder of All-Time is and what players deserve a spot on the Top 10 MLB Left Fielders of All-Time? With that said, here is our list of the Top 10 MLB Left Fielders of All-Time

Top 10 Left Fielders

10. Willie Stargell

Team(s): Pittsburgh Pirates

An argument could be made that Willie Stargell could go higher on this list while others would argue other players should be considered among the Top 10 MLB Left Fielders of All-Time.

Nonetheless, “Pops” was a tremendous left fielder and a star of a Pittsburgh Pirates team that won two World Series Championships. In addition to winning two World Series titles, Stargell collected the NLCS MVP Award, the NL MVP Award, led the NL in home runs twice and was a seven time MLB All-Star.

When his playing days were over after the 1982 MLB Season, Stargell’s career would include a career batting average of .282 to go along with 2,232 hits, 475 home runs and 1,540 runs batted in. 

9. Ralph Kiner

Team(s): Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians

Ralph Kiner was one of the greatest players to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates and one of the best left fielders during his playing days.

Kiner, whose playing career was stalled as he served during World War II, got off to a fast start as a rookie finishing with a .247 batting average to go with 17 doubles, 23 home runs and 81 runs batted in.

Kiner would go on to lead the league in home runs in seven straight seasons. Over 1472 career games, Kiner would go on to finish with a .279 batting average to go along with 369 home runs, 1,451 hits and 1,015 runs batted in. 

8. Al Simmons

Team(s): Philadelphia Athletics, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Washington Senators, Boston Braves, Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox

Another star from the early days of Major League Baseball, Al Simmons was one of the best players to play during his time and one if not the best left fielders in all of baseball.

For his career, Simmons was a .334 career hitter with 2,927 hits to go along with 307 home runs and 1,828 runs batted in. Over his first 11 seasons, Simmons posted at least a .308 batting average while topping the .380 mark twice and the .390 mark twice.

Simmons led the league in batting average twice, runs batted I once, hits twice and runs scored once. When his career was over, Simmons was a three time MLB All-Star and a two time World Series Champion. 

7. Manny Ramirez

Team(s): Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays

While playing in the Steroid ERA and being linked to performance enhancing drugs, Manny Ramirez still put together a stellar career and became a face of Major League Baseball.

As many would write him off, it is hard to not include him because he played during a period when many if not most of the game’s top players were taking supplements. During his playing career, Ramirez was one of the most feared hitters in the game having both power and his ability to hit for average.

The former Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox great finished his career as a 12 time MLB All-Star, two time World Series Champion, nine time Silver Slugger, the AL Batting Champion (2002) and the AL home run leader (2004). Over his career, Ramirez posted a .312 batting average to go with 2,574 career hits and 555 home runs. 

6. Carl Yastrzemski

Team(s): Boston Red Sox

The 18 Time MLB All-Star, Carl Yastrzemski put together a brilliant career spanning across 22 seasons all with the Boston Red Sox.

While his career never featured a World Series Championship it did however include a ton of other success and accolades while being one of the best left fielders in all of baseball. The Red Sox great finished his career with a .285 career batting average to go along with 3,419 hits and 452 home runs.

His production at the plate and in the field earned Yastrzemski 18 trips to the MLB All-Star game, an AL MVP Award, the AL Triple Crown in 1967, seven Gold Glove Awards. 

5. “Shoeless” Joe Jackson

Team(s): Philadelphia Athletics, Cleveland Naps/Indians and Chicago White Sox

Possibly the best hitter of his generation and one of the best hitters of All-Time, Joe Jackson whose career was cut short due to the scandal involving his team notably called the Black Sox scandal.

While some say he was innocent, his playing days were still cut short and sometimes has hurt his legacy over the years. However, his .408 average during the 1911 season ranks six best All-Time for a single season.

Jackson would finish his career as a .356 career hitter sitting only behind Ty Cobb, Oscar Charleston and Rogers Hornsby. In addition, Jackson would finish with 1,772 career hits to go with 307 doubles, 168 triples, 54 home runs and 785 runs batted in. 

4. Rickey Henderson

Team(s): Oakland A’s, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, Anaheim Angels, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers 

While often looked past as one of the game’s top Left Fielders, Rickey Henderson was a superstar and one player that changed the game forever. Henderson who anchored the leadoff role in many of the lineups he graced, made the game realize how important that position was and it led to many teams looking to slot in their best hitter and speedster among the top of the lineups.

Henderson, who finished his career as the All-Time stolen base leader, had the ability to turn a walk or single into a triple using his ability to steal both second and third base. Along with his speed, Henderson had the ability to get his team going hitting a career record 81 lead off home runs over his career.

When his career was finished Henderson set the record for most stolen bases in a single season (130), most career stolen bases (1,406), most career runs (2,295) and the most career lead off home runs (81) while finishing with a career .279 batting average to go with 297 home runs and 3,055 hits. 

3. Barry Bonds

Team(s): Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants

As a left fielder Barry Bonds was as good as any player to play during his time as well as before his playing days. Bonds possessed all the tools of a great MLB player including his ability to play the field, run the bases, hit for average, hit for power and patience to drive pitchers crazy.

While being linked to steroids has diminished his spot in the MLB Hall of Fame, it is hard not to include him as one of the game’s greatest left fielders. Bonds finishes his career as the MLB Home Run King (762), single season home run leader (73), All-Time leader in base on balls (2,558), single season on base percentage (.609) and single season slugging percentage (.863) leader.

In his early days Bonds dominated left field for the Pittsburgh Pirates before joining the San Francisco Giants. Over his career, Bonds won eight Gold Glove Awards, seven NL MVP Awards, 12 Silver Slugger Awards, two NL Batting Championships and was named to the NL All-Star team 14 times. 

2. Stan “The Man” Musial

Team(s): St. Louis Cardinals 

It could have easily been Stan Musial at the top of this list but in the end, Musial lands at number two on the list of the Top 10 MLB Left Fielders of All-Time. Musial could do it all and he showcased it over the course of his career while dominating at the plate and in the field.

Only thing that lowered him in this case is that he split a little less than half of his career between left field and first base. Nonetheless, during his time as a left fielder the Cardinals great was as good as any player to play the game.

Musial’s career included 24 MLB All-Star game nods, three World Series Championships, three NL MVP Awards while leading the NL seven times in batting average. Over his career, Musial batted .331 to go with 3,630 hits and 475 career home runs. 

1. Ted Williams

Team(s): Boston Red Sox

The debate can be made daily on whether Ted Williams or Stan Musial should be ranked as the Top MLB Left Fielder of All-Time. As some lean to Musial others lean to Williams as both are two of the game’s greatest players.

Williams, who is ranked 10th All-Time in career batting average with a .344 mark is still considered to this day to be one of the greatest hitters the game has ever seen. When his career was over, Williams finished his career as a 19 time MLB All-Star, two time AL MVP, six time AL batting champion, four time AL home run leader and is one of two players to win the Triple Crown twice.

To go along with his career .344 batting average, Williams set the record with a .482 career on base percentage to go along with 521 career home runs despite missing time to complete service in the Military during World War II and the Korean War. 

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