Ranking All The Best MLB Players Of The 1990s
The 1990s marked a unique decade of transition for MLB. The league experienced significant growth, with new teams joining, such as the Colorado Rockies in 1993 and the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1998. Viewership soared for the league, largely thanks to ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball and extensive media attention.
Much of this attention was driven by the incredibly talented baseball players who gave their all on the diamond every day and night. Here at TPS, we’re going to take a trip down memory lane and rank the best MLB players of the 1990s.
Here are the 20 best MLB Players of the 1990s ranked from 20 to 1.
Who are the best MLB players in the 1990s?
20) Paul O’Neill
O’Neill is largely overlooked, due to playing with a lot of flashy players during his career, but he was very valuable to the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees as a hitter. O’Neill had 753 runs, 1,524 hits, 204 home runs, and 923 RBIs in the ‘90s. O’Neill is also a five-time World Series Champion with the Reds and Yankees, the AL Batting champion in 1994, and a five-time All-Star. Despite all O’Neill has accomplished, he isn’t in the Hall of Fame yet because of other, more elite ball players. Hopefully, O’Neill will get enshrined in Cooperstown for all he accomplished on the baseball diamond.
19) David Cone
Cone was an exceptional pitcher thanks to his split-finger fastball, his ability to adapt and improve throughout his career, and his leading the MLB in strikeouts from 1990 until 1992. Cone was also a five-time World Series Champion with the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays, led the MLB wins leader in 1998, and became the 16th pitcher in MLB history to throw a perfect game in 1999. Quite an impressive career, if you ask us.
18) Sammy Sosa
Whether you like him or hate him, there’s no denying Sosa was one of the most important players in the MLB in the 1990s. Sosa had 814 runs, 1,366 hits, 332 home runs, and 928 RBIs during the decade. Sosa won the 1998 NL MVP, was a seven-time MLB All-Star, a six-time Silver Slugger award winner, and won the Roberto Clemente award in 1998, thanks to his ability to make hits and send the ball flying out to the stands for home runs. However, Sosa isn’t in Cooperstown because of his association with performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and using a corked bat, despite his impressive statistics throughout his career.
17) Tony Gwynn
The late Tony Gwynn was one of the best pure hitters to grace an MLB field and is beloved in San Diego. Gwynn had 744 runs, 1,713 hits, 88 home runs, and 688 RBIs during the decade and led the Padres to the 1998 World Series. Gwynn was also a 15-time All-Star, an eight-time NL batting champion, and won the Roberto Clemente award in 1999, and finished the 1994 season with a batting average of 0.394, and some people predicted that average would’ve gone up to 0.400, if the season didn’t end prematurely due to the infamous 1994 strike. Gwynn is forever enshrined in Cooperstown for all he accomplished with the San Diego Padres.
16) Fred McGriff
McGriff, nicknamed “Crime Dog,” was one of the top MLB sluggers in the 1990s. McGriff had 837 runs, 1,573 hits, 300 home runs, and 975 RBIs in the decade. McGriff also won the 1994 AL MVP, helped the Atlanta Braves win the 1995 World Series, was a five-time All-Star, and a two-time Home Run leader in 1989 and 1992, thanks to his impressive production on offense as a hitter, and brought success to the teams he played for. McGriff is currently enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
15) Bernie Williams
Williams was vital in helping the Yankees become an MLB powerhouse in the 1990s. Williams had 754 runs, 1,298 hits, 151 home runs, and 681 RBIs during the decade. Williams was a four-time World Series winner, a five-time All-Star, the ALCS MVP in 1996, the AL batting champion in 1998, and finished in the top 10 in batting three times in the ‘90s. Williams is enshrined in Cooperstown for all of his accomplishments with the New York Yankees.
14) Greg Maddux
Maddux was a very successful MLB pitcher throughout the 1990s, thanks to his smart pitching approach, exceptional control of the ball, and ability to read hitters. He located his pitches very nicely and made opposing batters chase weak contact with the ball throughout his career, as well.
Maddux helped the Atlanta Braves win the 1995 World Series against Cleveland, was an eight-time All-Star, a four-time NL Cy Young Award winner, an 18-time Gold Glove Award winner, a three-time NL wins leader in 1992, 1994, and 1995, and had his number 31 retired by two MLB teams: the Braves and the Chicago Cubs. Maddux is enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown for all of his accomplishments on the pitcher’s mound.
13) Craig Biggio
Biggio was one of the toughest players to play in the MLB in the 1990s, thanks to his ability to play in three different positions. Biggio was a second baseman, catcher, and outfielder during his impressive career. Biggio had 1,042 runs, 1,728 hits, 136 home runs, and 641 RBIs during the decade. Biggio was also the NL Stolen Base leader in 1994, a seven-time All-Star, and a four-time Gold Glove winner, thanks to his prowess on the field. Biggio is forever enshrined in Cooperstown because of all he accomplished with the Houston Astros.
12) Edgar Martinez
Martinez was an excellent designated hitter with the Seattle Mariners in the 1990s. Martinez had a 0.418 on-base percentage, had 854 runs, 1,492 hits, 196 home runs, and 750 RBIs during the decade. Martinez was a seven-time All-Star, a two-time AL Batting Champion in 1992 and 1995, and a five-time Silver Slugger Award winner. Martinez is enshrined in Cooperstown for all of his accomplishments with the Mariners.
11) Pedro Martínez
Martínez was one of the most dominant pitchers during his Hall of Fame career in the 1990s. Martínez was an eight-time All-Star, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, and the Triple Crown winner in 1999 and the MLB Wins leader in 1999. Martínez had an exceptional fastball, a strong changeup, and maintained pinpoint control, which made his throws mostly unhittable in his prime. Martínez is also enshrined in Cooperstown for all of his accomplishments as a pitcher.
10) Barry Larkin
Larkin was one of the best shortstops to play in the MLB in the 1990s with the Cincinnati Reds. Larkin helped the Reds win the 1990 World Series, had 834 runs, 1,447 hits, 137 home runs, and 639 RBIs during the decade. Larkin led the league in assists by a shortstop with 469, was the NL MVP in 1995, a 12-time All-Star, and won the Roberto Clemente Award in 1993. Larkin is enshrined in Cooperstown for all of his accomplishments.
9) Mark McGwire
McGwire was an incredible hitter during his time with the Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals during his playing days. McGwire had 791 runs, 1,071 hits, 405 home runs, and 956 RBIs during the decade. McGwire finished in the top 10 for on-base percentage four times and slugging percentage six times. Despite putting up incredible numbers, McGwire admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) for a large chunk of his playing career.
8) Cal Ripken Jr.
Yes, Ripken Jr. may have been dominant in the 1980s by helping the Orioles win their most recent World Series Championship back in 1983, and was a 19-time All-Star, but he was just as dominant in the 1990s. Ripken Jr. won his second AL MVP in 1991, won two Gold Glove Awards in 1991 and 1992, won the Roberto Clemente Award in 1992, and holds MLB’s most consecutive games played with 2,632 games under his belt, breaking Lou Gehrig’s record of 2,130 games played. Because of that, Ripken Jr. is rightly enshrined in Cooperstown.
7) Roger Clemens
Clemens was a dominant pitcher in the 1990s. He won three Cy Young awards in 1991, 1997, and 1998. Over the decade, he had a 2.90 ERA with 2,119 strikeouts, was a five-time American League Strikeout Leader, and led the MLB in ERA in 1990, 1991, and 1992. Clemens was a pitching machine in the early and late 1990s, was the AL strikeout leader five times, and helped the New York Yankees win the 1999 World Series against the Atlanta Braves.
However, despite Clemens’ incredible career, he wasn’t elected to the Hall of Fame due to allegations of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and was never able to cross the 75 percent threshold for eligibility.
6) Mike Piazza
Piazza was arguably the best-hitting catcher in baseball during his playing days with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, and the New York Mets. Piazza had 611 runs, 1,200 hits, 240 home runs, and 768 RBIs during the decade. Piazza also earned the 1993 NL Rookie of the Year award, the 1996 All-Star MVP, and a seven-time Silver Slugger. Piazza was an exceptional hitter, and he had incredible defense as a catcher. Because of his accomplishments, Piazza is enshrined in Cooperstown.
5) Jeff Bagwell
Before the Houston Astros became the villains of MLB, they were constant underdogs led by Bagwell, who put it all on the line every time he stepped up to the plate in the 1990s. Bagwell was a four-time All-Star, won the 1994 NL MVP, had 921 runs, 1,447 hits, 263 home runs, and 961 RBIs during the decade. Bagwell also did wonders on the field as a first baseman and led the league in assists from 1994 to 1997. Bagwell was the shining star for the Astros and is enshrined in Cooperstown.
4) Randy Johnson
Arguably the best pitcher in the 1990s, Johnson became an MLB superstar with the Seattle Mariners. Johnson was a 14-time All-Star during his career, pitched a no-hitter on June 3, 1990, was a nine-time strikeout leader, took home the 1995 Cy Young Award, had 2,618 strikeouts in the decade, and was one of the first pitchers to strike out more than a third of the batters he faced. Johnson is enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
3) Barry Bonds
Despite his controversies, whether you love or hate him, Bonds was a power hitter during his tenure with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He had 1,478 hits, 1,091 runs, 361 home runs, and 1,076 RBIs during the decade. Bonds also led the MLB in on-base percentage in 1990, 1992, and 1993 and won the NL MVP in 1990, 1992, and 1993. Bonds led MLB in home runs in 1993 with 46. Despite all of the accolades, Bonds failed to reach the 75 percent threshold for eligibility into the Baseball Hall of Fame due to his steroid usage.
2) Frank Thomas
Thomas, aka “Big Hurt,” was an incredible hitter who struck fear into opposing pitchers every time he stepped on the plate. Thomas had 968 runs, 1,564 hits, and 301 home runs during the decade. Thomas earned back-to-back AL MVP awards in 1993 and 1994, made five All-Star games, and was the AL Batting Champion in 1997. Thomas had an incredible impact on the game during this reign at bat. Thomas is rightfully enshrined in Cooperstown for all he accomplished in baseball.
1) Ken Griffey Jr.
What else can we say? Griffey Jr., aka “The Kid,” was a sight to see in games, as he put the Seattle Mariners on the map. He set the league on fire with his 1,002 runs scored, 1,622 hits made, 382 home runs, and 1,091 RBIs, as well as his incredible swing at the bat in the ‘90s. Griffey Jr. won the AL MVP in 1997, leading the league with 147 RBIs at the time. Griffey Jr. was also great on defense, earning 10 Gold Glove awards as a result. Griffey Jr. goes down as our number one ranked MLB player from the 1990s.
Ranking All The Best MLB Players Of The 1990s
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