The history of Major League Baseball is teeming with talented baseball players from Puerto Rico. Roberto Clemente headlines the list as the best Puerto Rican Baseball player of all time.
Joining Clemente on the list includes the Alomar brothers Sandy Alomar and Roberto Alomar, future Hall of Famer Yadier Molina, current All-star Francisco Lindor, and Hall of Fame catcher Ivan Rodriguez.
Here is a look at the 15 best baseball players from Puerto Rico.
Best Puerto Rican Baseball Players
15. Javier Baez – Chicago Cubs, New York Mets & Detroit Tigers
Since making his Major League debut in 2014 at 21, Javier Baez has been one of the top young infielders all by the age of 29.
Currently with the Detroit Tigers, Baez has racked up 161 career home runs, 184 doubles, 514 runs batted in, and 908 career hits.
His production at the plate has landed Baez on two MLB All-Star teams, one Silver Slugger award, one Gold Glove award, an NLCS MVP award, and a World Series championship.
14. Sandy Alomar Jr – San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers & New York Mets
The 20-year MLB veteran put together a solid MLB career while being a solid defensive catcher and a player with a solid bat.
Alomar racked up a career .273 batting average over 4,865 career at-bats while picking up 1,236 hits, 249 doubles, 112 home runs, and 588 runs batted in.
In addition to his performance, Alomar picked up the Al Rookie of the Year award in 1990 with a .290 batting average to go along with 26 doubles, nine home runs, and 66 runs batted in over 132 games.
Alomar Jr has also racked up one Gold Glove award and six All-Star team selections.
13. Carlos Correa – Houston Astros & Minnesota Twins
Landing among the best Puerto Rican baseball players is the Minnesota Twins’ current All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa.
Correa, who made his MLB debut in 2015 at the age of 20, has become one of the top shortstops in all of baseball while helping to lead the Houston Astros to a World Series Championship.
Since arriving at the Majors, Correa has made two AL All-Star teams, won the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year award, a Gold Glove, a Platinum Glove award, and a Fielding Bible award.
Look for Correa to continue to rise through the ranks over the next few seasons.
12. Jorge Posada – New York Yankees
Jorge Posada was a staple among the New York Yankees organization and a crucial member of the Yankees dynasty that dominated the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Posada was a five-time AL All-Star, making four straight All-Star teams from 2000 to 2003. The Santurce, Puerto Rican native, racked up 1,664 career hits over 7,150 career at-bats.
In addition, the Yankees catcher posted eight different seasons with at least 20 home runs and eight seasons with at least 80 runs batted-in while earning five Silver Slugger awards and four World Series Championships.
11. Bernie Williams – New York Yankees
Landing just ahead of his former New York Yankees teammate, Bernie Williams from San Juan, Puerto Rico, was also a vital member of the Yankees dynasty.
Williams spent his 16-year MLB career with the Yankees and was a five-time AL All-Star and a four-time World Series Champion.
Over his career, Williams won four Gold Glove awards, led the AL in batting in 1998, and won the ALCS MVP in 1996.
In 2,076 games, the Yankees outfielder picked up 2,336 hits, 287 home runs, and 1,257 runs batted-in.
10. Francisco Lindor – Cleveland Indians & New York Mets
One of the young stars of Major League Baseball is the New York Met’s 28-year-old shortstop and four-time MLB All-Star Francisco Lindor.
Lindor, who transitioned to Florida with his family, was the Cleveland Indian’s first-round draft pick during the 2011 MLB season.
Four years later, at 21, Lindor made his Major League debut en route to a .313 batting average, 12 home runs, and 51 runs batted in.
Since then, Lindor has racked up 1,137 career hits along with 179 home runs and 560 runs batted in.
Lindor’s performance helped him to win two Silver Slugger awards, one Platinum Glove award, and two Gold Glove awards.
9. Juan Gonzalez – Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians & Kansas City Royals
One of the best Puerto Rican baseball players, Juan Gonzalez, was one of the biggest power hitters of his generation.
Gonzalez, a Texas Rangers Hall of Fame member, made three AL All-Star teams, led the AL in home runs in 1992 and 1993, and won two AL MVP awards.
Over his 17-year career, Gonzalez posted at least 30 plus home runs and at least 30 doubles in seven different MLB seasons.
In addition, Gonzalez racked up 1,936 hits along with 388 doubles, 434 home runs, and 1,404 runs batted in.
8. Edgar Martinez – Seattle Mariners
The long-time Seattle Mariners star is one of five Puerto Rican baseball players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Martinez, who played his entire 18-year MLB career with the Mariners, was a two-time AL batting champion leading the league in 1992 with a .343 batting average and 1995 with a .356 batting average.
Over 2,055 career games, Martinez was a .312 hitter with 309 home runs and 514 doubles while driving in 1,261 runs.
7. Carlos Delgado – Toronto Blue Jays, Florida Marlins & New York Mets
The former long-time Toronto Blue Jays All-Star and power-hitting first baseman put together a stellar Major League Baseball career while finishing his career hitting the most home runs by a Puerto Rican baseball player.
Over his 17-year MLB career, Delgado racked up 473 career home runs to go along with 1,512 runs batted in and 483 career doubles.
His performance during his playing career with the Blue Jays, which included 336 career home runs, landed him in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
When his career was over, Delgado’s stat baseball resume included two All-Star appearances, three Silver Slugger awards, and one four home run game.
6. Orlando Cepeda – San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Oakland A’s, Boston Red Sox & Kansas City Royals
One of the most dominant players during the 1960’s Orlando Cepeda, broke out at the major league level as a rookie in 1958.
Cepeda would go on to bat .312 in his rookie season with 25 home runs and 96 runs batted in while taking home the 1958 NL Rookie of the Year award.
The .312 batting average would mark the first of nine seasons Cepeda batted at least .300.
Over the next 17 MLB seasons, Cepeda would rack up 1,131 career runs, 417 doubles, 379 home runs, and 1,365 runs batted in.
His performance on the field led him to 11 All-Star teams, the 1967 NL MVP award, and one World Series Championship.
5. Carlos Beltran – Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees & Texas Rangers
A nine-time MLB All-Star, three-time Gold Glove award winner, AL Rookie of the Year award, and a two-time Silver Slugger, Carlos Beltran was as good as any player in Major League Baseball during his playing days.
Beltran, who made his debut with the Kansas City Royals, would bounce around his entire career being a key contributor, including during the 2017 World Series run with the Houston Astros.
Beltran would finish his career with a .279 batting average along with 435 home runs, 1,587 runs batted in, and 2,725 hits.
4. Roberto Alomar – San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, Chicago White Sox, and Arizona Diamondbacks
Joining his brother Sandy Alomar on the list is the MLB Hall of Fame member Roberto Alomar. Alomar, one of the best fielding second basemen of all time, could do it all.
The long-time Toronto Blue Jays star had all the tools from his ability to pick up hits, steal bases, hit for power, and make one web gem after another at second base.
Alomar would rack up 474 career stolen bases, hit 210 home runs, make 12 MLB All-Star teams, and win two World Series Championships.
In addition to those accolades, Alomar would win 10 Gold Glove awards, four Silver Slugger awards, and the 1992 ALCS MVP award.
3. Yadier Molina – St. Louis Cardinals
The future Hall of Famer’s career is slowly coming to an end as the 2022 MLB season is the last of his long-storied career.
Molina has spent his entire 19-year MLB career with the St. Louis Cardinals and has been one of the game’s best defensive catchers.
Over those 19 MLB schedules, Molina has racked up nine Gold Glove awards, four Platinum Glove awards, and six Field Bible awards.
In addition to defensive skills, Molina has made 10 NL All-Star teams and won two World Series titles.
Overall, Molina has picked up over 2,100 hits along with 173 home runs.
2. Ivan Rodriguez – Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Washington Nationals
Ivan Rodriguez, or “Pudge,” as many fans and teammates call him, is one of a few catchers who could be considered the best defensive catchers of all time.
Pudge, who is also one of the five Puerto Ricans in the Baseball Hall of Fame, could also hit for average and hit for power.
His performance over his career led him to 14 MLB All-Star teams, the 1999 AL MVP award, 13 Gold Glove awards, and seven Silver Slugger awards.
Rodriguez would finish his career as a .296 hitter with 2,844 hits, 311 home runs, and 1,332 runs batted in.
1. Roberto Clemente – Pittsburgh Pirates
The former Pittsburgh Pirates star Roberto Clemente is arguably the best Puerto Rican baseball player of all time.
Clemente, who spent his entire MB career with the Pirates, racked up 3,000 hits to go along with 440 doubles, 240 home runs, and 1,305 runs batted, is also the first Latin-American player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
He was a tremendous player who could hit and field while winning four batting titles and 12 Gold Glove awards over his long-storied career with the Pirates.
Clemente would make 15 All-Star teams, win the 1966 NL MVP Award, the 1971 World Series MVP award, and two World Series Championships.
Conclusion
The best MLB players today consistently show up during games, and the players on this list are no different. These amazing players have made a name for themselves as the best Puerto Rican baseball players of all time.
Have we missed any great names? Let us know in the comments below.
