Outside of the New York Yankees, it’s hard to find a Major League Baseball franchise as successful as the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Back when they were the Brooklyn Dodgers, they were the first Major League team to integrate, adding Jackie Robinson to their roster. They also helped expand MLB to the West Coast when they and the Giants moved to California.
Along the way, their roster has included some of the best Major League baseball players of all time. Most of the men on this list are either Hall of Famers or future Hall of Famers.
It’s hard to whittle this down to 10 players, but it just goes to show you how many great pitchers and hitters have suited up for the franchise over the years. Here are the 10 best Dodgers of all time.
10, Fernando Valenzuela, pitcher
While Jackie Robinson broke the racial barrier for African Americans, Fernando Valenzuela broke that barrier for Mexican-American athletes. Valenzuela became a huge star, not only for the Dodgers but also for the Mexican-American community. He was a draw everywhere he played and “Fernandomania” swept the country. Valenzuela is a World Series champion, six-time All-Star, Cy Young Award winner, NL Rookie of the Year, Gold Gloves winner, and threw a no-hitter in 1990. Valenzuela is part of the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame and ended his career with 173 wins and a 3.54 ERA.
9. Kirk Gibson, outfielder
It might be strange to see Kirk Gibson on this list because he is only a lifetime .268 hitter, but he might have the greatest moment in Dodgers history. We all remember the moment An injured Kirk Gibson stepped up to the plate and hit the game-winning home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, which the Dodgers would eventually win. That alone earned him a spot on this list. But its worth noting Gibson was also National League MVP that same year.
8. Orel Hershiser, pitcher
Kirk Gibson wasn’t the only hero for those 1988 Dodgers, Orel Hershiser emerged as a star during that time as well. Hershiser looked more like a professor than a professional athlete, but he was one of the best pitchers in franchise history. Hershier finished his career with a 3.48 ERA, 204 wins, and over 2, 000 strikeouts. He is a World Series champion, Cy Young winner, World Series MVP, and two-time LCS MVP.
7. Clayton Kershaw, pitcher
Clayton Kershaw might be the greatest Dodger of this generation. He is a 10-time All-Star, 2014 NL MVP, 3-time NL Cy Young winner, and 2020 World Series champion. Kershaw is also a five-time NL ERA leader and three-time NL strikeout champ. Kershaw has been the leader of this new generation of Dodgers since 2008 and when his career is over, you better believe more than likely, he will be a part of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
6. Pee Wee Reese, shortstop
Pee Wee Reese will be known for many things he accomplished on the field. He batted. 269 with 885 RBIs in his career. Perhaps his biggest accomplishment was off the field by befriending Jackie Robinson. Some Dodgers players did not want Robinson on the team because of his race but Reese was one of the first to stand up for Robinson. In a game in Cincinnati, while fans heckled Robinson, Reese went over, put his arm around him, and had a conversation. His acceptance of Robinson silenced most of his critics. Reese became a part of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984.
5. Roy Campanella, catcher
Roy Campanella was easily the greatest catcher to put on a Dodgers uniform. Campanella had a mixed heritage and had to play for the Negro Leagues and other foreign leagues when his career began. Not too long after Jackie Robinson joined the team, so did Campanella. He was an eight-time All-Star, a three-time NL MVP, a World Series champion, and an NL RBI leader. Campanella’s career was cut short due to a car accident that left him paralyzed for the rest of his life. Campanella batted .276 in his career with 242 home runs and 856 RBIs. In 1969, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
4. Duke Snider, center fielder
Duke Snider is one of the few players on this list who played both for the Brooklyn and LA Dodgers. From 1947 to 1962, Snider played centerfield and, during his time, he batted .295 with 407 home runs and over 1,300 RBIs. Snider was an eight-time All-Star, a two-time World Series champion, and was the NL RBI leader in 1955. He also led the league in home runs in 1956. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980.
3. Don Drysdale, pitcher
Like Snider, Don Drysdale played for both Brooklyn and LA, In 1958, he, along with fellow pitcher Sandy Koufax, joined the army for six months before returning to training camp in 1958. He said in his autobiography that his experience was good for him. Drysdale was a three-time World Series champion, nine-time All-Star, Cy Young winner, and three-time strikeouts leader. Drysdale had a 2.95 ERA and won 209 games in his career. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984.
2. Sandy Koufax, pitcher
Sandy Koufax may not only be the greatest pitcher in Dodgers history but potentially in baseball history. Koufax was a four-time World Series champion, NL MVP, three-time Cy Young winner, two-time World Series MVP, five-time NL ERA leader, four-time NL strikeout leader, pitched four no-hitters, and threw a perfect game. He is also a part of MLB’s All-Century team. Koufax ended his career with a 2.75 ERA and 165 wins. Koufax set the standard for all MLB pitchers for generations to come.
1. Jackie Robinson, second baseman
Jackie Robinson is No. 1 on this list for various reasons. First of all, he was the first African American to break the color barrier. But he was a pretty darn good baseball player too. Robinson batted .313 in his career with 141 home runs and 761 RBIs. He was a World Series champion, six-time All-Star, MLB Rookie of the Year, NL MVP, NL batting champ, and two-time stolen base champ. Robinson was also the first African-American player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
In 2009, MLB honored Robinson by instituting Jackie Robinson Day, a day in which everyone in Major League Baseball wears Robinson’s 42 every year on April 15.
