What exhilarates you more than a beautiful home run? It is one of the game’s most well-liked features and is sure to enrage the spectators.
An old adage by seasoned pitcher Fritz Ostermueller reads, “Home run hitters drive Cadillacs, and singles hitters drivae Fords.”
The MLB is the first professional sports organization. The most coveted yet contentious record in all of sports belongs to the MLB home run total. However, this does not imply that the record is worthless.
In the long history of the sport, there have been many outstanding hitters. Not everyone with a lengthy career, nevertheless, is able to accomplish the accomplishment.
We are taking a look at some of the most productive MLB home run hitters today. So without further ado, here is our list of MLB players with the most home runs.
10 Most Home Runs in MLB
This list was created with the assistance of online resources like Baseball-reference, Athlon Sports, etc.
Let’s take a short look at the list’s overall ranking before moving on to the topic’s specifics.
Players Name | Home Runs |
10. Frank Robinson | 586 |
9. Sammy Sosa | 609 |
8. Jim Thome | 612 |
7. Ken Griffey Jr. | 630 |
6. Willie Mays | 660 |
5. Albert Pujols | 679 |
4. Alex Rodriguez | 696 |
3. Babe Ruth | 714 |
2. Henry Aaron | 755 |
1. Barry Bonds | 762 |
10. Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson, who has 586 MLB home runs, is the ninth player on our list. He played outfield in MLB as a professional and also served as a manager and instructor.
His MLB debut came in 1956, and he was born on August 31, 1935. In 1953, Robinson signed with the Cincinnati Reds.
He debuted in the MLB after competing in the minor league. He played for teams including the San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, and Washington Nationals after making his debut.
Throughout his playing career, Robinson amassed numerous victories and honors. He ended a 21-year playing career and switched to management and coaching. He took charge of numerous teams as their manager and coach.
Robinson was admitted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. He had the fourth-highest career total of home runs in the league’s history when he retired.
At the time of his retirement, his career stats were a.294 batting average, 2,943 hits, 1,812 runs batted in, and a management record of 1,065–1,176 with a.475 winning percentage. Regrettably, he died on February 7, 2019.
9. Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa, a former right fielder for the American baseball team, wears our number 9. He entered the MLB at age 12 and played for 19 seasons. He is frequently considered as one of MLB’s top hitters.
On June 16, 1989, Sosa joined the Texas Rangers and made his MLB debut. However, the Rangers dealt him to the Chicago White Sox in July of that same year.
In 1992, the Red Sox dealt him to the Chicago Cubs. Sosa played for the Cubs for the most of his career following the deal. He additionally played for the Texas Rangers and the Baltimore Orioles.
His career highlights include being named the National League MVP, winning the Silver Slugger Award six times, the NL Hank Aaron Award, the Roberto Clemente Award, etc. Sosa also became the fifth MLB player to hit his 600th career home run.
At the time of his retirement, he had the following MLB stats:.273 batting average, 2,408 hits, and 1,667 runs batted in.
However, the steroids issue later damaged Sosa’s reputation. He was not inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013 as a result.
8. Jim Thome
One of MLB’s most productive power hitters is Jim Thome. With 612 home runs, the retired baseball designated hitter and corner infielder rank eighth in MLB.
With the Cleveland Indians in 1991, he made his MLB debut. Thome spent 22 seasons in the league after being selected by the Indians in the 13th round of the 1989 MLB draft.
He played for several teams throughout his lengthy career, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies. He also played for the Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, and Minnesota Twins in a similar manner.
Thome had a successful career with many victories. Some of them are the Roberto Clemente Award, the Silver Slugger Award, five-time All-Star, leading NL in home runs, etc.
He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018 and is well known for his persistently upbeat outlook and “gregarious” demeanor.
At the time of his retirement, Thome had a batting average of.276 with 2,328 hits and 1,699 runs batted in.
7. Ken Griffey Jr.
Ken Griffey Jr. is seventh on our list of the most MLB home runs with a total of 630. He played outfield for the Seattle Mariners in his Major League Baseball debut in 1989.
One of MLB’s most productive batters is Griffey Jr. “Junior” and “The Kid” are monikers given to him. He is tied for the record for the most consecutive games with a home run in addition to having the most home runs.
In the 1987 MLB Amateur Draft, the Mariners selected Griffey Jr. with the first overall pick. He then played in MLB for 22 seasons.
Similar to this, he also played for MLB teams like the Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds. In 2009, he rejoined the Mariners, and a year later, he announced his retirement.
One of the more well-liked MLB players is Griffey Jr. He obtained many of successful sponsorship deals as a result. His career-defining honors include winning the Gold Glove Award ten times, the Silver Slugger Award seven times, etc.
Griffey Jr. retired with 2,781 hits, 1,836 runs batted in, and a batting average of.284.
6. Willie Mays
One of the most well-known baseball players of all time is Willie Mays. He played in MLB for 22 seasons and hit 660 home runs, which is a record.
Mays started out as a player with the Negro minor league squad. He was signed by the New York Giants in 1950, and it was with them that he played his first MLB game.
Mays played in Major League Baseball for much of his professional career with the San Francisco Giants. From 1972 to 1973, he then played for the New York Mets.
In addition to owning the record for the most MLB home runs, he also holds the record for the most MLB outputs and extra-inning home runs.
Mays’ career accomplishments include winning the World Series, the Gold Glove Award twelve times, the Roberto Clemente Award, etc. In 1979, the illustrious player was admitted to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
With 3,283 hits, 1,903 runs batted in, 338 stolen bases, and a career batting average of.302, Mays left the Major League Baseball.
5. Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols, a professional baseball player from the Dominican Republic, is ranked number 5 and has 679 career home runs. He is a free agent who goes by “The Machine” and is 42 years old.
Originally from the Dominican Republic, Pujols. In 1996, he relocated to America. He was selected by the St. Louis Cardinal in the 13th round of the 1999 MLB draft, and he made his MLB debut the following year.
He was a member of the Cardinals until 2011 when he was made a free agent. Pujols then declined to join with the Cardinals and chose to sign with the Los Angeles Angels instead.
A $104 million, 10-year contract was agreed upon by him. The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Pujols in 2021 on a one-year deal.
His steady swings have earned him a following. Daniel G. Habib, a sports journalist for Sports Illustrated, called his wing “quick” and “silent.”
Pujols has received accolades for a number of career accomplishments thanks to his exceptional batting ability. Among them are the NL Hank Aaron Award twice, the Glove Award once, the Silver Slugger Award six times, the Fielding Bible Award five times, etc.
4. Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez, also known by his stage name “A-Rod,” was a former baseball shortstop and third baseman. He now holds the fourth-most MLB home runs. He is regarded as one of the all-time best baseball players.
Rodriguez was one of the most highly anticipated prospects before the MLB draft. He was selected by the Seattle Mariners with the first overall pick in the 1993 MLB Draft.
The next year, Alex then made his debut. He also signed with the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees throughout his 22 seasons in Major League Baseball.
Rodriguez won the World Series, was an All-Star 14 times, won two Gold Glove Awards, ten Silver Slugger Awards, four AL Hank Aaron Awards, and more.
He also inked two of his career’s highest-paying sports contracts. He transitioned into the media after leaving the sport.
With a.295 batting average, 3,115 hits, 2,086 runs batted in, and more than 300 stolen bases towards the end of his MLB career, Rodriguez had impressive numbers.
3. Babe Ruth
Only the top three baseball players remain. Famous hitter Babe Ruth is third on our list of MLB players with the most home runs. He was a baseball player who was born on February 6, 1895, and is regarded as one of the best ever.
Ruth spent 22 seasons in Major League Baseball, earning the moniker “The Bambino” and “The Sultan of Swat.” He started out working for the Boston Red Sox as a pitcher.
He went on to become well-known as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees after making his debut in 2011. Ruth was the focus of significant media and public attention as a result of his fame.
But in addition to his impressive on-field performance, he also became embroiled in numerous off-field problems.
Ruth nevertheless rose to become one of the most revered sports figures in American history. He also played for the Boston Braves toward the end of his playing career.
During his playing career, he won the World Series seven times and had the best hitting average among all players. The illustrious player was admitted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.
Ruth finished his career with 2,783 hits, 2,214 runs batted in, a 94-46 record (wins, losses), and an earned run average of 2.28. On August 16, 1948, this iconic persona went away at the age of 53.
2. Henry Aaron
Henry Aaron, who is recognized as one of the greatest baseball players in history, has 755 home runs in the MLB, which puts him in second place. He entered the MLB in 1954 and played there for 21 seasons.
Aaron beat Babe Ruth’s 33-year record for the second-most MLB home runs. He participated in both minor league and the Negro league. His talent made him stand out, but he also encountered bigotry.
He was signed by the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves in 1952, and Aaron made his MLB debut the following year. He played for the Braves for the majority of his career.
He was a member of the Milwaukee Brewers from 1975 to 1976. He holds the MLB record for the most career extra-base hits (1,477), runs batted in (2,297), total bases (6,856), and victories (many, many) combined.
After the 1976 season, Aaron gave up playing, and in 1982 he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. At the time of his retirement, he had a.305 batting average, 3,771 hits, and 2,297 runs batted in for the MLB.
1. Barry Bonds
The MLB home run leader is a former left fielder named Barry Bonds. One of the greatest baseball players of all time, he holds the MLB record for most home runs with 762.
Bonds was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates as the sixth overall choice in the 1985 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut the following year. He participated in 22 MLB seasons.
He plays for the Pirates throughout most of his career, from 1986 to 1992. The San Francisco Giants then offered Bonds a substantial free-agent contract in 1993. He agreed to the $43.75 million record contract at the time.
Bonds holds a number of other MLB records in addition to the record for the most home runs. He has also received various accolades and wins over his career.
He was one of the most productive baseball players, but he also had a contentious career. His involvement in the steroid scandals was the subject of his most prominent controversy.
Bonds last appeared in an MLB game for the Giants in 2007. He finished his career with a.298 batting average, 2,935 hits, 1,996 runs batted in, and 514 stolen bases, which is an MLB record.
Conclusion
Whether it is controversial or not, there is no doubting that the incredible records of these players should be honored. With such a remarkable accomplishment, they will live on forever in the annals of the sport.
They worked hard throughout their careers to break the record, and as a result, they merit honor and a unique position in MLB history. We sincerely hope you liked our shortlist.
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