The 16 Best Defensive Players in MLB History

The greatest moments in baseball are etched in our heads as offensive feats.

Hank Aaron breaking the home run record. Joe Carter’s iconic World Series walkoff. David Freese’s heroic Game 6. All of these historic moments took place at the plate. But the true chemical makeup of baseball occurs on the other side of the game.

For as great as a prolific home run may be, a great defensive player is the backbone of a team’s success. “Web gems” are a fabric of baseball culture, and some of the game’s best defensive players deserve as much love as the Ruths and Aarons of the world.

1. Ozzie Smith

There’s a reason baseball fans knew Ozzie Smith as “The Wizard” during his playing days. Smith was as elite as elite gets as a defender, maybe the best in MLB history.

Smith won a Gold Glove at shortstop in 13 of the 19 seasons he played, displaying range and athleticism few had ever seen in the game. He sports a .978 fielding percentage in 2,511 games, third-highest among shortstops with more than 2,000 games played at the position. Smith collected a career 44.2 dWAR (Defensive Wins Above Replacement), which is the most defensive runs contributed to a team ever. Simply put, Smith is quite possibly the most valuable defensive player ever.

2. Brooks Robinson

There’s a fair argument to be made third base is the most difficult position to play in baseball. After all, there’s a reason they call it the “hot corner.”

Brooks Robinson was unrivaled at playing it. Robinson’s career 39.1 dWAR is the third-highest all-time for any position player, as he raked in 16 Gold Glove Awards over his Baltimore Orioles career. “The Human Vacuum Cleaner” and his defense played instrumental roles in Baltimore winning two World Series titles during his tenure in town. Robinson finished with a career .971 fielding percentage, and went into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983.

3. Ivan Rodriguez

A lot of people associate “Pudge” with his hitting abilities, but Ivan Rodriguez was the most complete catcher to ever wear a set of pads.

Rodriguez was a 13-time Gold Glove winner across his 21-year career, the majority of which was spent with the Texas Rangers. He had a remarkable 45.68 percent caught-stealing rate, emphasizing his presence with one of the most lethal arms ever. Pudge ranks eighth all-time in dWAR at 29.6, and deservingly ended up in the Baseball Hall of Fame due to his remarkable well-roundedness behind the plate.

4. Andruw Jones

Andruw Jones broke into the majors at just 19 years old with the Atlanta Braves, and his defense was a primary reason for that.

Center field is the true field general of the ballpark, and Jones handled the responsibility with ease. He notched a .990 career fielding percentage in the outfield, and took home 10 Gold Glove Awards in the process. The back half of his career was hampered by injuries and a general downturn in production both offensively and defensively, but the first half of his career is Hall of Fame-caliber. He finished with a 24.4 dWAR.

5. Roberto Clemente

Having a great glove is flashy. Having a great arm can drop jaws all around a stadium.

Pittsburgh Pirates legend Roberto Clemente had just that. Clemente was renowned for his throwing ability from right field, collecting 27 outfield assists in his 1961 season. The outfielder was a 12-time Gold Glove recipient, and won the 1966 National League MVP Award. His life was tragically cut short at 37 years old, and it’s entirely possible he would have had more brilliance left in him had he continued playing.

6. Keith Hernandez

Keith Hernandez is on the short list for most underrated players not in the Baseball Hall of Fame, and his defense is a big reason for that.

Before he was a Seinfeld star, Hernandez was snagging line drives and grounders at first base for the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets. Hernandez won 11 Gold Gloves in his career, to go along with a .994 fielding percentage. He was a bunter’s nightmare, as he could charge the line and make an accurate throw to first or third on a whim. The 1979 co-NL MVP was a valuable presence on the field for every team he played for, but was instrumental in delivering the Mets the 1986 World Series.

7. Greg Maddux

You don’t often think about defense when it comes to pitchers. But then again, most pitchers can’t field like Greg Maddux was able to.

The four-time Cy Young Award recipient dazzled hitters for decades with his pinpoint control, but his glove was exceptional. Maddux won 18 Gold Glove Awards, the most ever by a pitcher. He sports a .972 career fielding percentage, one of the quickest pitchers to charge a bunt to ever play the game. His 22.5 dWAR was more than enough to supplement his outstanding pitching numbers en route to Cooperstown.

8. Cal Ripken Jr.

If you hear “Cal Ripken Jr.,” you know it is probably in association with greatness. Defensively, Cal was as great as it gets.

The durability at shortstop he displayed during his record-breaking consecutive games played streak speaks for itself. He had a .979 career fielding percentage, and collected two Gold Gloves with the Orioles. Ripken put up an impressive 35.7 career dWAR, and even found success at third base as well when he moved there in the 1996 season. The two-time AL MVP is a measuring stick for success all around.

9. Yadier Molina

The fundamentals required to be a great catcher in the majors are hard to come by, which makes Yadier Molina’s run with the St. Louis Cardinals one of the most impressive of all time.

Molina had a knack for being a clutch hitter, but was regarded as the best catcher in the game during his prime. He won a Gold Glove every year from 2008 through 2015, and made 10 All-Star Games for the National League. Molina sported a 40.44 percent caught stealing rate, with his quick release and rocket arm terrorizing baserunners across the league. Molina is likely bound for Cooperstown in the coming years, with his defense largely responsible.

10. Mark Belanger

Mark Belanger only hit 20 home runs in his 18 years in Major League Baseball, but more than made up for his lack of power with his elite field presence.

Belanger was a constant at shortstop for the Orioles, spending his entire career with them. He won eight Gold Glove Awards in Baltimore, coupled with an extremely impressively 39.5 career dWAR. Belanger’s defense at a critical position helped him play an important role in delivering the 1970 World Series to the Orioles.

11. Joe Tinker

None of us were around to witness Joe Tinker’s play in the middle infield for the Chicago Cubs, but he was exceptional in an important era of the game.

The shortstop led the National League five times in dWAR, a threat to any baserunner trying to leg out a slow ground ball. His 34.3 career dWAR isn’t just impressive — it puts him in the top five all time among qualified defenders. His .944 fielding percentage is also one of the strongest of his era, and he rightfully took his place in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.

12. Adrian Beltre

The newest member of the Baseball Hall of Fame was a dominant force offensively, but do not sleep on Adrian Beltre’s defense at third. He was incredible.

Beltre was named a Gold Glove-winner five times in his career, and had tremendous lateral range for a third baseman under six-feet tall. He is top 15 all-time in dWAR at 27.0, putting up a career-high 3.1 in his 2008 Gold Glove-winning season with Seattle. Beltre was truly one of the greatest all-around players of his generation, finishing with 3,166 hits and 477 home runs as well.

13. Omar Vizquel

Omar Vizquel played 24 seasons in the big leagues, and was a superb defensive force in the game through age 45.

His career 29.5 dWAR is among the 10 best in league history, as he dazzled with an athletic build and smooth skill set. He won 11 Gold Gloves, and was a valuable defensive piece for nearly two and a half decades in the sport. Vizquel was on his way to the Baseball Hall of Fame, but off-the-field issues severely damaged his reputation and case for Cooperstown.

14. Luis Aparicio

Luis Aparicio is a Baseball Hall of Famer, Rookie of the Year winner, World Series champion, and a 13-time All-Star. Many of those accolades were fueled by his defensive prowess.

Aparicio won nine Gold Gloves in his 18-year career, with an incredible 31.9 dWAR. That accolade makes him the sixth-best defensive player in baseball history. Aparicio also put his bat to good use, collecting 2,677 career hits and stealing 506 bases. He was a rare breed of player who would have flourished in today’s game due to his versatility.

15. Nolan Arenado

Someone who is indeed flourishing today is Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, who is well on his way to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Arenado has an outstanding bat, of course. But at 33 years old, he already ranks near the fifty-best defenders in the game’s history with a 20.1 dWAR. Arenado is a 10-time Gold Glove Award winner, and has six Platinum Gloves to his name as well. His 44.3 overall WAR during his seven-year peak punches his ticket to Cooperstown, and he still has several years to play.

16. Scott Rolen

There must be something in the water when it comes to playing third base for the Cardinals, because Scott Rolen’s defense mostly carried him to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Rolen was an impressive offensive player, with more than 2,000 career hits and more than 300 home runs in his pocket. But the eight-time Gold Glove recipient was stellar in the field, especially late into his career. He finished his playing days with a career 21.2 dWAR total, ranking him near the top among third basemen in the metric. He was a controversial selection for the Hall of Fame, but his defensive argument is extremely compelling.