10 greatest Pittsburgh Pirates players of all time, ranked

Roberto Clemente was one of the most brilliant players in the history of baseball. He was also a remarkable humanitarian who lost his life in 1972 while trying to deliver emergency relief equipment and food to the people of Nicaragua following a devastating earthquake.

Clemente had been the leader of the Pirates for many years and he was a sensational all-around player. He did the five things that identified on-field brilliance as well as the greatest players in the history of the game. Clemente could hit, hit with power, run, field and throw.

It was the latter category that many people were often awed by Clemente. He may have had the best outfield arm in the history of the game. He showed off his skill in that area during the 1971 World Series. Clemente carried the Pirates on his back and was the World Series MVP, hitting a decisive home run against the Orioles in the seventh game at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium.

Clemente was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973, months after his tragic death. He won the National League MVP Award, he was a 15-time All-Star, a 12-time Gold Glove winner and he won 4 batting titles.

He concluded his career with 3,000 hits, a .317 batting average, 240 home runs and 1,305 runs batted in.
His MVP season came in 1966 when he batted .317 with 28 home runs and 119 RBI.

2. Willie Stargell, 1962-1982

Willie Stargell was a power hitter and a leader for the Pirates. When he joined the Pirates in 1962, the team was just a couple of years past its famous World Series victory over the Yankees and he had just a 10-game cup of coffee with the team.

Stargell established himself as a regular two years later and his prodigious power made him one of the team’s mainstays. He was known for his incredible strength and ability to hit the ball for shocking distance. His long home runs at Dodger Stadium and Jarry Park in Montreal — the early home of the Montreal Expos, now the Washington Nationals — are still talked about in baseball circles.

Stargell was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1988. He won the National League MVP Award in 1979 and he also finished in the top three in voting for that honor three other times. He was a part of the 1971 World Series winning team and was the MVP of the ’79 Series. Much like Clemente, he hit a home run in the decisive seventh game, also on the road in Baltimore. Stargell was a seven-time All-Star.

His leadership on the ’79 team — known for the theme “We Are Family” based on the Sister Sledge hit song — helped gain Stargell the recognition he long deserved.

3. Barry Bonds, 1986-1992

While he is better known as a member of the San Francisco Giants, the controversial Barry Bonds set the tone for his brilliant career during the first seven years of his career with the Bucs.

Bonds is at the top of the Major League Baseball home run list, but his controversial career is marred by his alleged use of steroids. However, there is no doubt about his all-around brilliance that surfaced during his early run with the Pirates. He was one of the greatest five-tool players in the history of the game, and it started in Pittsburgh.

He won two of his seven Most Valuable Player Awards with the Pirates. Bonds slashed .311/.456/.624 with 34 home runs, 103 RBI and and 39 stolen bases during the 1992 season.

Bonds, the son of former San Francisco Giant Bobby Bonds and the Godson of all-time great Willie Mays, was known for his dominance on the field and his brilliance at the plate.

4. Honus Wagner, 1897-1917

Perhaps the greatest infielder the sport has ever known, Honus Wagner carried the Pirates on his back from 1897 through 1917.

Wagner was primarily a shortstop throughout his career but he also played right field and first base. He was elected into the initial Hall of Fame class in 1936 and he won eight batting titles throughout his career.

“The Flying Dutchman” finished his career with a lifetime batting average of .328 with 3,420 hits that included 643 doubles, 252 triples and 101 home runs along with 1,732 RBI.

He had a career-best batting average of .381 and he never hit less than .330 from 1899 through 1909.

5. Dave Parker, 1973-1983

The legacy of brilliant leadership on the Pittsburgh Pirates includes a prominent position for Dave Parker. He joined the Pirates shortly after Clemente’s tragic passing and he teamed with Stargell to keep the Pirates at or near the top of the National League throughout the majority of his tenure with the Pirates.

Parker will go into the Hall of Fame posthumously in 2025, and he was perhaps the best player in all of baseball for a six-year period between 1975 and 1980.

Parker earned the MVP Award in 1978, was the first Home Run Derby champion, was a 7-time All-Star, a 3-time Gold Glove winner, a two-time batting champion and a 3-time Silver Slugger.

He helped the Pirates with the ’79 World Series and later helped the Oakland A’s sweep the ’89 World Series.

6. Ralph Kiner, 1946-1952

Ralph Kiner was one of the great sluggers in Pirates history and one of the greatest home run hitters in the National League during his prime.

After leaving the Pirates, he also played with the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians.

He hit 40 or more home runs in five consecutive seasons with the Pirates, and that included a 51-home run season in 1947 and a 54-HR season in in 1949.

The Hall of Famer was a 6-time All-Star and he would have a memorable career after his playing days were over as a play-by-play announcer with the New York Mets.

7. Al Oliver, 1968-1977

Al Oliver was one of the greatest hitters in Major League Baseball during his run with the Pirates.

He had a brilliant left-handed swing that was comparable to both Rod Carew and Tony Oliva because of his ability to slash the ball to all fields.

Oliver finished his tenure with the Pirates with a .296 career average and had 1,490 hits and 717 RBI. He was a part of the 1971 World Championship team and he was a seven time All-Star.

“AO” played with six other teams after leaving Pittsburgh, including four seasons with the Texas Rangers.

8. Andrew McCutchen, 2009-2017, 2023-present

While the current era has not been kind to the Pirates, Andrew McCutchen has been the picture of class, dignity and brilliance on the field.

McCutchen was a brilliant performer during the first seven years of his career. He won the MVP in 2013 when he slashed .317/.404/.508 with 21 home runs and 84 RBI along with 27 stolen bases.

He is a 5-time All-Star who has won 4 Silver Sluggers, a Gold Glove and the Roberto Clemente Award.

9. Andy Van Slyke, 1987-1994

Andy Van Slyke was one of the game’s best defensive outfielders and he was also a big-time offensive contributor during his run with the Pirates.

After starting his career with the St. Louis Cardinals, Van Slyke became a brilliant centerfielder for the Bucs. He was a three-time All-Star, a 5-time Gold Glove winner and a two-time Silver Slugger Award honoree.

He had a brilliant 1988 season with a .288 average that included 23 doubles, a league-leading 15 triples, 25 home runs, 100 RBI and 30 stolen bases.

10. Bill Mazeroski, 1956-1972

Bill Mazeroski’s greatest highlight was the World Series-winning home run he hit at Forbes Field off of Yankees hurler Ralph Terry.

Additionally, he was a brilliant defensive second baseman who was a key contributor to the Pirates throughout his long career.

Mazeroski was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001 and he was a 10-time All-Star. He played on both the 1960 and 1971 World Series winning teams and he won 8 Gold Glove Awards during his careers.