Sep 9, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) celebrates his solo home run in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images David Richard-Imagn Images

Analyst says Jose Ramirez belongs on Mount Rushmore of all-time Cleveland baseball players

Originally posted on Cleveland Guardians on SI
By Brad Buddenhagen | Last updated Sep 12, 2025 3:35 PM ET

Jose Ramirez has been the engine of the Cleveland Guardians for close to a decade. Night after night, he carries lineups, delivers in clutch moments, and has kept teams in contention when odds were stacked against them.

Without Ramirez, it’s scary to imagine where this Guardians team would be.

When Ramirez was first brought into the organization, he was an international signing and wasn’t thought to become anything significant, but he hasn’t looked back since. Starting as a utility guy, spending time in the outfield and second base, he then turned into the face of the franchise at third base.

So where does Jose rank among the all-time greats of Cleveland baseball?

In the words of Jensen Lewis, a former Cleveland pitcher and pregame/postgame analyst for the team, appeared on the BIGPLAY Cleveland show this week to discuss where Ramirez ranks amongst the all-time greats.

“At least in the modern era, he’s probably on the Mount Rushmore,” Lewis said. "It's hard to make an argument against what he's done offensively. By the time his career is over, he will likely be the leader in most of the major ones."

Where does Jose Ramirez rank on all-time Cleveland baseball players?

"In the modern era, he's on the Mount Rushmore."

-@JLEWFifty

Presented by @nefdirect! Get a discount on any item with this form: https://t.co/hE2TsKl2uO pic.twitter.com/hBKrBUyPoj
— BIGPLAY Cleveland Show (@BIGPLAYCLEshow) September 12, 2025

Ramirez has helped ease the fanbase through the name change with his loyalty and continued elite production, committing to a very team-friendly extension in 2022. He took a massive pay-cut, and that just shows how much he loves being in Cleveland, and the Guardians love having him.

On the field, his resume speaks for itself. Ramirez has hit 275+ home runs, stolen 275+ bases, a seven-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger, and countless lost helmets rounding the bases at Progressive Field. He just recently passed Jim Thome and Albert Belle for the most multi-homer games in franchise history. Those are some good names to be passing in the record books.

But what sets Jose Ramirez apart, is more than just stats.

At 32 years old in his 13th season, he has embraced the leadership role and the job of mentoring the young guys, just as he was mentored by the vets in his early seasons. Off the field, Jose has shown a more personal side and has shared how becoming a father has changed his perspective on life. Jose's daughter, Isabella, threw out the first pitch and he was behind the plate. Ramirez said that was his best moment.

With three more years on his deal, Ramirez still has time to carve his name even deeper into franchise history. He is creeping up the franchise leaders list in multiple categories like home-runs, RBIs, runs, and more.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Guardians on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: