Greatest New York Yankees Outfielders of All Time

Williams is not a Hall of Famer like Jackson or Winfield. His name doesn’t carry connotations or memories the way Maris’ does. But for 16 seasons, all in the Bronx, Williams did his work through the worst of the Yankees’ years into their modern-day prime.

He won four World Series titles and an American League Championship Most Valuable Player award while racking up regular-season MVP votes five times and racking up five All-Star appearances.

Williams hit .300 for eight straight seasons from 1995 to 2002 and was the first major piece in turning the 1991 Yankees from 71-91 into the behemoth they became in the back half of the decade, making him worthy of all-timer status with the club.

4. Aaron Judge (2016-Present)

It’s at this point that this list looks a lot like our list of greatest Yankees hitters in history. It carried four outfielders, the same four outfielders you see here.

Judge isn’t in the Hall of Fame, either, but barring something wild, he will be. He finished second in AL MVP voting as a rookie in 2017 and hasn’t really let off the gas since, winning the award three times since.

If he stays healthy, he’ll pass Williams and the No. 3 player on this list in offensive WAR by the end of next season and already ranks third in franchise history in home runs. Judge isn’t just one of the best players of his generation. He’s one of the best in the history of the game.

3. Joe DiMaggio (1936-42; 1946-51)

Another three-time MVP, DiMaggio’s career numbers don’t look like they should. Military service during World War II sapped him of three years in the prime of his career after having already captured two of those MVP awards.

He didn’t lose a step upon returning. DiMaggio was an All-Star in each of his 13 seasons and finished top-10 in MVP voting three times after the war.

His .325 career batting average is tied for third in franchise history, and he remains the most inexplicable answer to the question, “Who is the greatest player who did not make the Hall of Fame on their ballot?” Crazy.

2. Mickey Mantle (1951-1968)

It’s incredible the amount of strength Mantle carried in his 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame. How someone of that stature managed to belt 536 home runs in his Major League career boggles the mind. The anti-Judge in some ways. 

Mantle ranks fourth in Yankees history in OPS, runs, hits, and total bases. He ranks third in WAR and on-base percentage, and he’s second in plate appearances, at-bats, game and, you guessed it, home runs. One of the most charismatic players in baseball history, Mantle’s on-field game deserves all the plaudits.

1. Babe Ruth (1920-1934)

It’s "The Babe." Did you think someone else would be here? C’mon.

Insanely, Ruth won just one MVP award in his career, a fact that makes no sense when you consider he led all of baseball in home runs 12 times, RBIs 11 times, slugging nine times, and on-base percentage eight times.

His career mark of 659 home runs led MLB until 1974 and remains third in history. Simply put, there’s no one like him.