The 24 best players in Detroit Tigers history

Ty Cobb is far and above the most recognizable name in the history of the Detroit Tigers, and it isn't even really particularly close. Cobb debuted as the Tigers' starting center fielder as an 18-year-old in 1905, and would spend the next 22 years of his life compiling the greatest resume in team history. With Detroit, Cobb slashed an incredible .368/.434/.516 with 111 homers, 1,811 RBI, 665 doubles, 284 triples, and 869 stolen bases. He won an unbelievable 12 batting titles, was the American League MVP in 1911, and won the Triple Crown in 1909. Cobb led the league in RBI four times in a five-year span between 1907-1911, led the league in hits eight times, steals six times, runs five times, triples four times, doubles three times, and homers once. The Narrows, GA native is the franchise's all-time leader in every discernible offensive category other than home runs, and while he played in an era before players routinely wore numbers, the Tigers did 'retire' his initials TC at their home ballpark. Cobb nearly unanimously elected into the Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot in 1936 and it really makes you wonder what the four voters (out of 226) who omitted him on their ballots were thinking. 

Right-handed swinging Al Kaline played all 22 of his Major League seasons in Detroit, and like Cobb, is firmly entrenched as royalty in the state of Michigan. In a franchise record 2,834 games with the Tigers, Kaline slashed .297/.376/.480 with 399 home runs, 1,582 RBI, 498 doubles, 75 triples, and 137 stolen bases. He won the batting title in 1955 when he led the majors with 200 hits, and paced the league with 41 doubles in 1961. Kaline represented the Tigers in 18 All-Star Games, earned 10 Gold Glove awards, and, most importantly, helped Detroit win the World Series in 1968. The organization retired his number 6 in 1980 and he was deservedly voted into the Hall of Fame the same year. 

Second baseman Charlie Gehringer was relatively small in stature, but he played a big role on the Tigers for nearly two decades. In 19 seasons with the club Gehringer slashed .320/.404/.480 with 904 extra-base hits, 1,427 RBI, and 181 stolen bases. He was the MVP of the American League in 1937, the same year he won the batting title by hitting .371, and represented the Tigers in six All-Star Games. Gehringer led the league in hits twice, doubles twice, triples once and steals once, and drove in over 100 runs in seven different seasons. He was a member of Detroit's World Series winning team in 1935 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in '49. The Tigers retired his number 2 in 1983. 

Ironically, we go from one second baseman that spent his entire 19-year career in Detroit to another one. Brooklyn, New York native Lou Whitaker debuted for the Tigers in '77, but his first full season came in '78 and he wasted little time introducing himself to the American League. That year, Whitaker hit .285 and drove in 58 runs en route to being named the AL Rookie of the Year, and his career was off and running. In his nearly two-decade career in Detroit, the left-handed hitter would end up slashing .276/.363/.426 with 244 homers, 1,084 RBI, 420 doubles, 65 triples, and 143 stolen bases. He qualified for five all-star teams, won four Silver Sluggers, three Gold Gloves, and was a member of the Tigers' World Series winning team in 1984. Detroit retired his number 1 in August 2022. 

Detroit is one of the best baseball towns in the country, and the Tigers have been blessed with an inordinate number of franchise icons that spent their entire careers with the organization. Shortstop Alan Trammell is another lifetime Tiger who put together an incredible resume during his time in Detroit. In 20 seasons, he slashed .285/.352/.415 with 185 homers, 1,003 RBI, 412 doubles, 55 triples, and 236 stolen bases. Trammell never led the league in one individual category, but did a lot of things consistently well that helped the Tigers win. He was selected to participate in six All-Star Games, earned four Gold Glove awards, and took home three Silver Sluggers. The highlight of his career came in 1984, when he hit .450 with a pair of homers in the Fall Classic and was named the MVP of a World Series the Tigers won over the Padres. Seven years after his playing career ended, Trammell actually became Detroit's manager for three seasons from '03-'05.The Tigers retired his number 3 in 2018, the same year he was elected to the Hall of Fame.

Right-handed swinging Harry Heilmann played the first 15 years of his career with the Tigers and for much of that time was one of the most productive hitters in the American League. In just shy of 2,000 games with Detroit, Heilmann slashed an incredible .342/.410/.518 with 164 home runs, 1,446 RBI, 497 doubles, 145 triples, and 111 stolen bases. The San Francisco, Calif. native won four batting titles while with the Tigers — including the 1923 season when he hit an amazing .403. He led the league in hits once, doubles once, and RBI once, and drove in over 100 runs eight different times. Heilmann was elected into Cooperstown in 1952. 

Left-handed swinging Sam Crawford played the first four seasons of his career in Cincinnati with the Reds, but he moved to Detroit in 1903 where he ended up starring for the Tigers for the next 15 years. In Detroit, Crawford slashed .309/.362/.448 with 721 extra-base hits, 1,262 RBI, and 318 stolen bases. He led the American League in home runs and triples five times as a Tiger, RBI on three occasions, and doubles once. The Wahoo, Nebraska native's biggest claim to fame is that his 309 lifetime triples is the most in Major League history, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1957. 

Hal Newhouser broke into the big leagues with the Tigers as an 18-year-old in 1939, and while it took him a few years to get his footing at the sport's highest level, the southpaw eventually developed into one of the best pitchers in the American League. Newhouser qualified for seven consecutive all-star teams between '42 and '48, led the league in wins four times in a five-year span, and earned back to back ERA titles in 1945 and 1946. He was voted the MVP of the AL in both '44 and '45, won the pitching Triple Crown in '45, and led the majors in strikeouts twice. Newhouser is one of only four pitchers to earn 200 wins in a Tigers uniform and the Veteran's Committee voted him into the Hall of Fame in 1992. Detroit retired his number 16 five years later. 

Justin Verlander is currently 40 years old and still pitching in the Major Leagues with the Mets, but it was in Detroit where he first blossomed into the star he remains today. The Tigers selected the right-hander second overall in the 2004 draft coming out of Old Dominion University. He reached the big leagues the following year and was an instant sensation in his first big-league season in 2006. That year, Verlander won 17 games with a 3.63 ERA and was named the AL Rookie of the Year, and his career was off and running. As a whole, in 380 starts for Detroit he earned 183 victories and pitched to a 3.49 ERA in 2,511 innings. In 2011 Verlander won the pitching Triple Crown and was later named not only the AL Cy Young winner but also the league's MVP. He represented the Tigers in six All-Star Games, led the league in wins twice, innings three times, and strikeouts on four different occasions. Detroit traded him to Houston late in 2017 where he helped the Astros win two World Series titles, and when he's done Verlander is almost certainly ticketed for Cooperstown. 

Right-handed slugger Hank Greenberg took one plate appearance with the Tigers late in the 1930 season... and then didn't play another Major League game for three years. But once he made it back, it was clear he was here to stay. In 1,269 games in a Detroit uniform, Greenberg slashed .319/.412/.616 with 306 home runs, exactly 1,200 RBI, 366 doubles, and 69 triples. He won the American League MVP award in both 1935 and 1940, and led the league in both homers and RBI three different times. Greenberg represented the Tigers in five All-Star Games, and most importantly helped Detroit win the World Series in both '35 and '45. The Tigers retired his number 5 in 1983 and he was enshrined in Cooperstown in 1956. 

First baseman Norm Cash played parts of two seasons in Chicago with the White Sox to begin his career, but his career didn't really get off the ground until he landed in Detroit in 1960. The Tigers gave Cash his first chance to be an everyday player, and he rewarded them for their faith. The left-handed hitter ended up playing the final 15 seasons of his career with the Tigers, slashing .272/.374/.490 with 373 home runs, 1,088 RBI, 241 doubles, and 40 triples. In 1961 he led the American League with 193 hits and earned the batting title with a .361 clip. He represented the Tigers in five All-Star Games, blasted 30 or more homers in five different seasons, and helped Detroit win the 1968 World Series.  

Right-hander Tommy Bridges was not by any stretch one of the best pitchers of his era, but he was worth quite a bit more to Detroit than he would have been on the open market. Bridges pitched for the Tigers for 16 years, consistently giving them a sturdy and reliable middle of the rotation innings eater. In 424 career outings he earned 194 wins and put up a 3.57 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP. Bridges struck out 1,674 batters in 2,826.1 innings and actually led the American League in punch-outs in back-to-back seasons in '35 and '36. He represented the Tigers in six All-Star Games but the highlight of his career was clearly the two World Series rings he earned, first in 1935 and then again ten years later.

Sandcut, Indiana native Dizzy Trout bounced between the Tigers rotation and bullpen for over a decade, but was generally pretty reliable however the club chose to deploy him. In 493 outings in a Detroit uniform (305 of which were starts), Trout won 161 games with a 3.20 ERA in just shy of 2,600 innings. The right-hander led the league in wins in 1943 and won the ERA title the following season. Trout represented the Tigers in a pair of All-Star Games and most notably helped the club win the World Series in 1945. 

Early in his career it became obvious that Miguel Cabrera was going to be an elite hitter. He debuted with the Marlins as a 20-year-old back in 2003 and as a rookie played a huge part in Miami's stunning World Series victory over the Yankees. Cabrera was an All-Star for the Marlins the next four years running before the team shipped him to Detroit in a blockbuster trade. With the Tigers, Cabrera has essentially punched his own ticket to Cooperstown. He's won four batting titles with Detroit, led the league in RBI and doubles twice, as well as homers once, and qualified for seven All-Star teams. The Venezuela native slowed down considerably towards the end of his career, and recently just enjoyed a memorable farewell tour around the big leagues. Even without the dominant production he'd delivered in the past, Cabrera is a lock to have his number retired in Detroit, and will forever be one of this franchise's iconic players. 

Southpaw Mickey Lolich spent the first 13 years of his career in the American League with the Tigers before finishing his playing days with brief stops in Queens and San Diego. With Detroit, Lolich enjoyed a ton of success, winning 207 games with a 3.45 ERA. He leads the Tigers franchise in starts with 459, strikeouts with 2,679, and shutouts with 39. Lolich gave Detroit over 200 innings in all 12 of his full seasons, and even contributed over 300 frames four times. He represented the Tigers in three All-Star Games and helped them win the World Series in 1968 — and even took home World Series MVP in the process. 

No pitcher in the history of the Detroit Tigers as thrown more innings or tossed more complete games than right-hander George Mullin, who starred for the club in the early 1900's. Mullin pitched for Detroit for a dozen seasons, winning 209 games and putting up a stellar 2.76 ERA across 435 appearances. He gave the Tigers well over 300 innings six times in a seven-year span from 1903-1909, and only Hooks Dauss earned more victories in a Detroit uniform. 

Left fielder Bobby Veach was a fixture in the Tigers outfield for over a decade long before anyone reading this was born, and while he didn't hit for all that much power, he was still a highly productive run producer. In 12 seasons with Detroit, Veach slashed .311/.370/.444 with 540 extra-base hits, 1,049 RBI, and 189 stolen bases. He led the American League in RBI three times, doubles twice, and both hits and triples once. 

Detroit native Bill Freehan played his entire 15-year Major League career with his hometown team, and it's no wonder the hardnosed catcher became an instant fan favorite. With the Tigers, Freehan slashed .262/.340/.412 with exactly 200 homers, 758 RBI, and 241 doubles. He represented the organization in 11 All-Star Games, earned five consecutive Gold Gloves from '64-'68, and was the starting catcher on Detroit's World Series-winning team in 1968.

Righty Hooks Dauss pitched 15 of his big-league seasons for the Tigers, and the 223 victories he accumulated in a Detroit uniform are the most in franchise history. In 538 games for the Tigers, Dauss worked to a 3.30 ERA with a 1.32 WHIP, while striking out 1,201 hitters in 3,390.2 innings. He gave the Tigers over 200 innings 12 different times, and while he was never considered one of the very best pitchers in the American League, Dauss was a consistent and reliable starter for this team for a long time. 

Donie Bush first debuted for the Tigers all the way back in 1908, but didn't become a regular for the team until the following season. Beginning in 1909, though, the switch-hitting shortstop was one of the elite table-setters in the American League. As a Tiger, Bush slashed .250/.357/.301 with nine homers, 436 RBI, 181 doubles, 73 triples, and 402 stolen bases. He led the league in drawing walks in five out of six seasons from 1909-1914 and twice led the AL in runs and swiped more than 40 bases four times. 

Well over a century ago, Bill Donovan was mostly a pitcher for the Tigers, but he also played a little first base and outfield. He was a productive hurler for Detroit on the mound, appearing in 261 contests and working to a strong 2.49 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP in over 2,100 innings. At the plate, however, things did not come nearly as easily for him. The Lawrence, Mass. native took 865 at-bats as a Tiger, and slashed just .207/.256/.254 with only 30 extra-base hits and 55 RBI. Hey, we can't all be Shohei Ohtani, right?

Infielder Dick McAuliffe played the first 14 seasons of his career in Detroit, and for much of that time was one of the most underrated players in the American League. During his Tigers tenure, McAuliffe slashed .249/.345/.408 with 192 home runs, 671 RBI, 218 doubles, 70 triples, and 61 stolen bases. He was an all-star three times, led the AL in runs scored in 1968, and most importantly helped the Tigers win the World Series that same season. 

The Tigers selected right-hander Jack Morris in the 5th round of the 1976 draft coming out of BYU, and the kid from St. Paul, Minn. would go on to become one of the best pitchers in franchise history. Morris pitched for Detroit for 14 seasons, winning 198 games with a 3.73 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. He represented the Tigers in four all-star games, led the league in innings once, complete games once, and wins once, and consistently gave Detroit a bulldog on the mound willing to go toe-to-toe with anyone. Morris helped pitch the Tigers to a World Series championship in 1984 and the club retired his number 47 in 2018. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame that same year. 

Center fielder Chet Lemon played the first half of his career on the south side of Chicago with the White Sox, but his best days undoubtedly came in a Detroit Tigers uniform. In his nine seasons with Detroit, Lemon slashed .263/.349/.437 with 142 homers, 536 RBI, 218 doubles, 32 triples, and 13 steals. He made the all-star team in 1984 and later that fall helped the Tigers capture the World Series championship.