The best MLB players with retired numbers are honored by their teams for their significant impact. Only a select few have their numbers retired, a distinction reserved for a franchise's top players. The Yankees lead with 22 retired jerseys. Will Babe Ruth or another Yankee top the list? Having a retired number doesn't guarantee a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame, though some players on this list have been elected. Jackie Robinson's number 42 is the only league-wide retired number, worn by all on Jackie Robinson Day, April 15. Browse the list of retired MLB numbers and vote for the players you think excelled the most. Note that current players and non-player personnel are excluded from this list, which aims to identify the best MLB players with retired numbers.
About this list
- 1
Number: 33
Years With Franchise: Boston Red Sox (1914–1919), New York Yankees (1920–1934), Boston Braves (1935)Played for the Boston Red Sox (1914–1919), New York Yankees (1920–1934), and Boston Braves (1935).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
68 - 2
Number: 4444
Years With Franchise: Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves (1954–1974), Milwaukee Brewers (1975–1976)Played for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves (1954–1974) and the Milwaukee Brewers (1975–1976).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
53 - 3
Number: 44
Years With Franchise: New York Yankees (1923–1939)Played for the New York Yankees (1923–1939).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
53 - 4
Number: 2424
Years With Franchise: New York / San Francisco Giants (1951–1952, 1954–1972)Played for the New York/San Francisco Giants (1951–1952, 1954–1972).
Played for the New York Mets (1972–1973).He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
51 - 5
Number: 99
Years With Franchise: Boston Red Sox (1939–1942, 1946–1960)Played for the Boston Red Sox (1939–1942, 1946–1960).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
49 - 6
Number: 4242
Years With Franchise: Brooklyn Dodgers (1947–1956)Played for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1947–1956).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
41 - 7
Number: 77
Years With Franchise: New York Yankees (1951–1968)Played for the New York Yankees (1951–1968).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
40 - 8
Number: 55
Years With Franchise: New York Yankees (1936–1942, 1946–1951)Played for the New York Yankees (1936–1942, 1946–1951).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
36 - 9
Number: 3232
Years With Franchise: Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers (1955–1966)Played for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers (1955–1966).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
34 - 10
Number: 66
Years With Franchise: St. Louis Cardinals (1941–1944, 1946–1963)Played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1941–1944, 1946–1963).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
33 - 11
Number: 30, 3430, 34
Years With Franchise: New York Mets (1966, 1968–1971), California Angels (1972–1979), Houston Astros (1980–1988), Texas Rangers (1989–1993)Played for the New York Mets (1966, 1968–1971), California Angels (1972–1979), Houston Astros (1980–1988), and Texas Rangers (1989–1993).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
33 - 12
Number: 2121
Years With Franchise: Pittsburgh Pirates (1955–1972)Played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1955–1972).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
32 - 13
Number: 88
Years With Franchise: New York Yankees (1946–1963), New York Mets (1965)Played for the New York Yankees (1946–1963) and the New York Mets (1965).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
31 - 14
Number: 88
Years With Franchise: Baltimore Orioles (1981–2001)Played for the Baltimore Orioles (1981–2001).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
29 - 15
Number: 1919
Years With Franchise: San Diego Padres (1982–2001)Played for the San Diego Padres (1982–2001).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
29 - 16
Number: 2424
Years With Franchise: Seattle Mariners (1989–1999), Cincinnati Reds (2000–2008), Chicago White Sox (2008), Seattle Mariners (2009–2010)Played for the Seattle Mariners (1989–1999), Cincinnati Reds (2000–2008), the Chicago White Sox (2008), and the Seattle Mariners (2009–2010).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
28 - 17
Number: 1414
Years With Franchise: Chicago Cubs (1953–1971)Played for the Chicago Cubs (1953–1971).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
26 - 18
Number: 1414
Years With Franchise: Cincinnati Reds (1963–1978), Philadelphia Phillies (1979–1983), Montreal Expos (1984), Cincinnati Reds (1984–1986)Played for the Cincinnati Reds (1963–1978), Philadelphia Phillies (1979–1983), the Montreal Expos (1984), and the Cincinnati Reds (1984–1986).
25 - 19
Number: 55
Years With Franchise: Cincinnati Reds (1967–1983)Played for the Cincinnati Reds (1967–1983).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
25 - 20
Number: 4545
Years With Franchise: St. Louis Cardinals (1959–1975)Played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1959–1975).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
25 - 21
Number: 3333
Years With Franchise: Louisville Colonels (1897–1899), Pittsburg / Pittsburgh Pirates (1900–1917)Played for the Louisville Colonels (1897–1899) and the Pittsburg/Pittsburgh Pirates (1900–1917).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
25 - 22
Number: 4242
Years With Franchise: New York Yankees (1995–2013)Played for the New York Yankees (1995–2013).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
24 - 23
Number: 4141
Years With Franchise: New York Mets (1967–1977), Cincinnati Reds (1977–1982), New York Mets (1983), Chicago White Sox (1984–1986), Boston Red Sox (1986)Played for the New York Mets (1967–1977), the Cincinnati Reds (1977–1982), the New York Mets (1983), the Chicago White Sox (1984–1986), and the Boston Red Sox (1986).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
23 - 24
Number: 88
Years With Franchise: Boston Red Sox (1961–1983)Played for the Boston Red Sox (1961–1983).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
21 - 25
Number: 22
Years With Franchise: New York Yankees (1995–2014)Played for the New York Yankees (1995–2014).
21 - 26
Number: 3131
Years With Franchise:The Chicago Cubs played from 1986 to 1992, the Atlanta Braves played from 1993 to 2003, the Chicago Cubs played from 2004 to 2006, the Los Angeles Dodgers played in 2006, and the San Diego Padres played from 2007 to 2008. The Los Angeles Dodgers played in 2008.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
20 - 27
Number:20
Years With Franchise:The Philadelphia Phillies played from 1972 to 1989.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
19 - 28
Number:31
Years With Franchise:The Los Angeles Dodgers played from 1992 to 1998, the Florida Marlins played in 1998, the New York Mets played from 1998 to 2005, the San Diego Padres played in 2006, and the Oakland Athletics played in 2007.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
19 - 29
Number:20
Years With Franchise:Played for the Cincinnati Redlegs / Reds (1956–1965), Baltimore Orioles (1966–1971), Los Angeles Dodgers (1972), California Angels (1973–1974), and Cleveland Indians (1974–1976).
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
19 - 30
Number:51
Years With Franchise:The Montreal Expos played from 1988 to 1989, the Seattle Mariners played from 1989 to 1998, the Houston Astros played in 1998, the Arizona Diamondbacks played from 1999 to 2004, the New York Yankees played from 2005 to 2006, the Arizona Diamondbacks played from 2007 to 2008, and the San Francisco Giants played in 2009.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
18 - 31
Number:16
Years With Franchise:The New York Yankees played in 1950, 1953 to 1967.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
17 - 32
Number:8
Years With Franchise:The Houston Colt .45s / Astros played from 1963 to 1971, the Cincinnati Reds played from 1972 to 1979, the Houston Astros played in 1980, the San Francisco Giants played from 1981 to 1982, the Philadelphia Phillies played in 1983, and the Oakland Athletics played in 1984.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
15 - 33
Number:34
Years With Franchise:The Minnesota Twins played from 1997 to 2002, the Boston Red Sox played from 2003 to 2016.
15 - 34
Number:8
Years With Franchise:The Pittsburgh Pirates played from 1962 to 1982.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
14 - 35
Number:29
Years With Franchise:The Minnesota Twins played from 1967 to 1978, the California Angels played from 1979 to 1985.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
14 - 36
Number:10
Years With Franchise:The Atlanta Braves played in 1993, 1995 to 2012.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
14 - 37
Number:6
Years With Franchise:The Detroit Tigers played from 1953 to 1974.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
14 - 38
Number:44
Years With Franchise:The San Francisco Giants played from 1959 to 1973, the San Diego Padres played from 1974 to 1976, the Oakland Athletics played in 1976, and the San Francisco Giants played from 1977 to 1980.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
14 - 39
Number:9
Years With Franchise:The Kansas City / Oakland Athletics played from 1967 to 1975, the Baltimore Orioles played in 1976, the New York Yankees played from 1977 to 1981, the California Angels played from 1982 to 1986, and the Oakland Athletics played in 1987.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
13 - 40
Number:5
Years With Franchise:The Baltimore Orioles played from 1955 to 1977.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
13 - 41
Number:22
Years With Franchise:The Baltimore Orioles played from 1965 to 1984.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
12 - 42
Number:24
Years With Franchise:The Oakland Athletics played from 1979 to 1984, the New York Yankees played from 1985 to 1989, the Oakland Athletics played from 1989 to 1993, the Toronto Blue Jays played in 1993, the Oakland Athletics played from 1994 to 1995, the San Diego Padres played from 1996 to 1997, the Anaheim Angels played in 1997, the Oakland Athletics played in 1998, the New York Mets played from 1999 to 2000, the Seattle Mariners played in 2000, the San Diego Padres played in 2001, the Boston Red Sox played in 2002, and the Los Angeles Dodgers played in 2003.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
12 - 43
Number:5
Years With Franchise:The Kansas City Royals played from 1973 to 1993.
He earned election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
12 - 44
Number:35
Years With Franchise:Frank Thomas played for the Chicago White Sox (1990–2005), the Oakland Athletics (2006), the Toronto Blue Jays (2007–2008), and the Oakland Athletics again (2008).
Frank Thomas was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
11 - 45
Number:53
Years With Franchise:Don Drysdale played for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers from 1956 to 1969.
Don Drysdale was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
11 - 46
Number:32
Years With Franchise:Steve Carlton played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1965–1971), the Philadelphia Phillies (1972–1986), the San Francisco Giants (1986), the Chicago White Sox (1986), the Cleveland Indians (1987), and the Minnesota Twins (1987–1988).
Steve Carlton was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
11 - 47
Number:34
Years With Franchise:Steve Carlton played for the Minnesota Twins from 1984 to 1995.
Steve Carlton was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
11 - 48
Number:7
Years With Franchise:Iván Rodríguez played for the Texas Rangers (1991–2002), the Florida Marlins (2003), the Detroit Tigers (2004–2008), the New York Yankees (2008), the Houston Astros (2009), the Texas Rangers (2009), and the Washington Nationals (2010–2011).
Iván Rodríguez was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
11 - 49
Number:31
Years With Franchise:Dave Winfield played for the San Diego Padres (1973–1980), the New York Yankees (1981–1988, 1990), the California Angels (1990–1991), the Toronto Blue Jays (1992), the Minnesota Twins (1993–1994), and the Cleveland Indians (1995).
Dave Winfield was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
11 - 50
Number:12
Years With Franchise:Wade Boggs played for the Boston Red Sox (1982–1992), the New York Yankees (1993–1997), and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998–1999).
Wade Boggs was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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