Ranking the greatest position players in baseball history: Nos. 40-21

Throughout the month of January, a cast of editors from theScore will share their rankings of the greatest teams, performances, pitchers, and position players in baseball history. This list focuses on the greatest position players:

100-81 | 80-61 | 60-41 | 40-21 | 20-1

Voter list:

• James Bisson, National Sports Editor
• Brandon Wile, Senior MLB Editor
• Jonah Birenbaum, MLB News Editor
• Michael Bradburn, MLB News Editor
• Jason Wilson, MLB News Editor
• Bryan Mcwilliam, MLB News Editor
• Simon Sharkey-Gotlieb, MLB News Editor
• Dylan Perego, News Editor
• Josh Wegman, News Editor

40. Jeff Bagwell, 1B

A perennial MVP candidate, Bagwell's lone trophy came in the strike-shortened 1994 season. But what a season it was. He hit 39 home runs with 104 runs scored and 116 RBIs while compiling a 1.201 OPS in only 110 games. While that OPS was a career-high, he did better than 1.000 on five occasions. Bagwell was a paragon of health and durability, too, four times playing in all 162 games on the Astros' schedule. -- Wilson

39. Adrian Beltre, 3B

Beltre is impossibly lovable, with his infectious personality not only rubbing off on his teammates, but also easily penetrating the television screen of baseball fans no matter which team they root for. Whether it's his iconic penchant for hitting a home run from one knee, or his hatred for having his head touched, or even his recent tomfoolery of moving the on-deck circle not long after collecting his 3,000th hit, the ageless third baseman has mixed amazing antics with an incredible collection of accolades while showing no signs of slowing down in the supposed twilight of his career. The all-time hits leader among Dominican Republic-born players is a lock for the Hall of Fame when his name appears on the ballot; that is, should he ever actually decline or retire. -- Bradburn

38. Cap Anson, 1B

Anson, the epitome of an "old-timey" baseball hero, was not only regarded as one of baseball's best first basemen during his record number of seasons, but he also served as a team manager and eventual minority owner. He collected more than 3,000 hits (3,435) during his long-tenured career and nearly hit .400 (.399) in 1881. However, while Anson may be positively remembered for his stats, he played a major role in segregation in professional ball, according to historians. On several occasions, Anson apparently refused to take the field when opposing teams dressed black players. -- Mcwilliam

37. Johnny Bench, C

A prodigious slugger who helped dispel the stereotype of the offensively inept catcher, Bench may well have been the best ever to don the tools of ignorance thanks to his enviable combination of pop (his 389 homers are second all-time among catchers) and defensive ability (he won 10 Gold Glove awards). Bench, one of four catchers with multiple MVP awards, was also an integral part of the Big Red Machine, the Cincinnati Reds dynasty that, from 1970 through 1979, won six division titles, four NL pennants, and two World Series championships. -- Birenbaum

36. Rod Carew, 2B

Carew quickly made a name for himself as one of the best contact hitters in the game, winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 1967 and slashing .332/.368/.467 just two years later. One of the toughest outs in all of baseball, Carew's MVP season in 1977 was awe-inspiring, as he slashed .388/.449/.570 with 239 hits, and a surprising 14 home runs and 100 RBIs given his lack of power. Carew's seven batting titles are bested by only Ty Cobb (12), Tony Gwynn (8), and Honus Wagner (7), and his prowess deservedly garnered him first-ballot induction into the Hall of Fame in 1991. -- Perego

35. Eddie Collins, 2B

While the statistic had yet to even be invented, Collins' notable achievements look even better with the benefit of retrospect, as the second baseman is one of 11 players in history to eclipse the 120-WAR plateau. Higher than Gehrig, Mantle, and ARod, Collins' legendary longevity carried him through 25 years, and he hit over .300 in 15 of his 16 qualified seasons. -- Bradburn

34. Eddie Mathews, 3B

Mathews emerged in his sophomore season as one of the most feared hitters of the 1950s. Though ranked second in MVP voting in 1953, Mathews hit a whopping 47 homers to lead the majors - a feat he bested with 49 bombs in 1959. He won the World Series with the Milwaukee Braves in 1957, and though he struggled in the series he did hit a game-winning home run in Game 4 to even the set at two games apiece against the New York Yankees. -- Wilson

33. Nap Lajoie, 2B

Few players in major-league history were as successful at hitting their way on base as Lajoie, whose .338 career batting average ranks 16th among Hall of Famers. Lajoie led the majors in hitting four times and had one of the greatest seasons on record in 1901, pacing the majors in batting average (.425), OPS (1.106), runs (145), hits (232), and doubles (48) while leading the NL in homers (14) and RBIs (125). Call it the Septuple Crown, if you will. -- Bisson

32. Al Kaline, OF

You don't earn the nickname "Mr. Tiger" without doing something special for a franchise, which is exactly what Al Kaline did during his 22 years in a Tigers uniform. Kaline spent every day of his big-league career with Detroit, collecting more than 3,000 hits and appearing in 15 All-Star games. He also proved handy with the glove, too, winning 10 Gold Gloves and helping Detroit claim a World Series title in 1968. The Tigers retired his No. 6 jersey, and he was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1980. -- Mcwilliam

31. Jackie Robinson, 2B

As good as Robinson was - and he was sensational - baseball fans can only dream of how amazing it would have been to see him spend all of his prime years in the majors. As it stands, Robinson slugged his way to MVP honors in 1949, finished as a career .311 hitter, and earned All-Star honors in six of his nine seasons in the big leagues - all while shattering one of the most daunting barriers in the history of pro sports. -- Bisson

30. Joe DiMaggio, OF

He took the torch from Ruth and Gehrig, then passed it to Mantle and Berra. In between, Joltin' Joe DiMaggio used his 13 years with the Yankees to become a true legend of the game, and a celebrity of the highest order who literally inspired songwriters. Since you know the basics - three MVPs, nine World Series wins, the hitting streak - take a moment to instead ponder what DiMaggio's already legendary and unparalleled career might look like if he'd played in a friendlier home ballpark without having to retire at age 36 or losing three full peak seasons to military service. -- Sharkey-Gotlieb

29. Chipper Jones, 3B

On Wednesday, it was announced Jones will have a plaque in Cooperstown this summer as a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and there's no doubt which cap he will wear. Jones spent all of his 19-year career with the Braves; a feat that is seemingly growing more and more rare. Jones will join Ken Griffey Jr. as the only first-overall draft picks to get elected into the Hall. Though he lost Rookie of the Year honors to Hideo Nomo, Jones hit 23 home runs in 1995 and played an integral role in the Braves winning their first World Series since moving to Atlanta. The third baseman went on to be named the 1999 MVP with a 1.074 OPS - one of four years his OPS reached the whole-number mark. -- Bradburn

28. George Brett, 3B/DH

Only Mike Schmidt was worth more wins above replacement among position players between 1975 and 1985 than Brett, and the former played in nearly 200 more games. In those 11 seasons, Brett led the majors in triples on three occasions, and kicked off the 1980s in style with his lone MVP award. He capped it all by going 18-for-50 between the ALCS and World Series in 1985, scoring 11 runs and swatting three homers. -- Wilson

27. Pete Rose, OF/1B/3B/2B

Rose's baseball legacy is arguably the most polarizing in history, but it is hard to contest that "Charlie Hustle" is not one of the greatest hitters to ever lace up a pair of spikes. His status as the all-time hits king is undeniable, as was his reputation as the most tenacious competitor in the sport. He exceeded the .300 average mark in 15 of his 24 years in the game, but his involvement in gambling on baseball has kept him from the Hall of Fame to this day. - Perego

26. Wade Boggs, 3B

Boggs' career .415 OBP currently stands as the 24th-best of all time. The man was an on-base machine, leading the league in OBP six times in his career, including five straight from 1985-89. Though he didn't have threatening home-run power, he sits 23rd all-time with 578 doubles. Boggs was truly one of the best gap-to-gap hitters to ever live. -- Wegman

25. Carl Yastrzemski, OF/1B

The man best known in baseball circles as "Yaz" was one of the most dangerous offensive weapons of the 1960s, winning three batting titles and putting it all together to win the Triple Crown - and the American League MVP award - in 1967. Just how good was Yastrzemski that year? In addition to leading the majors in homers (44), RBIs (121), and OPS (1.040), he won a Gold Glove while posting a 12.4 Baseball Reference WAR; Babe Ruth is the only position player to post a higher single-season total. -- Bisson

24. Roberto Clemente, OF

Clemente was such an incredible person off the field, it's easy to forget how amazing a player he was on it. He won four batting titles, 12 Gold Gloves, and one MVP award. He elevated his play when it counted most, too, helping the Pirates win two World Series and owning a .318 postseason batting average. -- Wegman

23. Mel Ott, OF

Ott's diminutive build - he was only 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds - belied how dangerous he was at the dish. One of the preeminent hitters of the pre-integration era, Ott, an 11-time All-Star, led his league in homers six times and OBP four times, and only six players managed more qualified seasons with an 1.000+ OPS than him. In 1945, two years before he retired, Ott became the third man - after Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx - to reach 500 career home runs, and he's one of 21 players to post a career .300+/.400+/.500+ slash line (min. 3,000 PA). -- Birenbaum

22. Cal Ripken, SS/3B

Ripken's Iron Man streak will always be what he is best known for, but it's important to note that, even aside from that, he was one hell of a ball player. Ripken was selected to 19 consecutive All-Star games, won eight Silver Sluggers and two American League MVPs during his career, and was a consistent power threat at a position not normally known for such. His 3,184 career hits are third for primary shortstops, and he is one of only 17 players in history to exceed 600 career doubles. - Perego

21. Tris Speaker, OF

Speaker was truly one of the greats. He sits sixth all-time among position players in WAR, sixth in batting average, fifth in hits, first in doubles, and 12th in OBP. He also won three World Series rings in his career - two with Boston and one with Cleveland. -- Wegman

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)