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We’re talking about America’s Pastime and the pantheon of the game’s greats again today, and in this piece, we’re zeroing in on baseball’s show stoppers, those legendary sluggers that rank as the best MLB home run hitters of all time.
When you strip back the layers of statistics that wrap so readily around baseball, really, the game is still all about that crack of the bat. When the ball is sent arcing into the sky and into the stands, the electricity in the stadium is palpable
Below, we examine some of baseball’s most prolific hitters, their stories and the incredible numbers that made them such iconic figures in US sporting culture.
10. Mark McGwire (583 Home Runs)
Physically imposing and with arms like pistons, Mark McGwire will always be synonymous with the rebirth of power hitting in the late 1990s.
Standing at a towering 6’5”, Big Mac always set pitchers’ knees knocking when he stepped up to the plate and he swatted 583 home runs during his sparkling career.
His explosive campaign in 1998 for the St. Louis Cardinals was particularly eye-catching, however. That was the year that McGwire set a single-season record (at the time) for home runs, clocking 70 in total during an unstoppable spell.
McGwire posted a career .263 average and 1,414 RBIs to go along with his 580+ home runs tally, and though his legacy has always been entwined with the “steroid-era” debate, he remains one of baseball’s biggest cult heroes.
9. Sammy Sosa (609 Home Runs)
Next on the list is household name, Sammy Sosa. With 609 career home runs, the Chicago Cubs icon was a protagonist in the home run race that captured imaginations in 1998 and though Sosa finished second to the aforementioned McGwire, that year was just one of many exceptional ones for the Dominican.
Sosa hit 66 in ’98 and followed that up with 63 in 1999 and 64 in 2001. Basically, he was the king of consistency and proved his worth over an extended period.
His signature hop out of the batter’s box after a big fly became legendary and was imitated at Little League games around the states.
Sosa’s 2,408 hits and 1,667 RBIs underscore his overall offensive, while his rags-to-riches story from humble beginnings in the Dominican Republic only added to his standing.
8. Jim Thome (612 Home Runs)
Jim Thome was the quiet assassin of power hitting, who was often the value wager on baseball betting sites. The potent left-hander walloped a sizzling 612 home runs over 22 seasons, primarily with his beloved Cleveland Indians.
Thome’s smooth swing was aesthetically pleasing and his drives often seemed to hang in the air for an eternity. He reached his 500-home run milestone in 2007 and finished with 1,699 RBIs.
The Illinois-born hitter maintained high levels throughout his career and hit 30+ homers in nine straight seasons during his peak years. Thome was deservedly inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame in 2018.
7. Ken Griffey Jr. (630 Home Runs)
“The Kid” blended grace with power t o become one of the MLB’s star names in the 1990s and Ken Griffey Jr. had substance to go with his style, knocking 630 home runs out during his career.
The backwards cap and effortlessness of his movements gave him a nonchalant look, but Griffey Jr possesses wicked power. He hit 56 home runs in 1997 and 1998 combined and was named an All-Star an impressive 13 times with 1,662 RBIs and .284 career average figures.
He slowed up with injuries in his latter days, but in his pomp, Ken Griffey Jr. was a charismatic game-winner for the Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds.
6. Willie Mays (660 Home Runs)
Willie Mays was one of baseball’s quintessential all-rounders and perhaps the ultimate five-tool player. His 660 home runs were just one chapter of his illustrious tale.
The “Say Hey Kid” had immense figures off the bat with 660 homers, 1,909 RBIs, and 24 All-Star appearances. Mays clocked 50+ home runs twice and averaged 40 per season for a stretch, while his legendary over-the-shoulder catch in the 1954 World Series pointed to his rounded skillset.
The 24x All-Star did his best work with the New York/San Francisco Giants and was a trailblazing figure in the aftermath of the end of segregation in baseball.
5. Alex Rodriguez (696 Home Runs)
Alex Rodriguez, or “A-Rod” as he is more affectionately known, was a prodigy who delivered on every iota of his promise, and then some.
With a mammoth 696 home runs, Rodriguez ranks fifth on the all-time list of MLB home run hitters. He made his bow at the tender age of 18 with the Seattle Mariners and rapidly became a superstar and the face of baseball.
Winner of three AL MPV’s, A-Rod was the leading marksman with the Texas Rangers between 2001 and 2003, and defied the odds even further with the Yankees after that with some incredible postseason heroics.
Rodriguez’s 2,086 RBIs and .295 average demonstrate his elite productivity and the New York-born slugger’s impact was recognised over the years with 14 All Star inclusions.
4. Albert Pujols (703 Home Runs)
Now we’re moving up in the 700+ runs arena, a zone occupied by a select few. Dominican star Albert Pujols was nicknamed “The Machine” for good reason.
Retiring with 703 home runs, Pujols was the model of consistency for over 22 seasons, mostly with the St. Louis Cardinals and latterly the Angels. He delivered a record 12 straight 30-home seasons at the beginning of his career to cement his place as an all-time great.
Pujols also landed three NL MVPs, batted .296 lifetime and drove in 2,218 runs. His 700th homer was a grand slam in his final season, which was a fitting cherry on top before he retired shortly after in 2022.
3. Babe Ruth (714 Home Runs)
A man who needs little introduction, “The Sultan of Swat” remains the best-known baseball player to have graced the game. Babe Ruth wasn’t just a home-run machine, in truth, he was the archetype power hitter and the origin point for all of baseball’s future sluggers.
Ruth’s 714 career homers stood as the record for 39 years, while the Bambino also led the AL for home runs 12 times, hitting 60 of them in 1927 alone. His lifetime numbers 2,214 RBIs, .342 still have statisticians blowing cheeks out today.
A larger-than-life character who breathed new life into a stale period, Babe Ruth won seven World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox (3) and New York Yankees (4), while only two players in the history of the game scored more home runs. He remains the original legend of the long ball.
2. Hank Aaron (755 Home Runs)
“Hammerin’ Hank” broke Babe Ruth’s long-standing home run record in 1974 and did so under serious duress amid death threats against him due to racial prejudice.
To Aaron’s eternal credit, he beat the record with his 715th homer in the face of all of that, and combined a relentless pursuit of excellence with quiet dignity over the course of a remarkable life and career.
Alongside delivering 755 homers, Aaron had 25 All Star nods, two MVP’s and an all-time record of 2,297 RBIs. The phenom hit 20+ homers for 20 straight seasons and few players in history have shown greater durability. A civil rights icon and true gentleman of the game, Aaron’s legacy transcends statistics
1. Barry Bonds (762 Home Runs)
At the summit of our list sits Barry Bonds, the holder of the all-time home run record with 762. Born in Riverside, California, Bonds was a master of the plate.
He drew a record 688 intentional walks and lodged a .444 career on-base percentage, while he also landed seven MVP gongs and was a 14-time MLB All-Star.
An unstoppable scoring sensation for the Pirates and Giants, Bonds’s statistical dominance is unparalleled. In the 2001 season, he smashed 73 home runs, which is still the record for a single campaign.
Bonds has been embroiled in his fair share of controversy, which is probably why he has yet to be inducted into the official National Baseball Hall of Fame. However, he is undeniably one of the best MLB home run hitters ever.
