Top 50 Los Angeles Dodgers
One of the most celebrated franchises in all sports, the Los Angeles Dodgers were initially the Brooklyn Grays in 1883, but it was a long time before they found an identity.
The organization changed its name multiple times since its origin, the Atlantics (1884), back to the Grays (1885-87), then the Bridegrooms (1888-90), the Grooms (1991-95), the Bridegrooms again (1895-98, the Superbas (1899-1910), the Trolley Dodgers (1911-12), then the Dodgers (1913), the Robins (1914-1931), before settling on the Dodgers again in 1932.
The Brooklyn Dodgers would sign Jackie Robinson to integrate baseball, and in 1955, on their eighth attempt, they finally won their first World Series.
The fans of Brooklyn were not rewarded for their loyalty and patience, and like the crosstown New York Giants, westward the Dodgers went in 1957, where they remain to this day.
In Los Angeles, the Dodgers won three World Series Titles in their first ten years in the new environment, capturing it all in 1959, 1963, and 1965. The 1970s saw them competitive at the decade's end, and they won two more Championships in the 1980s (1981 and 1988).
In recent years, the Dodgers have been a top team, winning the World Series in 2020, 2024 & 2025, and enter this year with the defending two-time MVP, Shohei Ohtani who leads the most loaded organization in baseball.
This list is up to the end of the 2025 regular season.
Note: Baseball lists are based on an amalgamation of tenure, traditional statistics, advanced statistics, playoff statistics, and post-season accolades.
Jim Gilliam joined Brooklyn in 1953 as the last piece of the "Boys of Summer" puzzle, a versatile switch-hitter who enabled Jackie Robinson to move to third base. Quiet and tactically selfless, "Junior" served as the vital glue for the team during its significant transcontinental transition. In 1953, Gilliam achieved a significant milestone as a debutant, leading the National League with 17 triples and accumulating 125 runs, which earned him the Rookie of the Year award. He promptly established a foundation of consistent excellence as the team's chief table-setter, recording three consecutive seasons with no fewer than 100 runs. By…
Mookie Betts was a star with the Boston Red Sox, and a lot of heads were scratched in New England when they traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers. They will remain befuddled to the end of time. In the COVID- shortened 2020 season, Betts achieved a historic milestone, guiding the Dodgers to their first World Series title in 32 years and finishing as the runner-up for the National League MVP. He earned both a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger in his first NL season. By 2022, after a brief period affected by injuries, he returned to his top…
Pedro Guerrero was a “gift" from the Cleveland Indians, traded for pitcher Bruce Ellingsen before he ever saw a Major League pitch. A powerhouse from the Dominican Republic, he operated with a violent yet controlled swing that eventually led Bill James to label him "the best hitter God has made in a long time.” After establishing himself as a professional mainstay in 1980, Guerrero reached a legendary plateau during the 1981 World Series. He dictated terms to the New York Yankees by belting two home runs and driving in seven runs, earning World Series Tri-MVP honors alongside Steve Yeager and…
After a brief time with Newark in the Negro Leagues, Don Newcombe was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers. After a few seasons in their minor league system, Newcombe was called up for the 1949 season, making him the third black pitcher in the Majors, but he was arguably the first dominant one. With a towering 6-foot-4 frame, Newcombe captured the Rookie of the Year award after a 17-8 debut season that included 32 consecutive scoreless innings and a league-leading five shutouts, which he followed up with 19 wins in 1950 and his first 20-win season in 1951, while leading the league…
Following his military service, Carl Furillo debuted in Brooklyn in 1946. He was a right-handed outfielder known for his quiet professionalism unlike the more famous "Boys of Summer." Nicknamed "The Reading Rifle" for his feared arm, he was the master of the high right-field wall at Ebbets Field. While Furillo initially commenced his career in center field, he achieved a pinnacle of versatility upon transitioning to right field, where he acquired the skill to interpret nearly 300 different trajectories of baseballs rebounding from the complex surface of the Ebbets Field walls. He owned the position, recording at least 10 assists…
A switch-hitting shortstop who spent nearly a decade in the minor leagues before being granted an opportunity, Maury Wills finally made it to the Majors in 1959, and once he secured his place in the lineup, he operated as the most disruptive force on the basepaths since the Deadball Era. In 1960, during his first full season as a regular player, Wills led the National League with 50 stolen bases, the highest total in the senior circuit in nearly forty years. He demonstrated complete mastery of the lead-off role in the early 1960s, securing six consecutive stolen base titles and…
Bill Russell debuted in 1969 and was a versatile athlete who began his career in the outfield before being asked to move to the infield to fill a critical vacancy. Known for his steady hand and quiet professionalism, he served as the defensive anchor of the longest-running infield in the sport's history. Initially serving as a utility player and outfielder during his early seasons, Russell shifted to shortstop in 1972 to fill Maury Wills' role. He quickly became a top-tier defender, leading the National League in Defensive bWAR (2.3) and assists (427) in 1973. Recognized for his dependability, he was…
Can you imagine Justin Turner as anything other than a Los Angeles Dodger? He was, and it can also be argued that he was lucky to ever play in L.A., as Turner seemed to have two steps away from the diamond. Turner first made the Majors in 2009 with Baltimore and would later spend time with the Mets, but he was not impressive for either team and was non-tendered in 2013, making him a Free Agent. He was signed by the Dodgers after starring in a Cal State Fullerton alumni Game, made the Los Angeles roster in 2014, and was set to…
From Wisconsin, Grimes began his Major League career with Pittsburgh, where he noticeably lost 13 consecutive Games, so the Pirates fan base did not shed any tears when he was traded to Brooklyn after the 1917 Season. Perhaps, they should have. Grimes made an immediate impact with the Robins, going 19-9 with a 2.13 ERA in his debut season, and once the spitball was outlawed in 1920, he was grandfathered in and allowed to use it throughout the rest of his career. Between 1921 and 1924, Grimes reached his peak of durability, establishing himself as the leading "innings-eater" of his era.…
Dolph Camilli began his Major League career with the Chicago Cubs, but it was with his second team, the Philadelphia Phillies, that he proved he was an everyday player. The Dodgers took notice and traded for him, feeling that he had another level within him. They were right, as across six seasons in Brooklyn, he served as the premier run-producer for Leo Durocher’s squad. In his 1938 debut, Camilli reached a plateau of efficiency by leading the National League in walks (119) while belting 24 home runs. He quickly established himself as a professional mainstay, earning his first All-Star selection in 1939…
Johnny Podres was one of the most successful southpaws in Dodgers history, especially when you look at the postseason. Debuting for Brooklyn in 1953, Podres became a forever Dodgers star during the 1955 World Series. After a modest regular season, he won both of his starts against the Yankees. His most historic moment came in Game 7, where he pitched a 2-0 shutout at Yankee Stadium, securing Brooklyn's first and only world championship. This performance earned him the inaugural World Series MVP Award. In 1957, following a one-year period of military service, he returned to lead the National League in…
After a brief run with the Cleveland Indians in 1924, it was back to the Minors for two years before the Brooklyn Robins signed Watty Clark in 1927. A left-handed workhorse who returned from two years in the minors to anchor a struggling staff. Known for a high-leg kick and control, he led the Robins during a tough stretch in the National League. In 1929, Clark matched few in durability, leading NL in innings (279.0) and starts. Despite league-leading losses for a mediocre team, he showcased command by leading NL in FIP (3.24), proving his performance was a valuable asset.…
A 2nd-round draft pick, Davey Lopes made his Major League debut with Los Angeles in 1972 and won the starting job at Second Base the following year. Lopes established dominance on the basepaths, winning back-to-back National League Stolen Base titles with 77 steals in 1975 and 63 in 1976. He set a major league record by successfully converting 38 consecutive stolen base attempts without being caught. As a leadoff hitter, he proved to be a formidable threat, capable of manufacturing a run immediately. As the 70s went on, Lopes became even more powerful in his game. In 1979, he hit…
Van Lingle Mungo arrived in Brooklyn in 1931, replacing the legendary Dazzy Vance after his own shoes split. A right-hander with a fastball and an often erratic temperament, he was the only bright spot on a series of struggling "Daffy Dodgers" teams. In 1933, Mungo achieved a new level of performance, posting a 16-15 record with an impressive 2.72 ERA for a team that was 23 games below .500. During this peak, he demonstrated complete control of his pitching arsenal, setting a career-high 238 strikeouts in 1936 to lead the league. Nonetheless, his career also included notable wildness; he led…
After a cup of coffee with the St. Louis Browns in 1911, Jeff Pfeffer made it to Brooklyn in 1913, where the righthander became one of the most durable arms of the Deadball Era. Pfeffer reached an absolute summit of efficiency in 1914. He authored a brilliant 23-12 record with a 1.97 ERA over 315 innings, a performance that surely would have made him the Rookie of the Year had the award existed then. He also had a career-high 135 strikeouts Pfeffer reached his peak during the memorable 1916 season. He delivered an incredible performance, winning 25 games with a…
Kenley Jansen’s career in Los Angeles as a defensive specialist from Curaçao, but his journey took a historic turn when the organization converted him from a catcher into a relief pitcher in 2009. Armed with a natural, cut-fastball that defied physics, he moved through the system with lightning speed. Across 12 seasons in Chavez Ravine, he evolved into the most prolific "door-shutter" in the history of the franchise Since his debut in 2010, Jansen elevated his consistency and became the full-time closer by 2012. He relied on a specialized cutter, similar to Mariano Rivera's signature pitch, to effectively strike out…
Bob Welch quickly became a well-known name in Southern California. Just a year after being the 20th overall pick in the 1977 draft from Eastern Michigan, the right-hander was pitching in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the 1978 World Series. In a pivotal moment early in his career, the 21-year-old rookie faced off against the legendary Reggie Jackson with two outs and the tying run on third. He ultimately struck out Jackson with a high fastball, sealing the win. This strikeout was more than just the end of a game; it marked the rise of a powerful pitcher…
Jake Daubert didn't look like a ballplayer when he first emerged from the coal mines of Pennsylvania. After a false start in Cleveland, where he was discarded before ever seeing a pitch, the Brooklyn Superbas, the precursor to the Dodgers, took a chance on the quiet first baseman in 1910. He arrived as a "slashing chop hitter" with a game built on precision rather than power. After a quiet start, Daubert experienced an impressive six-year streak of batting over .300, making him a regular presence at the top of the leaderboards. His peak occurred between 1913 and 1914, when he…
Whit Wyatt didn't merely find renewed success in Brooklyn; he essentially crafted a new career. By the time he joined the Dodgers in 1939, he was 30 years old and was largely viewed as a discarded player from the American League, having spent the previous year in the minor leagues. However, while three other teams saw him as finished, Brooklyn recognized him as an untapped ace. After a decade of obscurity, he reached Ebbets Field and instantly elevated his play, earning four straight All-Star selections from 1939 to 1942. He displayed a sudden, localized dominance that peaked during the landmark…