gold star for USAHOF

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we maintain and update our existing Top 50 lists annually.  We are pleased to present our pre-2026 revision of our top 50 Philadelphia Phillies.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball, we look at the following: 

1.  Duration and Impact.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the Major League Baseball.

3.  Advanced Statistics.

4.  Playoff performance.

5. Their respective legacy on the team.

6. How successful the team was when he was there.

7. Respecting the era in which they played.

Criteria 1-4 will make up the lion’s share of the algorithm.  Please note that we have implemented this for the first time.  This has changed the rankings all throughout the board.

Last year, the Phillies finished the year with a 96-66 record, which was good enough to win the National League East.  However, they were bounced immediately in four games in the Divisional Round by the eventual champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers.  There was one new entrant and three elevations based on the 2025 season.

As always, we present our top five, which remains unchanged.

1. Mike Schmidt
2. Robin Roberts
3. Steve Carlton
4. Ed Delahanty
5. Pete Alexander

You can find the entire list here.

Pitcher Zack Wheeler had a huge jump from #31 to #17.  He was an All-MLB 2 Selection last year.

Notably, another active pitcher, Aaron Nola, did not move up from last season’s #22 rank.

Bryce Harper climbed up four spots to #30.

Catcher, J.T. Realmuto, went to #43 from #48.

Celebrated slugger Kyle Schwarber makes his debut on the list, coming in at #50.  This knocked Carlos Ruiz off the Top 50.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

It is with great pleasure that we have brought back the Notinhalloffame MLB Regular Cup, and let us explain how this works:

For every regular-season game, we anointed the best five players with descending points, 5-4-3-2-1. 

We know the following:

  • The top players for the MLB NIHOF Cup are not always the best in the league, as injuries keep players out of games, and a premium on staying healthy can help pile up points. It also does not hurt to be a top player on an average or mediocre team, as they can amass Cup points more easily than elite players on loaded squads.
  • In Baseball, it is more common than in Basketball and Hockey for a player to accrue points with a single Home Run in a game, which favors position players. Starting Pitchers have a hard time with approximately 30-35 Starts and throwing fewer innings than previous generations. This is also true for closers not made for this process.
  • Please remember that this is NOT necessarily who we think were the best players this year and does not reflect overall consistency. Treat this the way we did: as a fun process and more of a compilation of temporary statistical domination.

Here is the current top ten after games concluded on May 26.

1. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees: 96 Cup Points in 53 Games. (#1 Last Week).  4.3 bWAR, 51 Runs, 80 Hits, 18 Home Runs, 47 Runs Batted In, .398/.492/.756 Slash Line, 1.248 OPS & 251 OPS+.

2. Pete Alonso, New York Mets: 78 Cup Points in 54 Games. (#2 Last Week).   1.7 bWAR, 30 Runs, 58 Hits, 10 Home Runs, 40 Runs Batted In, .291/.392/.533 Slash Line, .925 OPS & 164 OPS+.

3.  Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox: 72 Cup Points in 56 Games.  (#7 Last Week).  1.9 bWAR, 36 Runs, 60 Hits, 12 Home Runs, 48 Runs Batted In, .288/.409/.534 Slash Line, .943 OPS & 163 OPS+.

4. Francisco Lindor, New York Mets: 59 Cup Points in 41 Games. (#5 Last Week).   1.4 bWAR, 32 Runs, 58 Hits, 10 Home Runs, 30 Runs Batted In, .272/.347/.455 Slash Line, .802 OPS & 129 OPS+

5. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers:  66 Cup Points in 52 Games.  (#3 Last Week).  2.7 bWAR, 57 Runs, 62 Hits, 19 Home Runs, 33 Runs Batted In, .295/.392/.648 Slash Line, 1.039 OPS & 191 OPS+.

6. Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals:  63 Cup Points in 55 Games.  (#3 Last Week).  2.6 bWAR, 29 Runs, 63 Hits, 5 Home Runs, 28 Runs Batted In, .293/.353/.464 Slash Line, .836 OPS & 134 OPS+.

7. Spencer Torkelson, Detroit Tigers: 62 Cup Points in 54 Games. (#9 Last Week).  1.5 bWAR, 34 Runs, 46 Hits, 13 Home Runs, 40 Runs Batted In, .243/.357/.524 Slash Line, .881 OPS & 148 OPS+.

8. (TIE) Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks: 60 Cup Points in 54 Games. (#8 Last Week).   1.9 bWAR, 40 Runs, 58 Hits, 15 Home Runs, 34 Runs Batted In, .260/.332/.556 Slash Line, .888 OPS & 143 OPS+.

8. (TIE) Isaac Paredes, Houston Astros: 60 Cup Points in 52 Games. (Not in the Top Ten Last Week).   2.2 bWAR, 29 Runs, 54 Hits, 11 Home Runs, 31 Runs Batted In, .276/.377/.490 Slash Line, .867 OPS & 145 OPS+.

10. (TIE) Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers: 59 Cup Points in 43 Games.  (#9 Last Week).  2.2 bWAR, 30 Runs, 57 Hits, 9 Home Runs, 35 Runs Batted In, .361/.432/.633 Slash Line, 1.065 OPS & 200 OPS+.

10. (TIE) Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies: 59 Cup Points in 53 Games.  (Not in the Last Week).  2.5 bWAR, 30 Runs, 54 Hits, 8 Home Runs, 33 Runs Batted In, .267/.372/.450 Slash Line, .823 OPS & 129 OPS+.

San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. fell off the top ten.

Notably, 729 baseball players have earned at least 1 point, up from 794 last week.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

 

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2024 revision of our top 50 Philadelphia Phillies.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball, we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Please note that our algorithm has changed, which yielded minor changes throughout the baseball lists.

Last year, the Phillies won their division (NL East), but lost in their first round to the New York Mets.  The season saw a few elevations and one new entrant

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes.

1. Mike Schmidt

2. Robin Roberts

3. Steve Carlton

4. Ed Delahanty

5. Pete Alexander

You can find the entire list https://www.notinhalloffame.com/baseball/top-50-baseball-players-by-franchise/top-50-philapdelphia-phillies">here.

Starting Pitcher Aaron Nola moved up one spot to #22.

Another starter, Zack Wheeler went from #38 to #31.

Bryce Harper shot up to #35 from #45.

The new entrant is Catcher J.T. Realmuto, who debuts at #48.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2023 revision of our top 50 Philadelphia Phillies.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in Major League Baseball.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Phillies had another great year, advancing to the NLCS.  This good year by the team saw two new entrants in the Top 50.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:

1. Mike Schmidt

2. Robin Roberts

3. Steve Carlton

4. Ed Delahanty

5. Pete Alexander

You can find the entire list here.

Pitcher, Aaron Nola, was unable to move up from #23, and remains in that spot.

The new entrants were Pitcher, Zack Wheeler and former MVP, Bryce Harper, who enter at #39 and #45 respectively.

We thank you for your continued support for our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Few modern theater arcs hold the same dramatic, high-stakes importance as Bryce Harper's. From the moment he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a 16-year-old prodigy, he has borne the weight of being baseball's chosen one. For years, he was the unquestioned, charismatic face of the Washington Nationals, highlighted by a stunning, unanimous National League MVP award in 2015. However, when free agency took him across the Eastern Seaboard to a fierce divisional rival, fate played a strange, frustrating game: Washington secured their first-ever World Series victory in the very autumn following his departure.

Instead of letting external noise control his story, Harper deliberately turned Citizens Bank Park into his personal arena, exhaustively striving to secure his elusive championship ring. During the 2019 campaign in eastern Pennsylvania, he showed a formidable power, hitting 35 home runs, driving in 114 RBIs, and posting an .882 OPS. Although seeing his former team celebrate with the trophy in October was likely very frustrating, he handled it with veteran resilience, finishing the pandemic-shortened 2020 season with an impressive .962 OPS.

Then arrived 2021, the high-velocity season the front office had envisioned when they approved his historic $330 million contract. Harper delivered an outstanding regular season, winning his second National League MVP. He hit 35 home runs and led the major leagues in slugging percentage (.615), OPS (1.044), and achieved a remarkable 179 OPS+.

Despite that historic individual baseline, baseball's harsh randomness kept the Phillies out of the postseason, leading to a pivotal, high-stakes evolution. In 2022, Harper suffered a severe UCL tear in his right elbow that completely impaired his ability to throw, yet he refused to give up his place in the lineup. Playing solely as an elite designated hitter, he propelled the underdog Phillies into the playoffs, earning the NLCS MVP award with a legendary late-inning home run that clinched the pennant against San Diego. He finally reached the World Series stage, but the fairy tale ended two victories short, leaving him with a pennant but a badly injured elbow.

After major Tommy John surgery, Harper exceeded typical recovery expectations, making an extraordinary, rapid comeback to active play midway through the 2023 season. He maintained exceptional strike zone control with a .900 OPS and delivered another memorable postseason performance. However, his long-term ability to continue playing the outfield was officially ruled out.

To insulate his reconstructed arm while maximizing his daily volume, management implemented a permanent tactical shift, moving Harper to first base full-time ahead of the 2024 calendar year. The transition was a masterclass in athletic adaptability; he picked up the nuances of the position with fluid efficiency, neutralizing opposing base runners while maintaining his thunderous presence in the cleanup slot.

Any lingering doubts about his physical durability were completely dispelled during the recently finished 2025 season. Appearing entirely healthy, Harper delivered a spectacular, comprehensive regular-season performance, earning a well-deserved spot as a starter at the Midsummer Classic and finishing sixth in the National League MVP voting. He hit 29 home runs, drove in 92 runs, and scored 90 times in 147 games, posting an efficient .278/.372/504 slash line that was a key driver for a strong Phillies team. Although the postseason ended in a frustrating and close loss in the National League Division Series, his durability demonstrated that his offensive prime is still very much in full swing.

Harper is 33 entering the 2026 season and should have some solid baseball left in him.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022 revision of our top Washington Nationals.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, Washington was one of the worst teams in baseball, and the only player they had they improved his rank, was traded during the season.

As always, we present our top five, which was not affected by the last season:

1. Gary Carter

2. Tim Raines

3. Max Scherzer

4. Andre Dawson

5. Steve Rogers

You can find the entire list here.

Outfielder, Juan Soto, who was traded to San Diego during the season, moved to #14 from #17.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

The process continues.

We here are Notinhalloffame.com have plans to create our own set of post-season awards, which we will look back and retroactively present from 1901 on.  That will take a while, but it has never stopped us before!

Our awards are not be league specific.

Now it is time for our 2021 positional awards.

We will be awarding a positional player of the year, but not only that, offer up the runner-up and second runner-up, meaning that we will have First, Second and Third All-MLB players.

Let’s work our way around the diamond and award the best of the best in Baseball!

*Please note that to qualify, a player must appear in that position at least 50% of the time.

Rightfielder of the Year (First Team All-MLB):  Juan Soto, Washington Nationals.  7.0 bWAR, 6.6 fWAR, 157 H, 29 HR, 111 R, 95 RBI, 9 SB, .313/.465/.534/.999.

An All-Star for the first time this year, Juan Soto led the National League in Walks, and for the second year in a row, he was first in OBP.  Soto was also second in the NL in OPS and OPS+ (175).

Second Team All-MLB: Rightfield:  Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies.  5.9 bWAR, 6.6 fWAR, 151 H, 35 HR, 101 R, 84 RBI, 13 SB, .309/.429/.613/1.044.

We could easily have gone with Harper over Soto, and it was a last-minute decision to go with Soto, as Harper had a bad defensive year.  Harper was the one to beat Soto in OPS and OPS+ (179), and he also led the NL in Doubles (42).

Third Team All-MLB: Rightfield:  Aaron Judge, New York Yankees.  5.9 bWAR, 5.5 fWAR, 158 H, 39 HR, 89 R, 98 RBI, 6 SB, .287/.373/.544/.916.

Despite Judge’s great season, he is only Third Team, based on the accomplishments of Soto and Harper.  

Slowly but surely we are getting there.

We have added another Top 50 list to one of the Big Four of North American Team sports.

Few players in baseball history have ever shouldered the burden of expectation placed on Bryce Harper. At 16, appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a prodigy, he was hailed as the "Chosen One" long before the Washington Nationals selected him with the first overall pick in the 2010 amateur draft. When he finally made his highly anticipated big-league debut in April 2012 at just 19, Harper didn’t just meet the immense hype—he weaponized a fierce, theatrical style of play that instantly electrified the nation's capital.

His 2012 arrival was an exceptional display of youthful vigor, characterized by assertive baserunning, diving catches, and a powerful, left-handed swing that produced 22 home runs, 98 runs scored, and an .817 OPS. His vigorous performance garnered him the National League Rookie of the Year Award and a position in the All-Star Game, playing a pivotal role in the franchise's evolution into a division champion and a consistent contender.

Harper was a notable box-office attraction in his own right, exhibiting a rare and charismatic star power that consistently drew spectators to Nationals Park. He was chosen to participate in the All-Star Game six times during his seven seasons in D.C., performing with a composed intensity and distinctive hair flips that established him as the most dynamic and esteemed icon of his generation.

Harper's remarkable talent culminated in a historic 2015 season, marked as one of the most dominant offensive performances in modern baseball. At only 22, he overwhelmed NL Pitching, winning the MVP unanimously after leading in home runs (42), runs (118), on-base percentage (.460), and slugging(.649). His 1.109 OPS and 198 OPS+, combined with a stellar 10.0 bWAR, topped MLB, making him the first MVP winner in Expos/Nationals franchise history.

Following that historic peak, the subsequent seasons were a thrilling, high-energy mix of prolific production and physical injuries. In 2016, opposing teams often chose not to pitch to him, intentionally walking him a record-tying 108 times—including six walks in a single game against the Cubs—causing his batting average to fall to .243 despite his hitting 24 home runs. He made a remarkable, MVP-level comeback in 2017, batting.319 with 29 home runs by August, but a dangerous slip on a wet first base resulted in a serious knee hyperextension, sidelining him for over a month.

Healthy again for his final season in Washington in 2018, Harper put on a show for the local fans. He won the Home Run Derby at Nationals Park in dramatic fashion and anchored the lineup by blasting 34 home runs and driving in a career-high 100 RBIs, while leading the major leagues with 130 walks to post an elite .393 on-base percentage.

After that campaign, Harper became the most sought-after free agent in years, transforming his impressive tenure with Washington into a landmark 13-year, $330 million deal with division rivals the Philadelphia Phillies. Although his departure disappointed fans who saw the Nationals win a World Series the following fall without him, his key contributions remain undeniable.

Harper appeared in 927 games for the Nats, accumulating 922 hits, 184 home runs, 521 RBIs, and 75 stolen bases while generating a stellar .279/.388/.512 slash line (139 OPS+).

Was he one of the best players in Nationals history?

Clown question, bro.