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.  As such, we are delighted to present our pre-2026 revision of our top 50 Cleveland Guardians.

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 Guardians were sellers at the trade deadline but got hot and shocked the baseball world by driving toward an AL Central Division Championship.  They fell to Detroit in the Wild Card, but considering where they were on August 1, this was a positive campaign for Cleveland. There were no new additions, but movement within the Top 50.

As always, we present our top five, which differs from last year's, both due to the new algorithm and to one active Guardian.

1. Bob Feller
2. Nap Lajoie
3. Tris Speaker
4. Jose Ramirez
5. Lou Boudreau

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

Major changes were afoot among the top five, as the new algorithm flipped Bob Feller and Nap Lajoie from their previous #1 and #2 spots. 

Off the strength of another All-Star campaign, Jose Ramirez broke into the top five.  He was ranked at #7 last year.

The only other change among active Guardians players was the return of Carlos Santana, who rose from #41 to #37.  He is now with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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

Whenever a nickname perfectly summarizes a player's primary contribution to the game, it becomes the only logical place to start. For Carlos Santana, the moniker "Slamtana" was more than just a catchy title; it was a warning to American League pitchers that a mistake over the plate would likely result in a ball clearing the outfield wall. Arriving in Cleveland as a highly touted catching prospect in 2010, the Dominican slugger evolved into one of the most disciplined offensive forces in the franchise’s modern era, defined by a rare combination of switch-hitting power and an elite refusal to swing at bad pitches.

Santana’s initial run in Cleveland was marked by a steady reliability that saw him transition from behind the plate to first base to preserve his health and his bat. He established a baseline of specialized production that few could match, launching at least 20 home runs in five of his first seven full seasons. While his batting average often hovered in the modest range, he was a model of high-frequency on-base efficiency. His skill was defined by a legendary eye, leading the American League with 113 walks in 2014 and consistently forcing opposing starters to run up high pitch counts early in the game.

After a single-season hiatus in Philadelphia, his return to Cleveland in 2019 provided a triumphant second act that stands as his professional high-water mark. That summer, Santana played with a level of focused intensity that transformed him from a reliable contributor into a legitimate MVP candidate. He reached a career-best .281 average while setting personal records in home runs (34) and RBIs (93), earning his first All-Star selection and a Silver Slugger Award. He was the veteran poise in a young lineup, providing the high-leverage hits required to keep the club in the hunt for a postseason berth.

The final chapter of his Cleveland story was written in 2025, when he returned for a third stint after the club traded Josh Naylor. While this homecoming lacked the statistical fireworks of his 2019 peak—resulting in a .225 average and 11 home runs, it served as a meaningful homecoming for a player who considered the city family.

With Cleveland, Santana compiled 227 home runs and 1,286 hits while leading the American League in walks twice across 1,450 games.