The Philadelphia Phillies have had several players who made an everlasting impression among their fan base since their inception as the Quakers in 1883. Who is considered among the best players in the organization’s illustrious history?
For this piece, we will be looking out which are the best at each position according to Wins Above Replacement (WAR). We have compiled the greatest players in Phillies history using FanGraphs WAR (fWAR).
In case you missed it, here’s the Phillies all-time starting rotation based on WAR.
Phillies all-time best starting lineup based on WAR
The first position we will look at is catcher. Philadelphia has had many solid players at backstop since its inception in the majors two centuries ago.
Catcher: Jack Clements (25.9 fWAR)
Jack Clements was a Philadelphia native who was a member of the Quakers/Phillies from 1884 to 1897. He ranks 20th all-time with 636 RBI. During 1891, he finished with a slash line of .310/.380/.426 and a .806 OPS in 107 games. His 423 at-bats, 131 hits, and 29 doubles during this season were also the most of his career.
He totaled 17 home runs and 80 RBI in 94 contests during the 1893 season. This was the most Clements had in both categories during his career in a single season. The highest OPS he compiled was 1.058 in 1895. His .394 batting average in 88 games during the 1895 season was the best of his career.
Clements’ fWAR continues to stand as the best among Philadelphia catchers. His 25.9 fWAR is slightly better than Darren Daulton’s 24.4 fWAR, one of the most popular Phillies in the club’s history. There’s a good chance that current backstop J.T. Realmuto (22.2 fWAR) will surpass both catchers before he becomes a free agent following the 2025 season.
One of the unsung Phillies legends, Clements played in 997 games and compiled 4,088 plate appearances, fifth most in franchise history among backstops. He still has an impact among Philadelphia hitters, particularly those who play the catcher position.
First base: Dick Allen (37.7 fWAR)
Dick Allen had two stints with the Phillies from 1963 to 1969 and 1975 to 1976. Beyond his 37.7 fWAR, the infielder has a career slash line of .290/.371/.530 in 1,070 games with the franchise. After debuting in 10 games during the 1963 season, the utility infielder made a solid impression the following season.
In 162 games in 1964, he hit .318 with a .939 OPS and led the league with 125 runs, the most he tallied in a single season. The Wampum, Pennsylvania native also finished with a career-high 38 doubles and finished with 29 home runs and 91 RBI, winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award and finishing seventh in MVP voting.
However, Phillies fans expressed their dismay with Allen during his rookie season as he finished with a career-high 41 errors at third base. His errors decreased the next year as he totaled 26 in 160 contests at the position. He didn’t play first base until 1969 and then played there when he returned to Philadelphia in 1975.
Aside from his first full year in the majors, Allen wasn’t a member of many Phillies teams that competed for a championship. During his second stint with the club in 1976, Philly finished first in the NL East with 101 wins but was swept in three games by the Cincinnati Reds in the NLCS.
Allen also persevered through racial tensions in America during the ’60s. He worked through adversity on and off the baseball diamond to become one of the all-time great Phillies players. The organization retired his number during the 2020 season, and he is a member of the Phillies Wall of Fame. A mural is also being created in his honor in South Philadelphia.
Second base: Chase Utley (59.3 fWAR)
Not long after his first major league season in 2003, it became apparent the Phillies had a talented player in, “The Man,” Chase Utley. After the club traded infielder Placido Polanco to the Detroit Tigers in 2005, the Pasadena, California native became the full-time second baseman. He didn’t disappoint during his run with the club.
In addition to his 59.3 fWAR, Utley finished with a career .282 batting average and a .847 OPS in 1,551 games with the franchise. Between the 2005 and 2008 seasons, the infielder finished with four consecutive years of over 100 RBI (105, 102, 103, and 104, respectively). He also tallied a career-best in doubles during this period with 39, 40, 48, and 41.
He leads all Phillies second baseman with 233 home runs, 949 runs scored, 916 RBI, 346 doubles, 625 walks and 1,623 hits.
Utley appeared in the All-Star game six times as a member of the Phillies from 2006 to 2010 and in 2014. Along with shortstop Jimmy Rollins and first baseman Ryan Howard, he was a member of the homegrown trio. The three stars helped propel Philadelphia to back-to-back World Series in 2008 and 2009, including the team’s second championship in 2008.
The all-time Phillies great received a retirement ceremony in 2019 and spoke about what he misses the most from his playing days, per MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki: “I miss playing in [Citizens Bank Park]. I miss the fans. How energetic and intense and loud they were. I miss winning with a Phillies jersey on.”
Phillies fans associate Utley with one of the most successful periods in the franchise’s history. Although the team has experienced several years of struggles since its establishment, the fanbase remembers him fondly for his individual accomplishments with Philadelphia. They also recall the effort he brought to the ball club that helped the team be exciting from 2007 to 2011.
Third base: Mike Schmidt (106.5 fWAR)
Mike Schmidt is the most accomplished Phillies player ever. The third baseman’s 106.5 fWAR is the best by a considerable amount than any other player in the franchise’s history. He finished his career, all with the Phillies, with a .267 batting average and a .907 OPS
Schmidt leads all Phillies players, not just third basemen, with 2,404 games, 1,506 runs and 1,595 RBI. His 548 home runs look like an organizational record that will never be eclipsed (Ryan Howard is second with 382). Schmidt was a key member of the Phillies’ first championship-winning squad in 1980 and was the World Series MVP.
Michael Jack Schmidt!
Harry Kalas calls the @Phillies Hall of Famer’s 500th career homer: https://t.co/PHr0C5uvaY pic.twitter.com/u6w7HJEppa
— Cut4 (@Cut4) February 23, 2017
Schmidt was a 12-time All-Star and a three-time NL MVP. He won 10 Gold Glove Awards and six Silver Slugger Awards.
The Dayton, Ohio native also led the NL in home runs eight times and in RBI four times during his 18-year MLB career. Schmidt abruptly announced he was retiring from baseball in the middle of the 1989 season.
The third baseman felt he was not the player he used to be and could no longer compete at the standard he set for himself. One of the best pitchers in the history of baseball, Nolan Ryan, said the following about the infielder’s exceptional ability: “For a power hitter, he knew the strike zone better than anybody. I could never get him to chase a bad pitch.”
Schmidt had a remarkable tenure in the majors. The organization retired his number on May 26, 1990, and he was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame. The third baseman was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995. His achievement as the greatest Phillie ever may never be surpassed.
Shortstop: Jimmy Rollins (49.0 fWAR)
Jimmy Rollins made a positive impression after being called up by the Phillies near the end of the 2000 season. He had an immediate impact in his first full year in 2001, leading the NL with 46 stolen bases. The shortstop exemplified durability from 2001 to 2007 as the most contests he missed in a single year was eight in each of the 2002 and 2004 seasons.
After struggling with 100-plus strikeouts in each season from 2001 to 2003, Rollins finished with a significant reduction in 2004 and 2005 with 73 and 71, respectively. He didn’t accumulate 100 strikeouts again until 2014.
Statistically, Rollins’ finest year was 2007. He played in all 162 regular season games and compiled a .296 batting average and an .875 OPS. The shortstop finished with 30 home runs, 20 triples and 94 RBI, all career-highs. He received his only Silver Slugger Award and NL MVP Award this year.
The native of Oakland, California, finished as a three-time All-Star with the Phillies. Rollins’ 2,090 games in a Philly uniform are second all-time behind Schmidt. The shortstop won four Gold Glove Awards from 2007 to 2009 and again in 2012.
For his career with the Phillies, Rollins hit .267 with a .751 OPS. He also was the recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award in 2014. The award is given to the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement, and the individual’s contribution to his team.
Rollins was instrumental in helping Philadelphia during their five straight playoff years. He was also fairly durable throughout his 15 years with the organization. He may not be in the Hall of Fame but there is no disputing his value to the Phillies franchise.
Left field: Ed Delahanty (64.8 fWAR)
Ed Delahanty’s 64.8 fWAR is the second-most impressive in franchise history. The Cleveland, Ohio native once totaled four home runs during a game on July 13, 1986. His home run total for his career was relatively low as he finished with 87 in 1,555 games during his career with the Phillies.
The reign of Ed Delahanty lasted twice as long as the current reign of all-time #Phillies WAR leader Mike Schmidt. Who knew! https://t.co/aIDvJCosQX
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) February 1, 2022
Delahanty was excellent at getting on base with 2,213 hits, which is the fourth most of any player in the organization’s history. He is the all-time leader with 157 triples. The left fielder ranks second with 1,367 runs and 1,527 singles. His 1,286 RBI and 442 doubles are also second most among Phillies hitters.
He was also known for his speed. He had 411 stolen bases, which only trail Billy Hamilton (508) and Rollins (453) for the most in the franchise’s history. Delahanty was the NL leader with 58 stolen bases during the 1898 season.
Delahanty’s .348 batting average is third and he is sixth with a .415 OBP. The utility player’s .508 slugging percentage is 12th in Phillies history and he is seventh with a .923 OPS. The Sporting News wrote that: “He was among the greatest batters the game ever produced. Great batters, like poets, are born, not made.”
The outfielder finished with an over .400 batting average in three seasons with Philadelphia. He hit .407 and .404 in 1894 and 1895 respectively, and .410 in 1899. Delahanty received the ultimate honor for a player, being elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, in 1945.
Center field: Richie Ashburn (52.3 fWAR)
Twelve of Richie Ashburn’s 15 seasons in the majors were as a member of the Phillies. In 1,794 games with Philadelphia, the center fielder hit .311 with a .782 OPS. Besides the ’50s “Whiz Kids” team that lost in the World Series to the New York Yankees, he was not a part of many successful teams in Philadelphia.
A star at the plate and in the field for the @Phillies, Richie Ashburn was one of the most durable and dependable outfielders in MLB history.
The Hall of Famer was born #OTD in 1927. pic.twitter.com/bNgipFSh8t
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) March 19, 2024
Ashburn was a six-time All-Star during his MLB career, four of which were with the Phillies. He led the NL in stolen bases in his 1948 rookie season with 32 and was a two-time NL batting champion in 1955 and 1958.
In 1955, he hit a career-high .338 with an .897 OPS in 140 games. Ashburn had a career-high 32 doubles as well. In 1958, he finished a .350 batting average and an .881 OPS in 152 contests.
One of the Tilden, Nebraska native’s finest seasons with Philadelphia came in 1951. Ashburn finished with 221 hits, the most he totaled in any of his 15 years in the majors. In 1953 and 1958, he finished with 205 and 215 hits, respectively.
He was excellent at getting on base considering the amount of hits he finished with during his Phillies career. Ashburn had his number retired and became a member of the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1979. In 1995, the Hall of Fame’s Veterans Committee elected him to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Right field: Bobby Abreu (47.2 fWAR)
Bobby Abreu’s tenure with the Phillies, which lasted for over eight seasons, is more polarizing than many other players on this list. He joined the club when it was looking to turn into a playoff contender with other key players such as infielder Scott Rolen and catcher Mike Lieberthal.
However, Abreu was a part of several Phillies clubs whose aspirations to qualify for the postseason never came to fruition. The right fielder’s offensive statistics during his time with Philadelphia are nonetheless impressive.
17 years ago today, Bobby Abreu hit the first home run in Citizens Bank Park history on our very first Opening Day. #RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/gHTQRUNUmc
— Citizens Bank Park (@PhilliesCBP) April 12, 2021
In 1,353 career games with the Phillies, Abreu hit .303 with a .928 OPS — his OPS is tied for fourth all-time with outfielder Billy Hamilton. The Aragua, Venezuela native totaled the most home runs and RBI of his career with Philly in 2001. In playing a remarkable 162 games, he had 31 home runs and 110 RBI.
The best season of his eight-plus years with Philly in terms of his slash line and his .OPS was in 1999. Abreu compiled a .335/.446/.549 line with a .995 OPS in 152 games. He was another player on this list known for his durability throughout his Phillies career. Aside from 2006, the year he was traded during the middle of the season, the least amount of games he played with the franchise was in 1998 when he was active for 151 contests.
Abreu was a two-time All-Star during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. He received his only Silver Slugger Award in 2004. The outfielder also received a Gold Glove Award in 2005. In 2019, he became a part of the Phillies Wall of Fame.
Designated hitter: Bryce Harper (20.6 fWAR)
Following agreeing to a mammoth contract with the Phillies five years ago, it didn’t take long for Bryce Harper to become one of the most popular sports figures in Philadelphia sports. He immediately became the face of the franchise. He has said and done everything right to make the fan base embrace him. He wants to win a World Series for the city.
Harper has done his due diligence to recruit other players to join him with the Phillies. Two recent examples of this occurred over the last two offseasons. It worked with shortstop Trea Turner, who agreed to a large contract with the organization after the 2022 season. He did his part in attempting to persuade pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to sign with Philly last offseason, but that didn’t work out.
Harper’s OPS is one of the best in Phillies history. Harper’s .931 OPS currently ranks third all-time among all qualified players behind outfielders Lefty O’Doul and Chuck Klein. The former right fielder turned first baseman has had many special moments during his tenure with the team even though he played his first seven seasons with the Washington Nationals.
So far, his most memorable moment has been his two-run home run that gave Philly a lead late in Game 5 of the 2022 NLCS that propelled them to the World Series. Harper received the NLCS MVP Award as a result of his play during the series against the San Diego Padres.
OMG BRYCE HARPER!!! WOW!!! THE SWING OF HIS LIFE!!! pic.twitter.com/9UWmROAuNV
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 23, 2022
Harper made the All-Star game with Philly in 2022 and received his second NL MVP Award of his career with the team in 2021. He was also named to the All-MLB First Team and received his second NL Hank Aaron Award in 2021. The infielder received two of his three Silver Slugger Awards during the 2021 and 2023 seasons.
He has yet to achieve a World Series MVP and win a championship. If he has his way, he will help the Phillies win a World Series in 2024.
