The Cleveland Indians, also known as ‘The Tribe’ are an American League Central Major League Baseball team that originated in 1915. The team existed much before that under various names including the Grand Rapids Rustlers, Cleveland Lakeshores, Cleveland Bluebirds, Cleveland Bronchos and the Cleveland Naps. Five years after the name changed to the Indians, Cleveland won the 1920 World Series. The Indians have played in three different stadiums (League Park, Cleveland Stadium and Progressive Field, which was previously Jacob’s Field). The Cleveland Indians have been around for more than a century and had many Hall of Fame players and all-time greats that played for the franchise.
20. Albert Belle
Belle was a left fielder who played for the Indians from 1989-1996 and had a .295 career batting average. He was one of the best sluggers of the 1990’s and in 1995 he became the first person to hit 50 doubles and 50 homeruns in a single season. He finished his career with 381 homeruns, 1,231 runs batted in and was a five-time all-star and a five-time silver slugger award winner.
19. Al Rosen
Rosen’s career was cut short after a traffic accident, but the former Cleveland third baseman and MVP winner was on his way to a Hall of Fame career, leading the league in home runs twice. He finished his career with 192 home runs and a slash of .285/.384/.495. He was also apart of the 1948 World Series team.
18. Shoeless Joe Jackson
Shoeless Joe Jackson was an outfielder who played for the Cleveland Naps from 1911 until their transformation to the Indians in 1915. Jackson had a career batting average of .356 with 54 home runs and 785 runs batted in before being banned from Major League Baseball after conspiring to fix the 1919 World Series. Jackson is a member of the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame but remains out of the discussion for the Baseball Hall of Fame due to still remaining on the ineligible list due to the World Series scandal.
17. Satchel Paige
Paige was a pitcher who began his career at 42 years old, being the oldest rookie in the history of Major League Baseball. He played for the Cleveland Indians from 1948-49 where he contributed to them winning the 1948 World Series. Paige had a 3.29 earned run average and a win-loss record of 28-31. He was also a two-time all-star who was known for his longevity, due to him playing a game in the Major League’s at 59 years old. He was also inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame.
16. Joe Carter
Carter was an outfielder and first baseman who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1984-89. He had a batting average of. 259 with 396 home runs and 1,445 runs batted in. Carter is a five-time all star and a two-time silver slugger award winner. He was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
15. Carlos Baerga
Baerga was primarily a second baseman who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1990-96 and then again in 1999. He was a three-time all-star and a two-time silver slugger award winner. Baerga had a batting average of .291 with 774 runs batted in and is in the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame.
14. Roberto Alomar
Alomar was a second baseman who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1999-2001. He had a batting average of .300 with 210 home runs and 1,445 runs batted in. Alomar was a twelve-time all star who won ten gold glove awards and was a four-time silver slugger award winner. Alomar was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
13. Manny Ramirez
Ramirez was an outfielder who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1993-2000. He had a batting average of .312 with 555 home runs and 1,831 runs batted in. Ramirez was a twelve-time all-star and a nine-time silver slugger award winner. He hit the third most grand slams of all time with an amazing 21. He also holds the Major League Baseball record for most postseason home runs with 29.
12. Larry Doby
Doby was a center fielder who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1947-55 and then again in 1958. He had a batting average of. 283 with 253 home runs and 970 runs batted in. Doby was a seven-time all-star and was inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame. The Cleveland Indians also retired his jersey No. 14.
11. Corey Kluber
Kluber is a pitcher who plays for the Cleveland Indians from 2011-2019. He is widely known as a power pitcher with a win-loss record with Cleveland of 98-58 and an earned run average of 3.16 with 1,461 strikeouts. He is a three-time all-star and also a two-time AL Cy Young Award winner. Kluber has played the last three seasons with the Rangers, Yankees and Rays.
10. Early Wynn
Wynn was a pitcher who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1949-57 and again in 1963. Wynn had a win-loss record of 300-244 with a 3.54 earned run average and 2,334 strikeouts. He was a nine-time all-star and won the 1959 Cy Young Award. Wynn is in both the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame.
9. Sandy Alomar Jr.
Alomar was a catcher who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1990-2000. He had a batting average of .273 with 112 home runs and 588 runs batted in. Alomar was a six-time all-star and won the 1990 Gold Glove Award. He was widely considered as the best catcher in Indians franchise history and was also inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame.
8. Omar Vizquel
Vizquel was a shortstop who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1994-2004. He had a batting average of .272 with 80 home runs and 951 runs batted in. Vizquel was a three-time all-star who was an incredible eleven-time Gold Glove Award winner. He is also a member of the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame.
7. Tris Speaker
Speaker was a center fielder who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1916-26 and was also the player-manager from 1919-26. He had a batting average of .345 with 68 home runs and 1,529 runs batted in. Tris is also a 3x World Series champion and a member of the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame.
6. Lou Boudreau
Boudreau was primarily a shortstop who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1938-50 and was the player-manager from 1942-50. He was an eight-time all-star who had a batting average of .295 with 68 home runs and 789 runs batted in. Lou was a World Series champion and was inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame. The Cleveland Indians also retired his jersey No. 5.
5. Kenny Lofton
Lofton was a center fielder who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1992-96, 1998-01 and again in 2007. He had a batting average of .299 with 130 home runs and 781 runs batted in. Lofton is also a six-time all-star and a four-time golden glove winner. He retired in 2007 as a Cleveland Indian and is also in the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame.
4. Nap Lajoie
Lajoie was a second baseman who played for Cleveland Naps from 1902-14 and was the player-manager from 1905-14. Nap was so popular in Cleveland that the team changed their name from the Cleveland Bronchos to the Cleveland Naps. Lajoie had a batting average of .339 and had 82 home runs with 1,599 runs batted in. He won the 1901 tripe crown award and is was inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame.
3. Bob Lemon
Lemon was a pitcher who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1941-42 and from 1946-48. He was a seven-time all-star and a two-time World Series champion. Lemon had a 3.23 earned run average with 1,277 strikeouts and a win-loss record of 207-128. He is a member of the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame and the Cleveland Indians retired his jersey No. 21.
2. Jim Thome
Thome was primarily a first baseman who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1991-2002 and in 2011. He was a true power hitter playing six seasons where he hit 40+ home runs. He boasted a .276 batting average with 612 home runs and 1,699 runs batted in. Thome was a five-time all-star and won the silver slugger award in 1996. He is a ranked 8th all time in home runs and is in the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame. The Cleveland Indians also retired his jersey No. 25.
1. Bob Feller
“The heater from Van Meter” Bob Feller was a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians for his entire career which spanned from 1936-41 and 1945-46 with the only gap in his career due to a four year stint in the Navy. Feller was an eight-time all-star and won the 1940 tripe crown along with winning a World Series with the Cleveland Indians in 1948, which was the last World Series the Cleveland Indians have won. He had 3.25 earned run average with 2,581 strikeouts and a 266-162 win-loss record. Feller pitched 44 shutouts and 3 no-hitters. He is in the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame and the Baseball Hall of Fame. He is widely considered as the greatest Cleveland Indians player of all time. The Cleveland Indians retired his jersey No. 19.
