Last Updated: September 10th, 2026 by Matthew Brown
The Cincinnati Reds are one of the most underrated franchises in baseball history. Why do I say that? Because there have been such highs and lows throughout its history that I think fans don't know where they can rank an organization like the Reds among the more obvious top franchises.
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That being said, we've got some undeniable historic Reds to cover in this article.
How We Made This List
The Cincinnati fanbase sure has great memories of countless Reds. There sure are too many to fit on a list of 30. I think the best word to describe how we are going about this list is "impact". We are looking for impact overall for each entry that you will see here. I'm sure there will be some that you would have wanted on this list and you can let us know after you read.
30. Jay Bruce
Bruce is one of the more underrated sluggers of his time. He had high expectations coming in as a first-round draft pick, and he was able to deliver. He earned two Silver Slugger awards and three All-Star selections. Bruce was a mainstay in the Reds lineup for a number of years. Out of his 319 career home runs, 233 of them were with Cincinnati.
| Jay Bruce — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 1650 |
| AB | 5964 |
| H | 1455 |
| HR | 319 |
| RBI | 951 |
| SB | 65 |
| AVG | .244 |
| OBP | .314 |
| SLG | .467 |
| OPS | .781 |
| All-Star selections | 3 |
| Silver Sluggers | 2 |
29. Rob Dibble
I think the 1990 Cincinnati Reds were one of the coolest World Series-winning teams of all time. They were led by one of the coolest relievers of all time. Rob Dibble threw as hard as the high-leverage relievers we find in today's game. Imagine how it looked to a hitter back in the 90s.
He earned back-to-back All-Star selections thanks to his flame-throwing work as one of the Nasty Boys.
| Rob Dibble — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 27 |
| L | 25 |
| ERA | 2.98 |
| G | 385 |
| IP | 477.0 |
| SO | 645 |
| WHIP | 1.19 |
| SV | 89 |
| All-Star selections | 2 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
28. Wally Post
Local to the state of Ohio, Wally Post brought a sense of everyday grind to the franchise. He wasn't overly flashy, but he came to work, delivered, and flashed some great numbers in his career. 1955 would be his best, when he was able to slug 40 home runs when baseball was only playing 154 games. That was some serious power at that time.
| Wally Post — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 1205 |
| AB | 4007 |
| H | 1064 |
| HR | 210 |
| RBI | 699 |
| SB | 19 |
| AVG | .266 |
| OBP | .323 |
| SLG | .485 |
| OPS | .808 |
27. Chris Sabo
I think a lot of Reds fans will remember Chris Sabo with a smile on their faces. He came to the organization at the MLB level at 26 years old and took the league by storm, winning Rookie of the Year. He then became an everyday force at third base, ending up with three All-Star selections in his short nine-year career.
| Chris Sabo — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 911 |
| AB | 3354 |
| H | 898 |
| HR | 116 |
| RBI | 426 |
| SB | 120 |
| AVG | .268 |
| OBP | .326 |
| SLG | .445 |
| OPS | .771 |
| All-Star selections | 3 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
| Rookie of the Year | 1 |
26. Brandon Phillips
Brandon Phillips brought flair and a great attitude to the second base position. He played with a spirit that gave energy to the crowd on a daily basis. He was solid at the plate, really good with the glove, as evidenced by his four Gold Glove awards.
And he earned three All-Star selections. Phillips wasn't only a good face for the franchise; he was a face of his position during his time.
| Brandon Phillips — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 1902 |
| AB | 7378 |
| H | 2029 |
| HR | 211 |
| RBI | 951 |
| SB | 209 |
| AVG | .275 |
| OBP | .320 |
| SLG | .420 |
| OPS | .740 |
| All-Star selections | 3 |
| Gold Gloves | 4 |
| Silver Sluggers | 1 |
25. Don Gullett
Many fans may remember Gullett as a solid arm in the rotation during the Big Red Machine days of the 70s. He really was an underrated pitcher during his short nine-year career. He had a 3.03 ERA as a Red, averaging over 100 strikeouts per year during his time in Cincinnati.
That's good enough for a 114 ERA plus, which is well above average. In fact, he reached the top five in Cy Young voting in 1975.
| Don Gullett — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 109 |
| L | 50 |
| ERA | 3.11 |
| G | 266 |
| IP | 1390.0 |
| SO | 921 |
| WHIP | 1.23 |
| SV | 11 |
| World Series titles | 3 |
24. Adam Dunn
There's no denying Adam Dunn is an era-defining power hitter. The most iconic time in his career came when he was with the Reds. I think not enough people remember Dunn for his ability to hit at least 40 home runs on a yearly basis. Granted, it was during a time when power was plentiful in the MLB.
Dunn could mash with the best of them, and he could redefine what it is like to be a power hitter at the plate. He had the ability to lead the league in its three true outcomes: home runs, walks, and strikeouts.
| Adam Dunn — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2001 |
| AB | 6883 |
| H | 1631 |
| HR | 462 |
| RBI | 1168 |
| SB | 63 |
| AVG | .237 |
| OBP | .364 |
| SLG | .490 |
| OPS | .854 |
| All-Star selections | 2 |
23. Gary Nolan
Fan bases love watching young players develop within the same organization. Gary Nolan is a great example of that. He got to the major league level at just 19 years of age. He was able to go 14-8 with a 2.58 ERA and somehow didn't win the Rookie of the Year award.
He would then develop into an All-Star and help the Big Red Machine win both of their World Series championships.
| Gary Nolan — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 110 |
| L | 70 |
| ERA | 3.08 |
| G | 250 |
| IP | 1674.2 |
| SO | 1039 |
| WHIP | 1.15 |
| SV | 0 |
| All-Star selections | 1 |
| World Series titles | 2 |
22. Ken Griffey Jr. (HOF)
There is no doubt that Ken Griffey Jr. was a huge signing for Cincinnati. There is no doubt that Ken Griffey Jr. was a huge get for Cincinnati back in 2000. This city meant a lot to him thanks to his dad being a part of those great 70s years.
I admire him for giving it his best shot, ultimately dealing with a lot of injuries, yet still being one of the most prolific power hitters of all time.
| Ken Griffey Jr. — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2671 |
| AB | 9801 |
| H | 2781 |
| HR | 630 |
| RBI | 1836 |
| SB | 184 |
| AVG | .284 |
| OBP | .370 |
| SLG | .538 |
| OPS | .908 |
| MVP | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 13 |
| Gold Gloves | 10 |
| Silver Sluggers | 7 |
21. Dave Concepcion
Concepcion brought that consistent defensive ability that locked down the shortstop position for Cincinnati throughout his career. For those who didn't watch him, he could actually field as well as the best at the position all-time. He wasn't as flashy, but he was smooth, and he gave Cincinnati a great career.
| Dave Concepcion — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2488 |
| AB | 8723 |
| H | 2326 |
| HR | 101 |
| RBI | 950 |
| SB | 321 |
| AVG | .267 |
| OBP | .322 |
| SLG | .357 |
| OPS | .679 |
| All-Star selections | 9 |
| Gold Gloves | 5 |
| Silver Sluggers | 2 |
| World Series titles | 2 |
20. Ewell Blackwell
Blackwell is one of Cincinnati's greatest pitchers. I know that's saying something, but Blackwell's career is very impressive. He missed out on three years due to military service in World War II. But after that, he earned six straight All-Star selections.
In one of those seasons, he was the runner-up to the MVP as he went 22-8 with a 2.47 ERA and struck out 193 batters.
| Ewell Blackwell — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 82 |
| L | 78 |
| ERA | 3.30 |
| G | 236 |
| IP | 1321.0 |
| SO | 839 |
| WHIP | 1.30 |
| SV | 11 |
| All-Star selections | 6 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
19. Mario Soto
Soto has the unfortunate distinction of being the ace of the Reds during a time that was past the Big Red Machine era. He was a perennial All-Star from 1982 to 1984. He was also the runner-up in Cy Young voting in 1983, when he led the league in complete games and sported a great 2.70 ERA.
Even through the ups and downs of the team during his time, I'm sure fans appreciate Soto's efforts every fifth day to try to carry the team as much as he could.
| Mario Soto — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 100 |
| L | 92 |
| ERA | 3.47 |
| G | 297 |
| IP | 1730.1 |
| SO | 1449 |
| WHIP | 1.19 |
| SV | 4 |
| All-Star selections | 3 |
18. Jim Maloney
Maloney spent all but one of his 12 years in the MLB with the Reds. He was a really exciting pitcher for them as he racked up wins and kept them in ballgames every time he was on the mound.
Maloney had a signature 1965 where he was able to notch 20 wins and strike out 244 batters on his way to his only All-Star selection. He dealt with shoulder pain but was still able to deliver legendary performances, including a no-hitter.
| Jim Maloney — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 134 |
| L | 84 |
| ERA | 3.19 |
| G | 302 |
| IP | 1849.0 |
| SO | 1605 |
| WHIP | 1.26 |
| SV | 4 |
| All-Star selections | 1 |
17. Jose Rijo
Rijo is that signature starting pitcher during the 90s for the Reds. Unfortunately, he couldn't finish the 90s as he dealt with elbow injuries for five years. But before that, he was able to earn the 1990 World Series MVP thanks to his two terrific starts.
The organization was known for strong relievers during that time, but Jose Rijo gave them little reason to be of use when he was on the mound.
| Jose Rijo — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 116 |
| L | 91 |
| ERA | 3.24 |
| G | 376 |
| IP | 1880.0 |
| SO | 1606 |
| WHIP | 1.26 |
| SV | 3 |
| All-Star selections | 1 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
16. Eric Davis
Davis showed such immense power and speed that he was a unique combination for the center field position. Players like him become fan favorites very easily.
He was a team favorite during that era because he ended up being one of the top hitters in the organization. Davis hit over 200 home runs and stole well over 200 bases during his time with the Reds.
| Eric Davis — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 1626 |
| AB | 5321 |
| H | 1430 |
| HR | 282 |
| RBI | 934 |
| SB | 349 |
| AVG | .269 |
| OBP | .359 |
| SLG | .482 |
| OPS | .841 |
| All-Star selections | 2 |
| Gold Gloves | 3 |
| Silver Sluggers | 2 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
15. Vada Pinson
From one center fielder to another, Vada Pinson has his case for being the greatest Red to roam that area. He could fill up the stat sheet, having led the league in hits, runs, doubles, and triples throughout different years of his career.
He was more than a solid player for Cincinnati, as he finished his 11 years with the Reds with a .297 batting average and a 119 OPS plus, which is really good.
| Vada Pinson — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2470 |
| AB | 9645 |
| H | 2757 |
| HR | 256 |
| RBI | 1169 |
| SB | 305 |
| AVG | .286 |
| OBP | .327 |
| SLG | .442 |
| OPS | .769 |
| All-Star selections | 2 |
| Gold Gloves | 1 |
14. Ernie Lombardi (HOF)
I know you're waiting for a different Hall of Fame catcher who is definitely on this list. But we have to shine a spotlight on Ernie Lombardi. He was as good a catcher as any during his time, as he earned an MVP award in 1938 when he led the league with a .342 batting average as a Reds catcher. He set a standard for what was to come in future decades.
His 10 years in Cincinnati brought about a .311 batting average with a Hall of Fame-level 127 OPS+. It's no wonder that those numbers carried him all the way to Cooperstown.
| Ernie Lombardi — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 1853 |
| AB | 5855 |
| H | 1792 |
| HR | 190 |
| RBI | 990 |
| SB | 8 |
| AVG | .306 |
| OBP | .358 |
| SLG | .460 |
| OPS | .818 |
| MVP | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 7 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
13. Ted Kluszewski
When you talk about a prime for an athlete, it is normally about four to six years of some of their best play that can be on the same level as some of the best players of their day.
Ted Kluszewski sure had a definitive prime. It was four years of All-Star selections and MVP votes, where he averaged over 40 home runs a year while batting well over .300 and racking up close to 200 hits.
| Ted Kluszewski — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 1718 |
| AB | 5929 |
| H | 1766 |
| HR | 279 |
| RBI | 1028 |
| SB | 20 |
| AVG | .298 |
| OBP | .353 |
| SLG | .498 |
| OPS | .851 |
| All-Star selections | 4 |
12. Edd Roush (HOF)
We go back to the strong history of center fielders for the Reds franchise. Edd Roush deserves to have his name here as well. He collected 2,376 hits, with 1,784 of them coming in Cincinnati. He posted a .323 career batting average with an even better .331 average across his 12 years with the Reds.
He won the batting title twice and proved his offensive prowess on a yearly basis. That is why he is a Hall of Famer.
| Edd Roush — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 1967 |
| AB | 7363 |
| H | 2376 |
| HR | 68 |
| RBI | 981 |
| SB | 268 |
| AVG | .323 |
| OBP | .369 |
| SLG | .446 |
| OPS | .815 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
11. Tom Seaver (HOF)
I know that Tom Seaver's iconic seasons were in New York, but we can't forget that this legendary pitcher still earned two All-Star selections and two top-five Cy Young finishes throughout his short six years with the Reds.
He even led the MLB in wins with 14 in 1981. The dominance wasn't there like it used to be, but we saw an all-time great have to adapt and do it at a high level as he wound down his career.
| Tom Seaver — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 311 |
| L | 205 |
| ERA | 2.86 |
| G | 656 |
| IP | 4782.2 |
| SO | 3640 |
| WHIP | 1.12 |
| SV | 1 |
| Cy Young | 3 |
| All-Star selections | 12 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
| Rookie of the Year | 1 |
10. Eppa Rixey (HOF)
Eppa Rixey was one of the better pitchers of his time. He handled the change from the Dead-Ball Era to the Live-Ball Era with excellence. He still found ways to get outs at high levels with a 142 ERA+ in 1925, which is a Hall of Fame-level comparison.
He was also leading the league in innings pitched in 1922, showing his workhorse mentality and ability to keep his teams in it for as long as possible.
| Eppa Rixey — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 266 |
| L | 251 |
| ERA | 3.15 |
| G | 692 |
| IP | 4494.2 |
| SO | 1350 |
| WHIP | 1.27 |
| SV | 14 |
9. Bucky Walters
Walters started his career in a rough way. He had a 38-53 record in Philadelphia for four and a half years. Then he was traded mid-season to Cincinnati, and everything changed.
He won an MVP the very next season and then led the Reds to a World Series championship in the season after that. This is one of the pure aces in Reds history, as he finished his career just two wins shy of 200.
| Bucky Walters — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 198 |
| L | 160 |
| ERA | 3.30 |
| G | 428 |
| IP | 3104.2 |
| SO | 1107 |
| WHIP | 1.32 |
| SV | 4 |
| MVP | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 6 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
8. George Foster
Foster had as significant a peak as any Red in history. In 1976, he had a great World Series performance where he hit 429 and helped the Reds sweep the Yankees. That led to his next season.
Foster led the league with 52 home runs and 149 RBI in his 1977 MVP season. With all the hitters in the Big Red Machine able to get on base, Foster was relied upon to drive them in. Drive them in, he did.
| George Foster — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 1977 |
| AB | 7023 |
| H | 1925 |
| HR | 348 |
| RBI | 1239 |
| SB | 51 |
| AVG | .274 |
| OBP | .338 |
| SLG | .480 |
| OPS | .818 |
| MVP | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 5 |
| Silver Sluggers | 1 |
| World Series titles | 2 |
7. Tony Perez (HOF)
For 16 years in Cincinnati, Tony Perez was a model of consistency. He put together seven All-Star seasons while collecting almost 2,000 hits. He had a batting average of 283 in his Reds career.
Even toward the end, when a 43-year-old Perez was still trying to contribute to the organization, he was able to hit 328 that season.
| Tony Perez — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2777 |
| AB | 9778 |
| H | 2732 |
| HR | 379 |
| RBI | 1652 |
| SB | 49 |
| AVG | .279 |
| OBP | .341 |
| SLG | .463 |
| OPS | .804 |
| All-Star selections | 7 |
| World Series titles | 2 |
6. Joey Votto
Playing your entire career with one team is rare these days. Joey Votto is a rare player. The six-time All-Star always found a way to get on base. I'm sure it was frustrating as an opposing pitcher to face this red superstar as he led the league in walks in five different seasons.
He led the league in on-base percentage in seven different seasons. His 144 career OPS+ is way higher than the 130 threshold that is usually seen for Hall of Famers.
| Joey Votto — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2056 |
| AB | 7252 |
| H | 2135 |
| HR | 356 |
| RBI | 1144 |
| SB | 80 |
| AVG | .294 |
| OBP | .409 |
| SLG | .511 |
| OPS | .920 |
| MVP | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 6 |
| Gold Gloves | 1 |
5. Barry Larkin (HOF)
Speaking of loyalty to the organization, Barry Larkin played his entire 19-year career with the Reds. He came in with high expectations as he was drafted fourth overall. He certainly delivered.
He was a shortstop who could do it all, with three Gold Gloves, 12 All-Star selections, and an MVP award. Larkin defined the position for a generation, and he is a great example for future generations to learn from.
| Barry Larkin — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2180 |
| AB | 7937 |
| H | 2340 |
| HR | 198 |
| RBI | 960 |
| SB | 379 |
| AVG | .295 |
| OBP | .371 |
| SLG | .444 |
| OPS | .815 |
| MVP | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 12 |
| Gold Gloves | 3 |
| Silver Sluggers | 9 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
4. Frank Robinson (HOF)
For a decade, Frank Robinson was the face of power in the Reds' organization. He was able to dominate offensively with a 150 OPS+ and 324 home runs during his Cincinnati days.
He was so good that he tallied over 1,000 RBI in just 10 years. Just thinking about averaging over 100 RBI in that amount of time is Hall of Fame worthy.
| Frank Robinson — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2808 |
| AB | 10006 |
| H | 2943 |
| HR | 586 |
| RBI | 1812 |
| SB | 204 |
| AVG | .294 |
| OBP | .389 |
| SLG | .537 |
| OPS | .926 |
| MVP | 2 |
| All-Star selections | 12 |
| Gold Gloves | 1 |
| World Series titles | 2 |
| Rookie of the Year | 1 |
3. Pete Rose
Sure, Pete Rose may be controversial, but he is undoubtedly the greatest hitter of all time. We will be focusing on his career with the Reds. And that was an amazing one. 3,358 hits with a .307 batting average and 601 doubles are numbers that are at a Hall of Fame level for many careers.
He still had six other years to play, during which he played with other teams. That's how good he was.
| Pete Rose — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 3562 |
| AB | 14053 |
| H | 4256 |
| HR | 160 |
| RBI | 1314 |
| SB | 198 |
| AVG | .303 |
| OBP | .375 |
| SLG | .409 |
| OPS | .784 |
| MVP | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 17 |
| Gold Gloves | 2 |
| Silver Sluggers | 1 |
| World Series titles | 3 |
| Rookie of the Year | 1 |
2. Joe Morgan (HOF)
Maybe the greatest second baseman of all time, Joe Morgan was a big reason why the Big Red Machine was as successful as it was. He won back-to-back MVP awards as he racked up amazing numbers while playing with class.
He spent 10 years with Houston before spending eight in Cincinnati. Yet it's his years with the Reds that are far more productive. He was the main cog that got the machine going.
| Joe Morgan — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2649 |
| AB | 9277 |
| H | 2517 |
| HR | 268 |
| RBI | 1133 |
| SB | 689 |
| AVG | .271 |
| OBP | .392 |
| SLG | .427 |
| OPS | .819 |
| MVP | 2 |
| All-Star selections | 10 |
| Gold Gloves | 5 |
| Silver Sluggers | 1 |
| World Series titles | 2 |
1. Johnny Bench (HOF)
With all of the great players on this list, it says something that there is probably no doubt that Johnny Bench is the face of this franchise. He might be the face of the catcher position as well: 10 Gold Gloves, 14 All-Star selections, and two World Series rings.
He is the standard-bearer of this Reds franchise and of all catchers in history. Johnny Bench, no doubt, stands at the top of our list.
| Johnny Bench — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| G | 2158 |
| AB | 7658 |
| H | 2048 |
| HR | 389 |
| RBI | 1376 |
| SB | 68 |
| AVG | .267 |
| OBP | .342 |
| SLG | .476 |
| OPS | .818 |
| MVP | 2 |
| All-Star selections | 14 |
| Gold Gloves | 10 |
| World Series titles | 2 |
| Rookie of the Year | 1 |
