Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael Schatz
The Cincinnati Reds aren’t just baseball’s oldest professional franchise—they’re a repository of some of the game’s most dominant stretches of excellence. From the Machine’s ruthless efficiency in the 1970s to the wire-to-wire magic of 1990, this organization has produced dynasties that made the rest of the National League miserable for years at a time.
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Ranking the greatest Reds means isolating what players accomplished in Cincinnati alone, not what they did before or after wearing the wishbone-C. That standard eliminates padding from late-career mercenaries and focuses the lens on true franchise cornerstones. You’ll see the architects of back-to-back championships, a catcher who redefined his position, and a hit king who bled Reds red for parts of three decades. Names like Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, and Frank Robinson don’t just populate this list—they define entire eras of dominance.
The criteria are straightforward: minimum three seasons or roughly 10 WAR accumulated as a Red, with every measurement tied exclusively to Cincinnati contributions. Some all-time greats get downgraded because they peaked elsewhere. Others, who spent their primes at Crosley Field and Riverfront Stadium, rise to the top.
We count down from number twenty to the greatest Red of all time.
#20. Adam Dunn
2001-2008
With the team: .247 AVG, 920 hits, 270 HR, 646 RBI, 1× All-Star
Adam Dunn patrolled left field and first base for the Reds from 2001 through 2008, establishing himself as one of the franchise’s most prolific power threats of the 2000s. Over eight seasons in Cincinnati, he launched 270 home runs and drew 755 walks while driving in 646 runs across 1,087 games.
His 2004 campaign stands as his signature season with the club, when he crushed 46 home runs and drove in 102 runs while scoring 105 times. That performance kicked off a remarkable stretch of consistency at the plate.
Beginning in 2005, Dunn hit 40 or more home runs in four consecutive seasons with the Reds, a feat that underscored his ability to deliver elite power year after year. He earned one All-Star selection during his Cincinnati tenure and maintained a patient approach that made him a constant on-base threat despite a .247 batting average.
Dunn’s 270 home runs in a Reds uniform rank among the highest totals in franchise history for a player during the expansion era.
#19. Brandon Phillips
2006-2016
With the team: .279 AVG, 1,774 hits, 191 HR, 851 RBI, 3× All-Star
Brandon Phillips anchored second base for the Reds from 2006 through 2016, establishing himself as one of the franchise’s most consistent two-way players of the 2000s. Over 11 seasons in Cincinnati, he collected 1,774 hits and drove in 851 runs while batting .279.
Phillips won four Gold Gloves with the Reds in 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2013, showcasing elite defense at second base. He added a Silver Slugger Award in 2011 and earned three All-Star selections during his tenure.
His 2007 campaign stands as his most productive offensive season, when he hit 30 home runs with 94 RBI and scored 107 runs. Phillips combined power and speed throughout his Reds career, accumulating 191 home runs and 194 stolen bases.
He appeared in 1,614 games for Cincinnati, the most by any second baseman in franchise history.
#18. Lee May
1965-1971
With the team: .274 AVG, 779 hits, 147 HR, 449 RBI, 2× All-Star
Lee May anchored the middle of the Reds lineup from 1965 through 1971, providing consistent power as the team transitioned into its Big Red Machine era. Over seven seasons in Cincinnati, he slugged 147 home runs and drove in 449 runs while hitting .274 across 761 games.
His breakout came in 1969 when he crushed 38 home runs and drove in 110 runs, the best RBI season of his Reds career. That power surge helped Cincinnati capture the National League pennant and reach the World Series, establishing May as one of the lineup’s most feared hitters.
May sustained that production through three consecutive 30-home-run seasons from 1969 to 1971. In his final Cincinnati campaign, he delivered 39 homers and 98 RBI while earning TSN All-Star honors, capping a remarkable stretch of offensive consistency.
He earned two All-Star selections during his Reds tenure, recognition of his status as one of the National League’s premier sluggers. May’s 147 home runs in a Cincinnati uniform represent a significant chapter in the franchise’s transition from contender to dynasty.
#17. Bid McPhee
1890-1899
With the team: .279 AVG, 1,297 hits, 26 HR, 624 RBI
Bid McPhee anchored the Cincinnati lineup from 1890 through 1899, appearing in 1,227 games across ten seasons. He compiled 1,297 hits and scored 922 runs while batting .279 for the franchise during that span.
McPhee’s consistency showed in his ability to reach base and create havoc on the basepaths, stealing 316 bases while drawing 690 walks. His 113 triples ranked among the highest totals of the era, and he drove in 624 runs from the second base position.
The 1894 season marked his finest offensive campaign, as he hit .313 with 151 hits, 93 RBI, and 113 runs scored. Five years later, he captured the 1899 National League batting title with a .345 average, capping his Cincinnati tenure with his best statistical performance.
McPhee’s durability defined his career, most notably in 1897 when he appeared in all 154 games for the Reds. The Hall of Fame inducted him in 2000, recognizing a player who spent his entire decade with Cincinnati establishing himself as one of the franchise’s most productive everyday players of the 19th century.
#16. Heinie Groh
1913-1921
With the team: .298 AVG, 1,323 hits, 17 HR, 408 RBI
Heinie Groh manned third base for the Reds from 1913 through 1921, appearing in 1,211 games across nine seasons. He hit .298 with 1,323 hits and 513 walks during his Cincinnati tenure, establishing himself as a patient hitter who rarely struck out.
Groh earned Baseball Magazine All-Star recognition four times with the Reds, claiming the honor in 1915, 1918, 1919, and 1920. His 1917 campaign produced 182 hits and 91 runs, while his 1919 season saw him bat .310 with 139 hits and 79 runs.
The 1919 World Series championship defined Groh’s Cincinnati career, as he served as the starting third baseman on that title team. He followed with another strong year in 1920, hitting .370 in what became one of his signature offensive seasons.
Groh accumulated 663 runs and 224 doubles during his nine years in Cincinnati, numbers that reflect his consistency at the hot corner during the franchise’s first championship era.
#15. Sean Casey
1998-2005
With the team: .305 AVG, 1,223 hits, 118 HR, 604 RBI, 3× All-Star
Sean Casey patrolled first base for the Reds from 1998 through 2005, establishing himself as one of the franchise’s most consistent contact hitters. Over eight seasons in Cincinnati, he compiled a .305 batting average across 1,075 games with 1,223 hits and 604 RBI.
His 1999 campaign stands as his signature season with the club, when he hit .332 with 25 home runs, 99 RBI, and 197 hits while scoring 103 runs. That performance earned him both his first All-Star selection and the Hutch Award, recognizing his courage and integrity.
Casey returned to the All-Star Game in 2001 and again in 2004, when he posted a .324 average with 24 home runs and 99 RBI. His three All-Star selections with Cincinnati reflected his steady production throughout the early 2000s.
Casey’s 256 doubles in a Reds uniform rank among the franchise’s most prolific totals for the position during that era.
#14. Eric Davis
1984-1996
With the team: .271 AVG, 886 hits, 203 HR, 615 RBI, 2× All-Star
Eric Davis patrolled center field for the Reds from 1984 through 1991, then returned for a second stint from 1996. Across nine seasons in Cincinnati, he compiled 203 home runs, 270 stolen bases, and a .271 batting average in 985 games.
His 1987 campaign established him as one of baseball’s most dynamic talents. Davis became the first player in major league history to hit 30 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season, finishing with 37 homers, 100 RBI, and 120 runs scored while winning both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger.
He continued his excellence through the decade’s end, earning three consecutive Gold Gloves from 1987 to 1989. In 1989, Davis posted 34 home runs and 101 RBI while capturing his second Silver Slugger award.
Davis helped power the Reds to a World Series championship in 1990. His combination of power and speed—203 home runs and 270 stolen bases—remains among the most impressive dual-threat performances in franchise history.
#13. Ken Griffey Sr.
1973-1990
With the team: .303 AVG, 1,275 hits, 71 HR, 466 RBI, 3× All-Star
Ken Griffey Sr. spent twelve seasons with the Reds from 1973 to 1990, establishing himself as a consistent outfielder during one of the franchise’s most successful eras. He compiled 1,275 hits and a .303 batting average across 1,224 games in Cincinnati, adding 156 stolen bases to his offensive contributions.
Griffey earned three All-Star selections with the Reds and took home All-Star Game MVP honors in 1980. That same season, he drove in 85 runs while collecting 160 hits and scoring 89 times. His 1976 campaign produced a .336 average with 189 hits and 111 runs scored.
He played integral roles on three World Series championship teams in Cincinnati, winning titles in 1975 and 1976 as an everyday starter during the Big Red Machine dynasty. He returned to capture a third ring with the Reds in 1990.
Griffey’s twelve seasons in Cincinnati represent the longest tenure of his career, and his .303 average ranks among the highest for any player with over 1,200 games in franchise history.
#12. Vada Pinson
1958-1968
With the team: .297 AVG, 1,881 hits, 186 HR, 814 RBI, 4× All-Star
Vada Pinson patrolled center field for the Reds from 1958 through 1968, establishing himself as one of the franchise’s most productive everyday players. Over 11 seasons in Cincinnati, he collected 1,881 hits while batting .297 and earned four All-Star selections.
Pinson’s consistency at the plate produced multiple standout campaigns. In 1959, he hit .316 with 205 hits and scored 131 runs. He followed that with a 1962 season in which he led the National League with 208 hits while driving in 100 runs, then posted a .313 average with 204 hits and 106 RBI in 1963.
His defensive excellence earned recognition in 1961 when he won a Gold Glove Award. Pinson combined power and speed throughout his tenure, finishing his Reds career with 186 home runs and 221 stolen bases.
Only Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, and Dave Concepción played more games in a Cincinnati uniform than Pinson’s 1,565.
#11. Ted Kluszewski
1947-1957
With the team: .302 AVG, 1,499 hits, 251 HR, 886 RBI, 4× All-Star
Ted Kluszewski anchored the Reds lineup from 1947 through 1957, establishing himself as one of the most feared power hitters of the 1950s. Over 11 seasons in Cincinnati, he compiled a .302 batting average with 251 home runs and 886 RBI across 1,339 games. He earned four All-Star selections and three consecutive TSN All-Star honors from 1954 to 1956.
His 1954 campaign stands as the defining season of his Reds tenure. Kluszewski hit 49 home runs to lead the National League while also capturing the batting title with a .326 average, a rare combination of power and contact that few sluggers have matched.
He followed with another dominant performance in 1955, launching 47 home runs and collecting 192 hits. The back-to-back seasons of near-50 home runs cemented his reputation as the franchise’s premier slugger of the era.
Kluszewski’s 251 home runs in a Reds uniform represented the most prolific power stretch in team history to that point, a mark that defined Cincinnati’s offense throughout the 1950s.
#10. George Foster
1971-1981
With the team: .286 AVG, 1,276 hits, 244 HR, 861 RBI, 5× All-Star
George Foster patrolled left field for the Reds from 1971 through 1981, emerging as one of the most feared power hitters of the decade. Over 11 seasons in Cincinnati, he launched 244 home runs and drove in 861 runs while batting .286 across 1,253 games.
His 1977 campaign stands as one of the most dominant offensive seasons in franchise history. Foster won the National League MVP award that year after hitting 52 home runs and driving in 149 runs, leading the league in both categories. He followed with another home run title in 1978, hitting 40 for the Reds.
Foster earned five All-Star selections with Cincinnati and helped anchor the lineup for back-to-back World Series championships in 1975 and 1976. His 1976 season produced a .306 average with 29 homers and 121 RBI, earning him All-Star Game MVP honors and The Sporting News Player of the Year recognition.
No Reds player has matched Foster’s 52-home run season, a single-season franchise record that has stood for nearly five decades.
#9. Dave Concepcion
1970-1988
With the team: .267 AVG, 2,326 hits, 101 HR, 950 RBI, 9× All-Star
Dave Concepcion patrolled shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds from 1970 through 1988, playing all 19 of his major league seasons in a Reds uniform. Across 2,488 games, he collected 2,326 hits and scored 993 runs while establishing himself as the defensive anchor of the Big Red Machine dynasty.
His glove work earned him five Gold Glove Awards between 1974 and 1979, a testament to his consistency at a premium defensive position. Concepcion also made nine All-Star teams during his tenure and won the All-Star Game MVP in 1982.
The 1981 season showcased his complete game when he hit .306 with 67 RBI in 101 games, earning a Silver Slugger Award and finishing fourth in National League MVP voting. He played shortstop for both World Series championship teams in 1975 and 1976, cementing his role in Cincinnati’s 1970s dynasty.
Concepcion’s 321 stolen bases and 950 RBI demonstrated his offensive contributions beyond his defensive reputation. No player in franchise history spent more seasons in a Reds uniform than his 19 consecutive campaigns.
#8. Edd Roush
1916-1931
With the team: .331 AVG, 1,784 hits, 47 HR, 763 RBI
Edd Roush patrolled center field for the Reds from 1916 through 1931, establishing himself as the franchise’s premier hitter of the deadball and early lively-ball eras. Over 1,399 games in Cincinnati, he compiled a .331 batting average with 1,784 hits and 152 triples, numbers that anchored the lineup for more than a decade.
Roush won National League batting titles in both 1917 and 1919, the latter coming as he helped deliver the franchise’s 1919 World Series championship with a .321 mark. His consistency earned him Baseball Magazine All-Star recognition in seven different seasons with the Reds, spanning from 1917 through 1926.
His 1923 campaign stands among his finest, as he hit .351 with 185 hits and 88 runs scored. Two years later, he posted a .339 average with 183 hits and 91 runs, continuing his run of elite production into his mid-30s.
Roush’s .331 career batting average with Cincinnati remains the highest of any player with significant tenure in franchise history, a mark that secured his Hall of Fame induction in 1962.
#7. Joey Votto
2007-2021
With the team: .302 AVG, 2,027 hits, 331 HR, 1,065 RBI, 6× All-Star
Joey Votto anchored first base for the Cincinnati Reds from 2007 through 2021, compiling 2,027 hits and 331 home runs across 1,900 games. His .302 batting average over 15 seasons reflected a disciplined approach that produced 1,294 walks and 1,114 runs scored.
The 2010 season defined Votto’s peak, when he hit .324 with 37 home runs and 113 RBI to claim National League MVP and Hank Aaron Award honors. He followed with a Gold Glove in 2011 and another elite campaign in 2017, batting .320 with 36 home runs at age 33.
Votto reached his 300th career home run in 2017, joining rare company in franchise history. In 2021, he recorded his 2,000th hit, becoming the fifth player in Reds history to reach that milestone.
His six All-Star selections and sustained excellence established Votto as the franchise’s most productive first baseman of the modern era.
#6. Barry Larkin
1986-2004
With the team: .295 AVG, 2,340 hits, 198 HR, 960 RBI, 12× All-Star
Barry Larkin patrolled shortstop for the Reds from 1986 through 2004, establishing himself as the franchise’s anchor up the middle for 19 seasons. Over 2,180 games in Cincinnati, he collected 2,340 hits and posted a .295 batting average while adding 379 stolen bases. His 12 All-Star selections in a Reds uniform reflected sustained excellence at a premium defensive position.
The 1995 season brought Larkin the National League MVP award, and he followed with an even more explosive 1996 campaign. That year he became the first shortstop in MLB history to record a 30-homer, 30-stolen-base season, finishing with 33 home runs and 36 steals.
Larkin’s defensive prowess earned him three Gold Glove awards, while his offensive consistency produced nine Silver Slugger honors. He contributed to the Reds’ 1990 World Series championship and reached the 2,000-hit milestone in 2000, becoming the first Major League shortstop to combine 2,000 hits with at least 170 home runs and 350 stolen bases.
His 2012 Hall of Fame induction confirmed what Cincinnati fans already knew: no shortstop in franchise history combined his offensive production, defensive skill, and longevity.
#5. Tony Pérez
1964-1986
With the team: .283 AVG, 1,934 hits, 287 HR, 1,192 RBI, 7× All-Star
Tony Pérez anchored the heart of the Reds lineup across 16 seasons from 1964 to 1986, serving as the franchise’s most consistent run producer during the Big Red Machine era. Over 1,948 games in Cincinnati, he collected 1,934 hits and drove in 1,192 runs with a .283 batting average. His 287 home runs as a Red placed him among the franchise’s all-time power leaders.
Pérez won the National League RBI title in 1970 with 129 runs batted in while hitting .317 with 40 home runs and 186 hits. That season established him as one of the league’s premier middle-of-the-order threats. He earned seven All-Star selections with Cincinnati and captured All-Star Game MVP honors in 1967.
The first baseman played a central role in both World Series championships, including the 1976 sweep of the Yankees that cemented the Big Red Machine’s dynasty. His steady production and clutch hitting made him indispensable to manager Sparky Anderson’s lineup construction.
Pérez was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000, becoming the first major leaguer from Cuba inducted into Cooperstown. No player in franchise history drove in more runs while wearing a Reds uniform.
#4. Frank Robinson
1956-1965
With the team: .303 AVG, 1,673 hits, 324 HR, 1,009 RBI, 8× All-Star
Frank Robinson patrolled the outfield for the Reds from 1956 through 1965, establishing himself as one of the most productive hitters in franchise history. Over 10 seasons in Cincinnati, he compiled 324 home runs, 1009 RBI, and a .303 batting average across 1502 games.
Robinson earned eight All-Star selections with the Reds and captured the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1956. He added a Gold Glove in 1958 and reached his peak in 1961, winning the National League MVP while leading Cincinnati to the pennant.
His 1961 MVP campaign featured a .323 average with 37 home runs and 124 RBI. The following year proved even more impressive statistically, as Robinson posted a .342 average with 39 home runs, 136 RBI, and 208 hits in 1962.
During that 1961 pennant season, Robinson hit for the cycle against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Crosley Field, driving in five runs in a 16-4 victory. The Reds traded him to Baltimore after the 1965 season, closing a decade that saw Robinson establish franchise records that still resonate decades later.
#3. Joe Morgan
1972-1979
With the team: .288 AVG, 1,155 hits, 152 HR, 612 RBI, 8× All-Star
Joe Morgan anchored second base for the Reds from 1972 through 1979, establishing himself as the engine of the Big Red Machine. Over eight seasons in Cincinnati, he compiled a .288 batting average with 152 home runs and 406 stolen bases across 1,154 games. His 881 walks demonstrated the plate discipline that made him a constant threat.
Morgan claimed back-to-back National League Most Valuable Player Awards in 1975 and 1976, the centerpiece years of Cincinnati’s dynasty. In that 1976 MVP campaign, he hit .320 with 27 home runs, 111 RBI, and 113 runs scored. He also earned five Gold Glove Awards during his Reds tenure, from 1973 through 1977.
The Reds won World Series championships in both of Morgan’s MVP seasons, 1975 and 1976. He made all eight All-Star teams during his Cincinnati years, including winning All-Star Game MVP honors in 1972.
Morgan’s combination of power, speed, defense, and on-base ability made him the most decorated player of the franchise’s most successful era.
#2. Pete Rose
1963-1986
With the team: .307 AVG, 3,358 hits, 152 HR, 1,036 RBI, 13× All-Star
Pete Rose spent 19 seasons with the Reds from 1963 to 1986, establishing himself as the franchise’s all-time hits leader with 3,358 hits in a Cincinnati uniform. He compiled 10,934 at-bats and scored 1,741 runs while maintaining a .307 batting average across 2,722 games. His 13 All-Star selections with the Reds reflected his sustained excellence at the plate.
Rose won NL Rookie of the Year in 1963 and captured the 1973 NL Most Valuable Player award. His 1969 season produced a .348 batting average with 218 hits and 120 runs scored, while his 1976 campaign featured 215 hits and a league-leading 130 runs.
He earned World Series MVP honors in 1975 after batting .370 in the seven-game victory over Boston, then helped secure the 1976 championship by going 7-for-16 in the sweep of the Yankees. On September 11, 1985, Rose broke Ty Cobb’s all-time hits record with career hit No. 4,192 at Riverfront Stadium against San Diego.
No player in franchise history appeared in more games or recorded more hits in a Reds uniform than Rose.
#1. Johnny Bench
1967-1983
With the team: .267 AVG, 2,048 hits, 389 HR, 1,376 RBI, 14× All-Star
Johnny Bench patrolled home plate for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 through 1983, establishing himself as the franchise’s defining catcher across 17 seasons. He appeared in 2,158 games and collected 2,048 hits, 389 home runs, and 1,376 RBI in a Reds uniform.
His 1970 campaign produced 45 home runs, setting the then-single-season record for a catcher and a mark that remains the National League standard at the position. That performance earned him the first of two National League MVP awards, with the second coming in 1972 when he hit 40 home runs and drove in 125.
Bench won 10 Gold Gloves with Cincinnati and earned 14 All-Star selections while anchoring the Big Red Machine. He captured World Series MVP honors in 1976 as the Reds defeated the Yankees for their second consecutive championship.
No catcher in franchise history accumulated more home runs, RBI, or games played behind the plate than Bench during his 17-year tenure.
The Conclusion
These three legends defined Reds excellence across multiple eras. Joe Morgan’s all-around brilliance anchored the Big Red Machine’s dominance. Pete Rose became baseball’s hit king while embodying Cincinnati’s blue-collar spirit. Johnny Bench revolutionized the catching position and remains the gold standard behind the plate.
Each player delivered championships, MVP awards, and Hall of Fame credentials that cemented the Reds as a National League powerhouse. Think you know your Reds history? Take our trivia quiz above to test your knowledge of these legends and the franchise’s greatest moments.