Brewers Greats Who Never Made the Hall of Fame

Last Updated: September 25th, 2026 by Matthew Brown

The Milwaukee Brewers have had an interesting franchise history. The first iteration of the name actually was an original member of the American League back in 1901. Shortly after, they became the St. Louis Browns, and the Brewers name was used as a AAA team for 50 years.

In 1953, the Milwaukee Braves gave the city an MLB team for over a decade before moving to Atlanta. Finally, the one-year expansion team named the Seattle Pilots quickly moved over to Milwaukee to give us the Brewers we know and love today.

Let's go through a list of the best Brewers who may not have made it to the Hall of Fame, but the city knows and loves them just as much.

20. Carlos Gomez: The Bat-Flipping Dynamo Who Sparked Joy

There was a great amount of energy surrounding the team in the 2010s. Most of the energy on the field came from Carlos Gomez. The eccentric center fielder earned back-to-back All-Star selections and a Gold Glove, becoming a star in the process.

His shine faded after those two years as he was traded to Houston in 2015. Sometimes the right place at the right time is what a player like Gomez needs to perform at his best.

19. Darrell Porter: The Catcher Who Changed The Game

As a consistent catcher for 17 years, Darrell Porter was part of the offensive revolution at the position. He earned four All-Star selections in his career, starting with his first with Milwaukee in 1974.

He spent six seasons with the Brewers to start his career, more than any other franchise he played for, building up a solid 11.1 WAR over that time span.

Darrell Porter — Career	Total
G	1782
AB	5539
H	1369
HR	188
RBI	826
SB	39
AVG	.247
OBP	.354
SLG	.409
OPS	.763
All-Star selections	4
World Series titles	1

18. B.J. Surhoff: The Versatile Veteran Who Did It All

Even though many fans will remember Surhoff as an All-Star left fielder for the Baltimore Orioles, he spent nearly a decade starting his career in Milwaukee. Surhoff was actually more of a catcher with the Brewers, providing a lot of value with his bat.

He hit .274 throughout his time with the franchise, good for a catcher, and laid a foundation for what would be a great second half to his career.

B.J. Surhoff — Career	Total
G	2313
AB	8258
H	2326
HR	188
RBI	1153
SB	141
AVG	.282
OBP	.332
SLG	.413
OPS	.745
All-Star selections	1

17. Jeromy Burnitz: The Power-Hitting Folk Hero

For me, Jeromy Burnitz was the coolest position player for the Brewers during his time in Milwaukee. The 1999 All-Star spent six good years with the Brewers, maintaining a 123 OPS+. He became a great power hitter, belting over 30 home runs in four straight seasons.

All of that, and he had to play solid right field between Milwaukee County Stadium and Miller Park (now American Family Field) as the Brewers made the move in the middle of his tenure.

Jeromy Burnitz — Career	Total
G	1694
AB	5710
H	1447
HR	315
RBI	981
SB	74
AVG	.253
OBP	.345
SLG	.481
OPS	.826
All-Star selections	1

16. Mike Caldwell: Harvey’s Wallbangers’ Secret Weapon

For six and a half years, Mike Caldwell was a mediocre pitcher who shuffled between the rotation and the bullpen in San Diego, San Francisco, and Cincinnati. Once he got to Milwaukee, he blossomed.

His first full season saw him go 22-9, leading the MLB with 23 complete games and building up an 8.2 WAR in 1978. He quickly became the ace and earned over 100 wins in the eight years he spent with the Brewers.

Mike Caldwell — Career	Total
W	137
L	130
ERA	3.81
G	475
IP	2408.2
SO	939
WHIP	1.32
SV	18

15. Chris Bosio: The No-Hit Wonder of County Stadium

Chris Bosio was a solid pitcher at times in his 11-year career. He threw a no-hitter after his time in Milwaukee, but his seven-year stint with the Brewers were his best years.

He had a 1989 where he tallied 15 wins with a good 2.95 ERA. He utilized his forkball to his advantage, much like some other great pitchers of the era, and found success.

Chris Bosio — Career	Total
W	94
L	93
ERA	3.97
G	309
IP	1710.0
SO	1059
WHIP	1.30
SV	9

14. Greg Vaughn: The Cleanup Hitter Who Brought The Thunder

The four-time All-Star Greg Vaughn was a great player across five teams in his career. His prolific power started in Milwaukee, where he spent half of his 15-year career as a slugger.

He found that ability to slug during his time with the Brewers, hitting 30 home runs in 1993, when he earned his first All-Star selection. He would then hit 41 home runs and earn another All-Star selection in 1996, as he was traded from Milwaukee to San Diego in the middle of that year.

Greg Vaughn — Career	Total
G	1731
AB	6103
H	1475
HR	355
RBI	1072
SB	121
AVG	.242
OBP	.337
SLG	.470
OPS	.807
All-Star selections	4
Silver Sluggers	1

13. Jeff Cirillo: The Hot Corner Artist of the ’90s

Jeff Cirillo was one of the most underrated third basemen of his time. He recorded exactly 1,000 hits over his eight-year tenure with the Brewers, hitting a great .307 in that timeframe.

He earned one All-Star selection in Milwaukee when he should have received more. I feel like his great ability to get base hits was overlooked by the power hitters who ran rampant in the MLB in that era.

Jeff Cirillo — Career	Total
G	1617
AB	5396
H	1598
HR	112
RBI	727
SB	63
AVG	.296
OBP	.366
SLG	.430
OPS	.796
All-Star selections	2

12. Geoff Jenkins: The Left Field Hero of Y2K

Geoff Jenkins was another overlooked Brewers player by the general public. His single All-Star selection does not reflect his ability to hit at least 20 home runs in seven seasons and more than 20 doubles in eight seasons of his 11-year career.

Jenkins had a solid .275 career batting average, and he spent all but one year in Milwaukee.

Geoff Jenkins — Career	Total
G	1349
AB	4700
H	1293
HR	221
RBI	733
SB	32
AVG	.275
OBP	.344
SLG	.490
OPS	.834
All-Star selections	1
World Series titles	1

11. Jim Gantner: Mr. Brewer and His 17-Year Love Affair

Jim Gantner was one of the most dedicated Brewers of all time. He spent all 17 years of his career in Milwaukee, tallying almost 1,700 hits as a well-used infielder. He never received All-Star recognition, but seemed to play like it day in and day out.

As a Wisconsin native, born in Fond du Lac, he was an easy player to cheer for inside County Stadium during his entire career.

Jim Gantner — Career	Total
G	1801
AB	6189
H	1696
HR	47
RBI	568
SB	137
AVG	.274
OBP	.319
SLG	.351
OPS	.670

10. Dan Plesac: Milwaukee’s Homegrown Relief Ace

Dan Plesac carved out a nice 18-year career as a reliever. It all started in Milwaukee, where he spent seven of his best seasons. He earned three straight All-Star selections as he quickly became the Brewers' closer at the start of his career.

He recorded more than 20 saves in four straight seasons before becoming more of a middle reliever for the rest of his career.

Dan Plesac — Career	Total
W	65
L	71
ERA	3.64
G	1064
IP	1072.0
SO	1041
WHIP	1.29
SV	158
All-Star selections	3

9. Pete Vuckovich: The Mustached Menace of ’82

The Brewers were finding their stride in the 1980s and needed a pitcher who could help them get to the next level. Pete Vuckovich was just the guy, as he led the league in his first season in Milwaukee in the strike-shortened 1981 with 14 wins.

Then he won the AL Cy Young Award the following season when he had the best record at 18 – 6 with a 3.34 ERA.

Pete Vuckovich — Career	Total
W	93
L	69
ERA	3.66
G	286
IP	1455.1
SO	882
WHIP	1.37
SV	10
Cy Young	1

8. Ben Oglivie: From Jamaica to All-Star in Beer City

When Ben Oglivie came to Milwaukee, he was a foreign-born player who hadn't quite gotten the chance to excel.

The Brewers helped him get there as he saw an increase in playing time and an increase in production, getting over 1,100 hits and 175 home runs in his nine seasons with the franchise. He led the league with 41 home runs in 1980, which earned him his first of three All-Star selections.

Ben Oglivie — Career	Total
G	1754
AB	5913
H	1615
HR	235
RBI	901
SB	87
AVG	.273
OBP	.336
SLG	.450
OPS	.786
All-Star selections	3
Silver Sluggers	1

7. George Scott: The Boomer and His Famous Thumper

George Scott was a good slugger with a great personality. He earned three All-Star selections over his 14-year career. One of those came in Milwaukee, where he spent five seasons, leading the league with 36 home runs and 109 RBI in 1975.

He also earned a Gold Glove in all five seasons with the franchise, as he was known as one of the best defensive first basemen in baseball.

George Scott — Career	Total
G	2034
AB	7433
H	1992
HR	271
RBI	1051
SB	69
AVG	.268
OBP	.333
SLG	.435
OPS	.768
All-Star selections	3
Gold Gloves	8

6. Teddy Higuera: The Mexican Ace Who Almost Was

Teddy Higuera had an agonizingly short career as injuries took their toll before he could get to a full decade in the league. The pitcher born in Mexico followed the blueprint set by the great Fernando Valenzuela and dazzled immediately when he got his chance.

He had a memorable 1986, when he earned an All-Star selection and led all pitchers in WAR with 9.4. He would finish as the runner-up in Cy Young voting in that iconic season.

Teddy Higuera — Career	Total
W	94
L	64
ERA	3.61
G	213
IP	1380.0
SO	1081
WHIP	1.24
SV	0
All-Star selections	1

5. Don Money: The Most Underrated Glove of the ’70s

The four-time All-Star Don Money was a key infielder for over a decade in Milwaukee. He tallied over 1,100 hits with a solid .270 batting average in his 11 seasons with the Brewers.

I know it's funny to say, but it's true that Money brought serious value to the organization as he built up 28.4 WAR in his Milwaukee tenure.

Don Money — Career	Total
G	1720
AB	6214
H	1623
HR	176
RBI	729
SB	80
AVG	.261
OBP	.328
SLG	.406
OPS	.734
All-Star selections	4

4. Gorman Thomas: The Slugger Who Defined Milwaukee’s Blue-Collar Soul

Gorman Thomas had a terrific handlebar mustache that gave him a blue-collar look to go with his blue-collar play.

The city of Milwaukee appreciated all of that as he entertained the fans by leading the league in home runs twice in his career. 11 years of his 13-year career came with the Brew Crew, and he slugged 208 home runs over that span of time.

Gorman Thomas — Career	Total
G	1436
AB	4677
H	1051
HR	268
RBI	782
SB	50
AVG	.225
OBP	.324
SLG	.448
OPS	.772
All-Star selections	1

3. Prince Fielder: When Baseball’s Biggest Smile Lit Up Miller Park

Following in his dad's footsteps, Prince Fielder was one of the premier sluggers in the MLB during his 12-year career. He spent seven seasons in Milwaukee and mashed an incredible 230 home runs over that time period.

He led the league with 50 home runs in 2007 and then in RBIs with 141 in 2009. Everyone's favorite stat is that Prince finished with 319 career home runs, which is the exact same amount his dad, Cecil, finished with.

Prince Fielder — Career	Total
G	1611
AB	5821
H	1645
HR	319
RBI	1028
SB	18
AVG	.283
OBP	.382
SLG	.506
OPS	.888
All-Star selections	6
Silver Sluggers	3

2. Ben Sheets: The Flame-Throwing Phenom of County Stadium

Ben Sheets had a tough career as injuries forced him to call it quits earlier than many fans would have liked. The four-time All-Star was the ace of the Brewers through a tough era to be a top pitcher.

He excelled in 2004 with a 2.70 ERA and an impressive 7.2 WAR. That was a glimpse of his talent that he couldn't consistently display throughout his injury-riddled career.

Ben Sheets — Career	Total
W	94
L	96
ERA	3.78
G	250
IP	1596.2
SO	1325
WHIP	1.22
SV	0
All-Star selections	4

1. Cecil Cooper: The Sweet-Swinging First Baseman Time Forgot

Cecil Cooper hit the ground running when he got to Milwaukee from Boston in 1977. He hit the first of seven 30-double seasons and became an offensive leader for the team. The five-time All-Star led the league in doubles and RBI twice while maintaining a .302 batting average over his 11 seasons with the Brewers.

Cooper would earn two Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers during his tenure, becoming one of the better first basemen in baseball at the time.

Cecil Cooper — Career	Total
G	1896
AB	7349
H	2192
HR	241
RBI	1125
SB	89
AVG	.298
OBP	.337
SLG	.466
OPS	.803
All-Star selections	5
Gold Gloves	2
Silver Sluggers	3

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