9 Best Buffalo Bisons Players of All Time, Ranked

Compiling the nine best Buffalo Bisons players ever isn’t simply about the numbers they put up for the team. 

Players who excelled with the Bisons invariably didn’t stay with the team very long, as they could have an immediate impact on their team’s baseball betting odds.

To rank these nine players, I primarily looked at the best players to ever wear a Bisons jersey, along with some consideration for how much they played for Buffalo.

9 Top Buffalo Bisons Players

1. Johnny Bench

After being drafted in the second round in 1965, Johnny Bench made his Triple-A debut in 1966.

Bench, arguably the greatest catcher in MLB history, played 98 games for the Bisons in 1967, posting an .818 OPS. 

2. CC Sabathia

CC Sabathia made one appearance for the Bisons. 

He wasn’t a great Bison, but he is a Hall of Famer and one of the best players to ever play for the team. 

3. Fergie Jenkins

Fergie Jenkins didn’t impress in his three appearances as a Bison in 1962, but it was part of his development en route to a Hall of Fame career.

Jenkins had 84.1 bWAR in the big leagues and won the NL Cy Young Award in 1971.

4. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s accelerated journey through the Toronto Blue Jays’ minor-league system featured 39 games with the Bisons.

Guerrero dominated Triple-A pitching, posting a 1.013 OPS with Buffalo. 

5. Jim Bunning

A nine-time All-Star, Jim Bunning pitched 129 innings for the Bisons in 1955.

Bunning had a 3.77 ERA with Buffalo and recorded a career 115 ERA+ in the majors. 

6. Bartolo Colón 

During his time with Cleveland, Bartolo Colón made 19 appearances with the Bisons. He had a 2.22 ERA in 57 innings in 1997. 

Big Sexy became one of MLB’s most universally loved players across a 21-season big-league career.

7. Richie Sexson

Briefly one of the top prospects in baseball, Richie Sexson played more than 200 games for the Bisons across the 1997 and 1998 seasons.

Sexson made the big leagues with Cleveland, but enjoyed his best years with the Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners. 

8. Brandon Phillips

Brandon Phillips played 345 games for the Bisons across four years.

The second baseman became an everyday big-league player in 2006 and won four Gold Gloves. 

9. Jhonny Peralta

Jhonny Peralta played more than 200 games for the Bisons across the 2003 and 2004 campaigns. 

After struggling at the plate in his first Triple-A season, Peralta posted an .876 OPS in 2004 and earned a big-league call-up.