- Willie Mays has the most bWAR of any player in Giants history.
- Buster Posey was the heartbeat of the Giants dynasty in the early 2010s.
- Barry Bonds has the third-highest OPS+ in baseball history.
Some of the greatest players in baseball history have enjoyed their best years with the Giants. While that hasn’t always resulted in short futures prices in MLB odds, the best San Francisco Giants players of all time include some Hall of Famers.
Playing in New York from 1883 to 1957, the Giants won five World Series titles. Moving to San Francisco for the 1958 season, they had to wait until 2010 for their first ring on the West Coast, but that was followed by titles in 2012 and 2014.
Best San Francisco Giants Players of All Time
| Rank | Player | Position | Giants Years |
| 1 | Barry Bonds | Left Fielder | 1993-2007 |
| 2 | Willie Mays | Center Fielder | 1951-1972 |
| 3 | Christy Mathewson | Starting Pitcher | 1900-1916 |
| 4 | Mel Ott | Right Fielder | 1926-1947 |
| 5 | Buster Posey | Catcher | 2009-2021 |
1. Barry Bonds
Yes, Barry Bonds’ legacy is clouded by alleged PED use. But that does not erase Bonds from the record books.
Bonds has hit the most homers in MLB history. He’s drawn the most walks. His 199 OPS+ is miles ahead of anyone else. Unsurprisingly, his Giants OPS is almost 200 points clear of second place.
On this day in 2007, Barry Bonds hit home run No. 756 to become the all-time home run leader 👑
(via @SFGiants)pic.twitter.com/jH0AUl4YGa
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 7, 2023
Bonds won five MVP awards as a Giant, including four in a row in the early 2000s. He set countless records during his time in San Francisco, but the 120 intentional walks in 2004 might be the most unbreakable.
2. Willie Mays
Willie Mays’ career was a remarkable journey from teenage phenom in the Negro Leagues to one of the greatest players in MLB history. Rookie of the Year in 1951 and MVP three years later, Mays remained an MVP contender throughout his career.
A true five-tool player, Mays is third in Giants history in stolen bases, first in homers, and first in hits. He’s also generally considered among the best defenders ever in center field, which is reflected in his 12 Gold Gloves.
It was a toss-up between Mays and Bonds for the top spot. With over 154 bWAR as a Giant, Mays has the volume, but he wasn’t quite as dominant.
3. Christy Mathewson
Admittedly, I have bent the rules a little to include Christy Mathewson. If this was exclusively San Francisco Giants, Mathewson could not be included. He played his final game for the Giants 42 years before they moved to the west coast.
Mathewson, though, is third in franchise history with a 137 ERA+. He’s first in WHIP, first by a distance in innings and has 27 shutouts more than any other pitcher.
A two-time Triple Crown winner and with five ERA titles, Mathewson is the greatest pitcher in Giants history, ahead of Juan Marichal, Madison Bumgarner and others.
4. Mel Ott
Like Mathewson, Mel Ott’s career came well before the Giants swapped coasts. Ott played all his 2,730 regular season games for the New York Giants, earning 12 All-Star selections and a place in Cooperstown.
Most Opening Day homers in Giants history:
Willie Mays 7
Mel Ott, Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda, Barry Bonds 4@SFGiants
— High Heat Stats (@HighHeatStats) April 1, 2014
Only three players – two of which are Bonds and Mays – have a higher OPS+ for the franchise than Ott. His career OPS+ is better than Mike Schmidt, Bryce Harper and Albert Pujols.
Just 19 players in MLB history have more bWAR than Ott.
5. Buster Posey
Buster Posey was 12th in Giants’ bWAR when he made the surprising decision to retire at the end of the 2021 campaign. Injuries and catching duties mean Posey hasn’t amassed the same counting stats as other contenders for fifth.
Posey, though, transformed the Giants. They hadn’t made the playoffs since 2003 when he debuted late in 2009. In 2010, he was Rookie of the Year and a middle-of-the-order bat on a World Series champion.
The Leesburg native won MVP and another World Series in 2012 before starring once again in San Francisco’s 2014 run. The seven All-Star berths, 1,500 hits, five Silver Sluggers and a lone Gold Glove only tell a small part of Posey’s story – he had to make this top five, even if it meant leaving off some other greats.