15 Best Toronto Blue Jays Players of All Time, Ranked

Since their first season in 1977, the Toronto Blue Jays have won two World Series and provided two American League MVP winners. Blue Jays odds to win the World Series have fluctuated over the years, but even when they have been uncompetitive, Toronto has been home to some big names. 

From the glories of 1992 and 1993 to Hall of Fame performers in the 21st century, numerous great players have pulled on the Blue Jays jersey.  

15 Best Blue Jays Players of All Time, Ranked

Who Are the Greatest Blue Jays Ever?

1. Roy Halladay

Roy Halladay trails Dave Stieb in multiple franchise categories, but Halladay takes the top spot here due to his peak. He won the 2003 Cy Young with an MLB-leading 266 innings and had two more top-three finishes. 

Halladay posted a 133 ERA+ during his time in Toronto, which is well clear of Stieb’s mark. There’s no right answer, but I just give Halladay the edge. 

2. Dave Stieb

Dave Stieb is the franchise leader in bWAR with 56.8. He’s pitched the most innings, has the most strikeouts, and has by far the most shutouts. 

Stieb had plenty of highs, including twice leading the American League in ERA+, but he had just two finishes in the top five of Cy Young voting. He was a true workhorse, yet a career 123 ERA+ isn’t quite enough for No. 1 on my rankings. 

3. Jose Bautista

Jose Bautista’s legacy is much more than a huge bat flip and a brawl with Rougned Odor. Bautista has the highest bWAR among all Blue Jays position players and earned six straight All-Star selections from 2010 to 2015.

After leading MLB in OPS and crushing 43 homers, Bautista was arguably unlucky to miss out on the MVP award in 2011. He received MVP votes in three other seasons as a Blue Jay and was integral in two teams that reached the ALCS. 

4. Carlos Delgado

Leading the franchise in OPS (.949), plate appearances (6018), and home runs (336), Carlos Delgado had to be included among the greatest players in Blue Jays history.

Delgado led the league in OPS in 2003 and was unlucky to finish as runner-up to Alex Rodriguez in MVP voting. With such spectacular offensive production, it’s remarkable that Delgado was only named an All-Star on two occasions. 

5. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Tied for the third-highest OPS+ in Jays history and a five-time All-Star, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made a major leap in these rankings with his stellar 2025 postseason. Guerrero was dominant throughout the playoffs, hitting eight home runs with a 1.289 OPS.

Under contract through 2039, it seems inevitable that he will break many of Delgado’s franchise records. 

6. Tony Fernandez

Tony Fernandez is among the Blue Jays’ top position players in bWAR. Fernandez was an elite defender at shortstop, winning four consecutive Gold Gloves from 1986 to 1989 and earning three All-Star selections during that period.

Offensively, the Dominican held his own with a 106 OPS+ as a Blue Jay. He ranks third in plate appearances and sixth in batting average in franchise history. 

7. Jimmy Key

Third in pitcher bWAR behind Halladay and Stieb, Jimmy Key was a two-time All-Star as a Blue Jay and pitched to a 2.66 ERA across six World Series appearances on his way to two rings. 

Key is tied with Stieb for the third-best ERA in franchise history. Just three pitchers have started more games for the franchise. 

While he went on to play for the Yankees and Orioles, Key’s best season was in 1987 with Toronto, when he won the ERA title and finished second in Cy Young voting. 

8. Roger Clemens

This is the most controversial selection in my rankings, given that Roger Clemens only spent two seasons as a Blue Jay. Clemens won the Cy Young in each of those years, however, pitching almost 500 regular-season innings with a 196 ERA+.

Only six pitchers in franchise history have amassed more bWAR than Clemens. David Wells, who was the main piece Toronto received when they traded Clemens, went on to finish third in Cy Young voting as a Blue Jay in 2000. 

He might not have the counting stats of others, but Clemens is clearly one of the best Blue Jays ever, even if steroid allegations keep him out of Cooperstown. 

9. Jim Clancy

Fifth in bWAR among all pitchers and fourth in fWAR, I am comfortable having Jim Clancy this high.

Clancy’s 28 fWAR is far ahead of fifth place, and he’s only 0.1 behind Key. Stieb is the only pitcher who has thrown more innings as a Jay.

While Clancy was only named an All-Star occasionally and had some down years, his durability throughout the franchise’s first decade was invaluable. 

10. Paul Molitor

Paul Molitor’s time in Toronto was short, yet his impact was enormous. Molitor became one of the baseball odds favourites for AL MVP in 1993 before finishing as runner-up to Frank Thomas. 

He posted a 1.000 OPS in the World Series thanks to eight extra-base hits. He was named World Series MVP as the Jays won the second of back-to-back titles. His .315 batting average is the highest in franchise history.

11. Roberto Alomar

Hall of Fame second baseman Roberto Alomar won five consecutive Gold Gloves across his five seasons as a Blue Jay. Alomar was also a two-time World Series winner, a five-time All-Star, and recorded three straight MVP finishes in the top six.

The accolades are impressive, yet Alomar is still only tied for ninth in position player bWAR. Ten players have a better wRC+ for the Blue Jays. 

12. Josh Donaldson

Josh Donaldson only spent three full seasons as a Blue Jay, but his production was enough to slot in at 12th in these rankings.

Donaldson won the franchise’s second AL MVP award and amassed 18.2 bWAR over his first three years as a Jay. 

13. Jesse Barfield

Fourth in fWAR among position players and a two-time Gold Glove winner, Jesse Barfield was a solid performer for the Blue Jays for most of the 1980s. 

Barfield led the majors in homers and finished fifth in MVP voting in 1985. Much of his value came from the defensive side of the ball, so his offensive numbers aren’t exactly eye-catching compared to Donaldson, Molitor, and others on this list. 

14. John Olerud

Winner of the Jays’ only batting title, eighth in position player fWAR, and seventh in wRC+, I had to find a place for John Olerud. 

Perhaps I was a bit harsh putting Olerud this low down, given that he was part of the core that won two titles and was a comfortably above-average hitter throughout his Jays career. 

He was good rather than great in the two playoff runs, though, and he only had one elite season at the plate. 

15. Kevin Gausman

Seventh in strikeouts and sixth in ERA, Kevin Gausman earned a spot in my top 15 with his performance in 2025. Gausman was elite during the regular season and dependable throughout the playoffs as Toronto made it to Game 7 of the World Series.

He has a 119 ERA+ as a Blue Jay and received Cy Young votes in his first two years with the team. The right-hander averaged more than 183 innings per season over his first four years as a Jay.