In the 19th feature of an extensive series, we will take a look at the top 10 home run hitters of every Major League Baseball franchise. Here we feature the New York Yankees.
10) Aaron Judge
The right fielder from Linden, California has 257 home runs since 2016. In 2017, he set the American League record for most home runs in a season by a rookie (52), and in 2022, set the single season Yankees record for most home runs (62). In 2022, Judge also set the American League record for most home runs in a season.
9) Derek Jeter
The Hall of Fame shortstop from Pequannock, New Jersey had 260 home runs with the Yankees from 1995 to 2014. He had 10 home runs as the 1996 American League Rookie of the Year, and a career-high 24 home runs in 1999. Jeter’s 20 postseason home runs are the fourth most in Major League history.
8) Jorge Posada
The five-time All-Star catcher from Santruce, Puerto Rico had 275 home runs with the Yankees from 1997 to 2011. He had a career-high 30 home runs in 2003. From 2000 to 2011, Posada had 240 home runs, the most home runs by a catcher in Major League Baseball, during that 12-year period. In the postseason, Posada had 11 home runs. That is tied with Yankees legend Yogi Berra of St. Louis, Missouri, and Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek of Rochester, Michigan, for the most all-time by a catcher.
7) Bernie Williams
The All-Star centerfielder from San Juan, Puerto Rico had 287 home runs with the Yankees from 1991 to 2006. He had a career-high 30 home runs in 2000. Williams’s 22 postseason home runs are the third most all-time. Only Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (29) and Houston Astros shortstop Jose Altuve of Puerto Cabello, Venezuela (24) have more.
6) Alex Rodriguez
The All-Star infielder from New York had 351 home runs with the Yankees from 2004 to 2016. He led the American League with 48 home runs in 2005, and Major League Baseball with 54 home runs in 2007. Both those seasons (2005 and 2007), Rodriguez was the American League MVP. On August 4, 2007, while with the Yankees, Rodriguez became the youngest player to hit 500 career home runs at 32 years old and one week in a 16-8 Yankees win over the Kansas City Royals. Rodriguez had 10 home runs in the playoffs with the Yankees, including one in the World Series. That came in game three of the 2009 World Series, an 8-5 Yankees win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Of Rodriguez’s Major League career record 25 grand slams, 15 were with the Yankees.
5) Yogi Berra
The Hall of Fame All-Star catcher from St. Louis, Missouri had 358 home runs with the Yankees from 1946 to 1963. He had a career-high 30 home runs in 1952 and 1956. Berra’s 11 postseason home runs are the tied for the most ever. In game seven of the 1956 World Series, a 9-0 Yankees win over the Brooklyn Dodgers, Berra hit two home runs. Known for his excellent contact, five times Berra had more home runs than strikeouts in a season. Three times Berra was the American League MVP. He had 27 home runs in 1951, 22 home runs in 1954, and 27 home runs in 1955.
4) Joe DiMaggio
The Hall of Fame centerfielder from Martinez, California had 361 home runs with the Yankees from 1936 to 1942, and from 1946 to 1951. He missed three seasons from 1943 to 1945 because of military service during World War Two. DiMaggio led Major League Baseball with 46 home runs in 1937, and the American League with 39 home runs in 1948. When DiMaggio won the American League MVP, he had 30 home runs in 1939, 30 home runs in 1941, and 20 home runs in 1947. DiMaggio had eight postseason home runs in Yankees’s World Series wins in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1947 (two home runs), 1949, 1950, and 1951.
3) Lou Gehrig
The Hall of Fame first baseman from New York had 493 home runs with the Yankees from 1923 to 1938. He had 47 home runs in 1927 when he was named the American League MVP. Thrice Gehrig led the Majors in home runs. He had 46 home runs in 1931, 49 home runs in 1934 and 49 home runs again in 1936 (named AL MVP a second time). When Gehrig had 49 home runs in 1934, he also won the American League Triple Crown. He also led the American League with a .363 batting average, and 166 runs batted in. On June 3, 1932, Gehrig became the first player in the 20th century to hit four home runs in a game. He accomplished the feat in a 20-13 Yankees win over the Philadelphia Athletics. In the postseason, Gehrig had 10 postseason home runs for the Yankees in 1928, 1932, 1936 and 1937. Twice Gehrig had a multi home run game in the World Series. Those games came in game three of the 1928 World Series (a 7-3 Yankees win over the St. Louis Cardinals), and in game three of the 1932 World Series (a 7-5 Yankees win over the Chicago Cubs). Gehrig is also second all-time in grand slams with 23, two back of Rodriguez.
2) Mickey Mantle
The Hall of Fame centerfielder from Spavinaw, Oklahoma had 536 home runs with the Yankees from 1951 to 1968. He led the American League with 37 home runs in 1955, 42 home runs in 1958, and 40 home runs in 1960. When Mantle had 52 home runs in 1956, he won the Major League Baseball Triple Crown and was the American League MVP. He led the Majors with 130 runs batted in and a .353 batting average. Two more seasons Mantle won the American League MVP. He had 34 home runs in 1957 and 30 home runs in 1962. Mantle had a career-high 54 home runs in 1961, but had seven fewer home runs that year than Yankees teammate Roger Maris of Hibbing, Minnesota, who had 61 home runs. Mantle also has the Major League record for most home runs in the World Series (18), and is the only player ever to hit 150 home runs from both sides of the plate, making him one of the best switch hitters ever. Mantle was a 16-time All-Star and won 12 World Series. One of Mantle’s greatest games came on October 6, 1960 when he hit two home runs in game two of the World Series, a 16-3 Yankees win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
1) Babe Ruth
The Hall of Fame outfielder from Baltimore, Maryland had 659 home runs with the Yankees from 1920 to 1935. He led Major League Baseball with 54 home runs in 1920, 59 home runs in 1921, 41 home runs in 1923 (only year Ruth was MVP), 46 home runs in 1924, 47 home runs in 1926, 60 home runs in 1927, 54 home runs in 1928, 46 home runs in 1929, and 46 home runs in 1931. Ruth also led the American League with 49 home runs in 1930. Considered one of the greatest home run hitters ever, he had 714 career home runs, third all-time. Twice Ruth hit three home runs in a World Series game. The first time came in 1926 and the second time in 1928, both times against the Cardinals.
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