When Kris Bryant -- with a smile -- recorded the final putout in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, he seemed destined to go down as one of the inner circle members of the Chicago Cubs franchise.
At 24, Bryant had helped the Cubs to snap a 108-year World Series drought. That same year, he won the National League MVP by homering 39 times and posting a 7.9 WAR. This was on top of winning the senior circuit's Rookie of the Year Award the prior season.
But after putting together another monster season in 2017, Bryant's career took a detour. Between 2017 and 2021, Bryant was still largely a very good player. He didn't, however, perform at the Hall of Fame caliber that he had early in his career:
2015-2017: .288/.388/.527 with 94 home runs, 274 RBIs, .915 OPS and 21.0 WAR
2018-2021: .268/.364/.479 with 73 home runs, 213 RBIs, .843 OPS and 10.7 WAR
With the organization in transition, the Cubs traded Bryant to the San Francisco Giants in July of 2021. He would finish the season with the Giants, and while there was some thought he could return to the Cubs in free agency, that didn't ultimately happen. Bryant spent parts of seven seasons with the Cubs, and by the time his seven-year/$182 million deal with the Colorado Rockies is complete, it's possible he'll have played more games as a member of that franchise.
Bryant remains a hugely important figure in the history of the Cubs, but he fell short of cracking this list, just like Anthony Rizzo, Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown, Mark Grace, Lee Smith, Joe Tinker, Rick Reuschel, Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Zambrano.
Here are the nine greatest players in Cubs history:
9. Greg Maddux (1986-1992; 2004-2006)
Greg Maddux is one of the greatest players in Cubs history.(Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)Best Season as a Cub: 1992 - 20-11 with a 2.18 ERA, 166 ERA+, 2.58 FIP, 1.011 WHIP, 199 strikeouts, nine complete games and a 7.0 WAR
Career Stats as a Cub: 133-112 with a 3.61 ERA, 112 ERA+, 3.52 FIP, 1.245 WHIP, 1,305 strikeouts, 47 complete games and 36.1 WAR
Maddux was selected by the Cubs in the second round of the 1984 MLB Draft, and won his first of four National League Cy Young Awards in 1992, which turned out to be the final season of his first stint with the team. The Cubs made one of the worst mistakes in MLB history when they allowed Maddux to depart for a five-year/$28 million deal with the Atlanta Braves ahead of the 1993 season. Maddux would return to Chicago in 2004, and ultimately spent parts of 10 years of his Hall of Fame career with the Cubs, winning five Gold Gloves with the team. Maddux has a blank cap on his Hall of Fame plaque, having spent at least a decade with both the Cubs and the Braves. His No. 31 is retired by the Cubs. He's ultimately most remembered for headlining one of the greatest rotations in MLB history in Atlanta, though.
8. Gabby Hartnett (1922-1940)
Gabby Hartnett is one of the greatest players in Cubs history.(Goudey/Wikimedia Commons)Best Season as a Cub: 1935 - .344/.404/.545 with 13 home runs, 91 RBIs, 41 walks, .949 OPS, 151 OPS+ and a 5.1 WAR
Career Stats as a Cub: .297/.370/.490 with 231 home runs, 1,153 RBIs, 691 walks, .860 OPS, 126 OPS+ and 52.7 WAR
A six-time All-Star, Hartnett spent 19 of his 20 MLB seasons with the Cubs. Harnett won the 1935 NL MVP, and by just about all metrics, he's one of the most decorated catchers in MLB history. Hartnett was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1955, with a Cubs cap on his plaque.
7. Billy Williams (1959-1974)
Billy Williams is one of the greatest players in Cubs history.(Wikimedia Commons)Best Season as a Cub: 1970 - .322/.391/.586 with 42 home runs, 129 RBIs, 72 walks, .977 OPS, 148 OPS+ and a 6.4 WAR
Career Stats as a Cub: .296/.365/.503 with 392 home runs, 1,353 RBIs, 911 walks, .867 OPS, 135 OPS+ and 58.9 WAR
Williams won the 1961 NL Rookie of the Year with the Cubs, part of an excellent 16-season run on the North Side. Among all players in franchise history, Williams' 61.5 win probability added stands as the top mark. Williams was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Cub in 1987, the same year that the Cubs retired his No. 26.
6. Fergie Jenkins (1966-1973; 1982-1983)
Fergie Jenkins is one of the greatest players in Cubs history.(Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)Best Season as a Cub: 1971 - 24-13 with a 2.77 ERA, 141 ERA+, 2.38 FIP, 1.049 WHIP, 263 strikeouts, 30 complete games and a 9.6 WAR
Career Stats as a Cub: 167-132 with a 3.20 ERA, 119 ERA+, 3.06 FIP, 1.123 WHIP, 2,038 strikeouts, 154 complete games and 53.6 WAR
Jenkins won the 1971 NL Cy Young Award, and finished in the top three in voting for the award on three other occasions during a decade with the Cubs. During his two stints with the Cubs, Jenkins became the franchise's all-time leader in WAR among pitchers (53.6), strikeouts (2,038) and games started (347). Jenkins was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991, with a Cubs hat featured prominently on his plaque. In 2009, the Cubs retired Jenkins' No. 31.
5. Ron Santo (1960-1973)
Ron Santo is one of the greatest players in Cubs history.(Malcolm Emmons-USA Today)Best Season as a Cub: 1967 - .300/.395/.512 with 31 home runs, 98 RBIs, 96 walks, .906 OPS, 152 OPS+ and a 9.5 WAR
Career Stats as a Cub: .280/.366/.472 with 337 home runs, 1,290 RBIs, 1,071 walks, .838 OPS, 128 OPS+ and 71.9 WAR
One of the greatest third baseman in MLB history, Santo made nine All-Star Game appearances and won five Gold Glove Awards during a 14-season stint with the Cubs. Santo led the senior circuit in walks four times in his career, on-base percentage twice and triples once. Santo was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012, but was alive to see the Cubs retire his No. 10 in 2003.
4. Sammy Sosa (1992-2004)
Sammy Sosa is one of the greatest players in Cubs history.(RVR Photos/USA Today)Best Season as a Cub: 1998 - .308/.377/.647 with 66 home runs, 158 RBIs, 73 walks, 1.024 OPS, 160 OPS+ and 7.1 WAR
Career Stats as a Cub: .284/.358/.569 with 545 home runs, 1,414 RBIs, 798 walks, .928 OPS, 139 OPS+ and a 60.7 WAR
There's unquestionably an asterisk next to the statistics that Sosa put up during his 13 seasons with the Cubs, but from a pure numbers standpoint, No. 4 might be too low for him. "Slammin' Sammy" and Mark McGwire electrified baseball with their home run chase in 1998, with Sosa ultimately capturing the NL MVP after hitting 66 home runs. Sosa is the only player in MLB history to hit 60 home runs in three separate seasons, having done so in 1998, 1999 and 2001. Sosa is one of nine players in MLB history in the 600 Home Run Club, with a franchise-record 545 of those having come during his time with the Cubs. In 10 years on the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot, Sosa was not elected. His No. 21 has not been retired by the Cubs.
3. Ryne Sandberg (1982-1994; 1996-1997)
Ryne Sandberg is one of the greatest players in Cubs history.(Jed Jacobsohn /Allsport/Getty Images)Best Season as a Cub: 1984 - .314/.367/.520 with 19 home runs, 84 RBIs, 52 walks, .887 OPS, 140 OPS+ and 8.0 WAR
Career Stats as a Cub: .285/.344/.452 with 282 home runs, 1,061 RBIs, 761 walks, .796 OPS, 115 OPS+ and 60.9 WAR
"Ryno" broke into the majors with the Philadelphia Phillies, but ultimately spent the overwhelming majority of his Hall of Fame career with the Cubs. As a Cub, Sandberg made 10 All-Star teams, won nine Gold Glove Awards, seven Silver Slugger Awards and was voted the NL MVP in 1984. Sandberg's No. 23 was retired by the Cubs in 2005.
2. Cap Anson (1876-1897)
Cap Anson is one of the greatest players in Cubs history.(Wikimedia Commons)Best Season as a Cub: 1886 - .371/.433/.544 with 10 home runs, 147 RBIs, 55 walks, .977 OPS, 180 OPS+ and a 7.2 WAR
Career Stats as a Cub: .331/.396/.448 with 97 home runs, 1,880 RBIs, 953 walks, .844 OPS, 142 OPS+ and 81.1 WAR
We should note that Anson's legacy as a human is pretty horrible, given that he was at the forefront of keeping non-white players from being involved in the sport. That should not be overlooked because he was an excellent player and manager.
Anson never played for a team called the Cubs, but rather the Chicago White Stockings and later the Colts, with the franchise he starred for eventually becoming what's now known as the Cubs. Anson won four batting titles with the Cubs, and is the franchise's all-time leader in WAR (81.8), offensive WAR (82.2), hits (3,012), singles (2,262), doubles (529), times on base (3,997) and runs scored (1,722). He's also the winningest manager in franchise history, having served as the skipper while also playing from 1880-1897. It's impossible to know how Anson would have translated to a different era (and he's partially to blame for suppressing competition), but he's one of the most statistically successful first basemen in MLB history, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939.
1. Ernie Banks (1953-1971)
Ernie Banks is one of the greatest players in Cubs history.(Malcolm Emmons/USA Today)Best Season as a Cub: 1959 - .304/.374/.596 with 45 home runs, 143 RBIs, 64 walks, .970 OPS, 156 OPS+ and a 9.7 WAR
Career Stats as a Cub: .274/.330/.500 with 512 home runs, 1,636 RBIs, 763 walks, .830 OPS, 122 OPS+ and 63.3 WAR
Who else but "Mr. Cub"? Banks won back-to-back NL MVP Awards in 1958 and 1959, and was a 14-time All-Star during a career spent exclusively with the Cubs. Banks is the all-time Cubs leader in games played (2,528), at-bats (9,421), plate appearances (10,396), total bases (4,706), extra-base hits (1,009), sacrifice flies (96) and intentional walks (202). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977, and the Cubs retired his No. 14 in 1982.
Previous Entires in This Series
- The 9 Greatest Players in Giants History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Astros History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Expos/Nationals History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Rangers History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Mariners History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Mets History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Angels History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Blue Jays History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Diamondbacks History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Orioles History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Marlins History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Phillies History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Rockies History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Rays History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Braves History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Guardians History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Reds History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Pirates History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Padres History
- The 9 Greatest Players in White Sox History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Royals History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Tigers History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Red Sox History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Brewers History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Cardinals History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Dodgers History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Oakland Athletics History
- The 9 Greatest Players in New York Yankees History
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
