Over the course of his recently-concluded 16-year career, Ryan Zimmerman hit 284 home runs.
Zimmerman spent his entire career with the Washington Nationals, hitting 25 or more home runs in five separate seasons. Zimmerman hit a career-high 36 home runs in 2017, his second time topping the 30-home run mark in a given season and first since 2009.
Before Zimmerman retired, his 284 home runs had been 10th among all active players. With "Mr. National" now retired, here's a look at the top 15 active home run leaders:
15. J.D. Martinez - 266 Home Runs
J.D. Martinez is one of the most accomplished home run hitters in baseball.(Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)A four-time All-Star, Martinez hit a career-high 45 home runs during the 2017 season, a campaign that he split with the Detroit Tigers and Arizona Diamondbacks. He followed that up with 43 home runs in 2018, his first season with the Boston Red Sox.
14. Bryce Harper - 267 Home Runs
Bryce Harper is one of the most accomplished home run hitters in baseball.(Rich Schultz/Getty Images)Harper finds himself within striking distance of 300 home runs as he prepares for his age-29 season. Now a two-time National League MVP, Harper led the senior circuit with 42 home runs in 2015 while playing for the Washington Nationals. He's a virtual lock to top 400 home runs in his career, and could make a run at 500.
13. Nolan Arenado - 269 Home Runs
Nolan Arenado is one of the most accomplished hitters in baseball.(Norm Hall/Getty Images)As a nine-time Gold Glove Award winner and five-time Platinum Glove Award winner, Arenado is on a Hall of Fame trajectory first and foremost because he's one of the greatest defenders in MLB history. Don't get it twisted, though, Arenado is a complete player. Arenado has homered 34 or more times on six different occasions. He has led the National League in home runs in three separate seasons as a Colorado Rockie (2015, 2016 & 2018).
12. Andrew McCutchen - 270 Home Runs
Andrew McCutchen is one of the most accomplished hitters in baseball.(Rich Schultz/Getty Images)McCutchen, currently a free agent, homered 27 times in 2021, his third season with the Philadelphia Phillies. The bulk of McCutchen's 270 career home runs -- 203, to be exact -- came during his nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The former National League MVP should be able to top 300 career home runs before he retires.
11. Freddie Freeman - 271 Home Runs
Freddie Freeman is one of the most accomplished hitters in baseball.(Michael Zarrilli/Getty Images)The former National League MVP is one of the most complete hitters in the sport, and has hit 31 or more home runs in three seasons, including 2021. The five-time All-Star is currently a free agent, but his 271 career home runs are sixth in the history of the Braves franchise.
10. Paul Goldschmidt - 280 Home Runs
Paul Goldschmidt is one of the most accomplished hitters in baseball.(Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)A six-time All-Star, Goldschmidt has six years of 30 or more home runs in 11 major league seasons. The 209 home runs that Goldschmidt hit with the Arizona Diamondbacks are second in franchise history.
9. Mike Trout - 310 Home Runs
Mike Trout is one of the most accomplished hitters in baseball.(Bob Levey/Getty Images)While Trout was limited to just 36 games a year ago, he's still sitting on 310 career home runs ahead of his age-30 season. He's already one of the greatest center fielders in MLB history, and with three American League MVPs on his resume, he could retire today and be elected to the Hall of Fame. If he's able to stay healthy moving forward, the nine-time All-Star could top 600 home runs in his career.
8. Evan Longoria - 317 Home Runs
Evan Longoria is one of the most accomplished hitters in baseball.(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)Longoria is the greatest player in the history of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays franchise, as his 261 home runs are a franchise record. While he was limited to just 81 games in 2021 with the San Francisco Giants, he homered 13 times over that period. If the 36-year-old can get to 400 career home runs, it would greatly help his future Hall of Fame case.
7. Justin Upton - 324 Home Runs
Justin Upton is one of the most accomplished hitters in baseball.(Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)Even if Upton didn't end up being the Hall of Fame-caliber player some thought he would be during his time with the Arizona Diamondbacks, he's still put together a pretty impressive career. The 34-year-old has eight seasons where he's hit 25 or more home runs.
6. Joey Votto - 331 Home Runs
Joey Votto is one of the most accomplished hitters in baseball.(Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)Roy Halladay once told Votto that he wanted to kill him for stepping out of the box during his playoff no-hitter, but 2010's National League MVP could join 2010's NL Cy Young Award winner in Cooperstown one day. A lifetime Cincinnati Red, Votto homered 36 times in 2021, his age-37 season. Given that Votto is under contract through the 2023 season -- with a club option for 2024 -- the six-time All-Star seemingly still has a shot to top 400 home runs before his career concludes.
5. Robinson Canó - 334 Home Runs
Robinson Cano is one of the most accomplished hitters in baseball.(Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Canó has now been suspended multiple time for failed performance-enhancing drug tests, which may doom his future Hall of Fame case. With that said, from a statistical sense, Canó is one of the greatest second basemen in MLB history. Between his stints with the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners, Canó has eight seasons where he's hit 20 or more home runs. The 39-year-old is under contract with the New York Mets through the 2023 season.
4. Giancarlo Stanton - 347 Home Runs
Giancarlo Stanton is one of the most accomplished hitters in baseball.(Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)While his time in New York has been injury-riddled, Stanton hit 267 home runs during his eight seasons with the Miami Marlins, which put him on track to top 500 in his career. Stanton -- who homered 59 times during his National League MVP campaign in 2017 -- is under contract through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028.
3. Nelson Cruz - 449 Home Runs
Nelson Cruz is one of the most accomplished hitters in baseball.(David Berding/Getty Images)Cruz didn't hit more than 10 home runs in a season until his age-28 campaign, but since breaking out with the Texas Rangers, he's developed into one of the greatest DHs in MLB history. Cruz is currently a free agent and will turn 42 during the 2022 season, but we wouldn't bet against his Boomstick getting him to 500 home runs before his career is over.
2. Miguel Cabrera - 502 Home Runs
Miguel Cabrera is one of the most accomplished hitters in baseball.(Duane Burleson/Getty Images)Cabrera is one of the greatest players in the history of both the
Miami Marlins and Detroit Tigers, and is going to be a slam-dunk Hall of Famer when his career wraps up. The two-time American League MVP is under contract through the 2023 season, with the Tigers widely expected to decline their half of his $30 million mutual option for 2024. Cabrera -- who is currently 28th in MLB history with 502 home runs -- has said he plans to retire at the conclusion of his current contract.
1. Albert Pujols - 679 Home Runs
Albert Pujols is one of the most accomplished hitters in baseball.(Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)Pujols is a free agent at the time of publication, though after splitting the 2021 season with the Los Angeles Angels and Dodgers, the three-time National League MVP has said he would like to continue playing. Now 42, Pujols is fifth in MLB history with his 679 home runs. The 10-time All-Star is 17 home runs away from matching Alex Rodriguez's 696 career home runs, and 21 away from 700 in his career. If the pandemic didn't shorten the 2020 season to 60 games, Pujols might have been able to hit his 700th home run in 2022.
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