1. Ty Cobb, OF, – His .366 batting average is tops in MLB history. Cobb is sixth in WAR, and No.2 in runs scored and triples. He captured the American League batting crown nine straight seasons and is fourth all-time in steals. He played during the dead-ball era, so his power numbers don’t rank high overall, but he did lead the AL in slugging percentage eight times.
2. Al Kaline, OF, – Mr. Tiger ranks 42nd all-time in WAR. He holds the Tigers’ record with 399 home runs, yet never hit more than 29 in a season. That stat reveals how unrelentingly productive Kaline was during his legendary career. He ranks with Roberto Clemente as the great right-fielders defensively in MLB history. No AL outfielder won more Gold Glove awards (10) than No. 6.
3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B, - While Miggy’s career WAR isn’t in the Top 100 like several of those below him on this list, his accomplishments as a hitter are so extraordinary it off sets his deficiencies with the glove and on the bases. He is the only hitter to win the Triple Crown since 1967. He won back-to-back MVP awards. His 500-homer, 3,000-hit, 600-double combo is extraordinarily rare. And he did so in an era when MLB was genuinely all-inclusive.
4. Charlie Gehringer, 2B, - The “Mechanical Man” had the same career WAR as Ken Griffey Jr. and was just a terrific all-around player. It was during a stellar era of Tigers’ baseball. Was a top player on the 1935 World Series championship team, and keyed two other pennant winners (1934 and 1940).
5. Hank Greenberg, 1B, – His career numbers would have been much better were it not for serving in World War II. Greenberg had a 58-homer season, and drove 139 or more runs five times during a 12-year span. A pioneer, he thrived despite extreme prejudice against Jewish Americans at the time of his career.
6. Justin Verlander, RHP, - JV tossed two no-hitters and won the AL Cy Young, MVP and Rookie of the Year awards as a Tiger. He is second all-time among pitchers wearing a Tigers’ uniform in WAR, just behind Hal Newhowser. As much as any other player, he changed the course of the franchise. The Tigers had 12 straight losing seasons before his rookie year in 2006. They only had two more when JV was traded in 2017. In the process, the Tigers reached the postseason five times, won six playoff series and captured two AL pennants.
7. Alan Trammell, SS, and Lou Whitaker, 2B, (tie) - By far the longest-running double play combination of all time, Tram and Lou represent the personification of efficient baseball. Picking one over the other makes no sense whatsoever. Each was equally brilliant, hence the tie.
9. Harry Heilmann, OF, - He grabbed four hitting titles during the 1920s, all batting .393 or better. Heilmann had a .403 batting average in 1923 and his career WAR (72.3) is among the Top 100 (92nd) in MLB history.
10. Hal Newhouser, LHP, and Mickey Lolich, LHP, (tie) – Newhouser did his best pitching during World War II, which unfairly diminished his accomplishments. The knock on him was having great seasons during World War II. He was also dominant after the war. Lolich was a rare combination of power arm and durability. He was 3-0 and won Game 7 on two days of rest in the 1968 World Series. He garnered 376 innings in 1971, which is incredible.