Best Cubs Players of All Time, Ranked by NUT

CHC · 1876–nowThe best Cubs players ever, by NUT with the club.

#1 hitterBilly Williams+56.3 NUT · 1961–1974

#1 pitcherMordecai Brown+15.5 NUT · 1904–1916

World Series titles3Last in 2016

Billy Williams is the most productive hitter in Cubs history by NUT at +56.3 over 14 qualified seasons with the club (1961–1974). Mordecai Brown leads the pitchers at +15.5 over 10 seasons (1904–1916).

The franchise has played 150 seasons since 1876, as the Chicago White Stockings (1876–1889), Chicago Colts (1890–1897), Chicago Orphans (1898–1902), Chicago Cubs (1903–2026). It has won 3 World Series titles, the last in 2016, in 11 trips to the World Series.

Its best club by team NUT was the 2016 Chicago Cubs at +19.5 (103-58), #2 of 30 that season.

Greatest Cubs NUT with the club, all qualified seasons

Hitters · top 25
#	Player	Seasons	NUT
1	Billy WilliamsLF · 1961–1974	14	+56.3
2	Cap Anson1B · 1876–1897	22	+55.3
3	Ron Santo3B · 1960–1973	14	+45.5
4	Sammy SosaRF · 1992–2004	13	+36.7
5	Ernie Banks1B · 1954–1970	17	+36.5
6	Mark Grace1B · 1988–2000	13	+26.5
7	Bill NicholsonRF · 1939–1948	10	+26.0
8	Jimmy Ryan1886–1900	14	+25.4
9	Hack WilsonCF · 1926–1931	6	+25.1
10	Frank Chance1B · 1898–1911	14	+24.4
11	Anthony Rizzo1B · 2012–2020	9	+24.1
12	Gabby HartnettC · 1923–1939	16	+22.7
13	Ryne Sandberg2B · 1982–1997	15	+22.6
14	Stan Hack3B · 1932–1947	15	+22.5
15	George Gore1879–1886	8	+21.6
16	Aramis Ramirez3B · 2003–2011	9	+19.8
17	King KellySS · 1880–1886	7	+19.1
18	Derrek Lee1B · 2004–2009	6	+18.7
19	Phil Cavarretta1B · 1935–1951	16	+17.8
20	Riggs StephensonLF · 1926–1933	8	+17.1
21	Kris Bryant3B · 2015–2020	6	+16.6
22	Ned Williamson3B · 1879–1889	11	+15.3
23	Kiki CuylerRF · 1928–1934	7	+14.6
24	Leon Durham1B · 1981–1987	7	+14.1
25	Hank SauerLF · 1949–1955	7	+14.1

Pitchers · top 25
#	Player	Seasons	NUT
1	Mordecai BrownP · 1904–1916	10	+15.5
2	Fergie JenkinsP · 1966–1983	10	+15.4
3	Rick ReuschelP · 1972–1984	10	+15.2
4	Bob RushP · 1948–1957	10	+13.2
5	Claude PasseauP · 1939–1947	9	+12.4
6	Grover AlexanderP · 1918–1925	8	+12.4
7	Hippo VaughnP · 1913–1921	9	+12.1
8	Charlie RootP · 1926–1941	16	+11.6
9	Greg MadduxP · 1986–2005	9	+10.6
10	Lon WarnekeP · 1931–1943	8	+9.9
11	Clark GriffithP · 1894–1900	7	+9.1
12	Kerry WoodP · 1998–2011	9	+8.8
13	Lee SmithP · 1981–1987	7	+8.7
14	Bruce SutterP · 1976–1980	5	+8.6
15	Bill LeeP · 1934–1942	9	+8.6
16	Jake ArrietaP · 2013–2017	5	+8.2
17	William HutchinsonP · 1889–1895	7	+8.0
18	Carlos ZambranoP · 2002–2011	10	+7.4
19	Larry FrenchP · 1935–1940	6	+7.3
20	Mark PriorP · 2002–2006	5	+7.0
21	John ClarksonP · 1884–1887	4	+6.8
22	Orval OverallP · 1906–1913	6	+6.2
23	Jon LieberP · 1999–2008	5	+5.8
24	Pat MaloneP · 1928–1934	7	+5.8
25	Kyle HendricksP · 2014–2024	11	+5.3

Best single seasons season NUT

Hitters
Player	Season	NUT
Sammy Sosa	2001	+8.1
Billy Williams	1972	+7.4
Hack Wilson	1930	+7.3
Rogers Hornsby	1929	+7.0
Derrek Lee	2005	+6.8
Ron Santo	1964	+6.3
King Kelly	1886	+6.2
Billy Williams	1970	+6.1
Ron Santo	1966	+6.1
Billy Williams	1965	+6.0

Pitchers
Player	Season	NUT
Mark Prior	2003	+4.5
Fergie Jenkins	1971	+4.5
Jake Arrieta	2015	+4.4
William Hutchinson	1892	+4.1
Fergie Jenkins	1970	+4.1
Greg Maddux	1992	+3.8
Fergie Jenkins	1969	+3.7
Mordecai Brown	1909	+3.5
John Clarkson	1887	+3.3
Grover Alexander	1920	+3.2

Best by decade NUT with the club in that decade

2020s

HitterSeiya Suzuki+9.8

PitcherJustin Steele+4.1

2010s

HitterAnthony Rizzo+24.0

PitcherJake Arrieta+8.2

2000s

HitterSammy Sosa+21.8

PitcherCarlos Zambrano+8.0

1990s

HitterMark Grace+20.5

PitcherGreg Maddux+8.4

1980s

HitterLeon Durham+14.1

PitcherLee Smith+8.7

1970s

HitterBilly Williams+22.5

PitcherRick Reuschel+13.2

1960s

HitterRon Santo+34.7

PitcherFergie Jenkins+6.4

1950s

HitterErnie Banks+21.8

PitcherBob Rush+10.7

1940s

HitterBill Nicholson+25.5

PitcherClaude Passeau+9.6

1930s

HitterGabby Hartnett+15.3

PitcherLon Warneke+8.6

1920s

HitterHack Wilson+16.7

PitcherGrover Alexander+9.1

1910s

HitterHeinie Zimmerman+11.3

PitcherHippo Vaughn+11.7

1900s

HitterFrank Chance+22.1

PitcherMordecai Brown+10.7

1890s

HitterJimmy Ryan+13.8

PitcherClark Griffith+8.6

1880s

HitterCap Anson+36.9

PitcherJohn Clarkson+6.8

1870s

HitterCap Anson+6.0

PitcherTerry Larkin+0.7

Best Cubs teams season team NUT

2016

Chicago Cubs103-58

Team NUT+19.5S#2 of 30Won the World Series

1886

Chicago White Stockings90-34

Team NUT+19.1S#1 of 16

2008

Chicago Cubs97-64

Team NUT+18.8S#1 of 30

2015

Chicago Cubs97-65

Team NUT+16.1A#3 of 30

2001

Chicago Cubs88-74

Team NUT+15.9A#5 of 30

How these lists are built

Each player's number is his season NUT added up over every season he qualified with the Cubs (100 plate appearances or 25 innings in a full season), so only his years with this club count. NUT is one number for production against that season's league average, with defense left out, so a 1930 season and a 2025 season sit on one scale. A player traded during a season appears under the club MLB lists his full-season line with. Seasons before 1901 were shorter, so their values run lower.

Best Cubs players of all time by NUT

Hitters
Player	Years	NUT
Billy Williams	1961–1974	+56.3
Cap Anson	1876–1897	+55.3
Ron Santo	1960–1973	+45.5
Sammy Sosa	1992–2004	+36.7
Ernie Banks	1954–1970	+36.5
Mark Grace	1988–2000	+26.5
Bill Nicholson	1939–1948	+26.0
Jimmy Ryan	1886–1900	+25.4
Hack Wilson	1926–1931	+25.1
Frank Chance	1898–1911	+24.4
Anthony Rizzo	2012–2020	+24.1
Gabby Hartnett	1923–1939	+22.7
Ryne Sandberg	1982–1997	+22.6
Stan Hack	1932–1947	+22.5
George Gore	1879–1886	+21.6
Aramis Ramirez	2003–2011	+19.8
King Kelly	1880–1886	+19.1
Derrek Lee	2004–2009	+18.7
Phil Cavarretta	1935–1951	+17.8
Riggs Stephenson	1926–1933	+17.1
Kris Bryant	2015–2020	+16.6
Ned Williamson	1879–1889	+15.3
Kiki Cuyler	1928–1934	+14.6
Leon Durham	1981–1987	+14.1
Hank Sauer	1949–1955	+14.1

Pitchers
Player	Years	NUT
Mordecai Brown	1904–1916	+15.5
Fergie Jenkins	1966–1983	+15.4
Rick Reuschel	1972–1984	+15.2
Bob Rush	1948–1957	+13.2
Claude Passeau	1939–1947	+12.4
Grover Alexander	1918–1925	+12.4
Hippo Vaughn	1913–1921	+12.1
Charlie Root	1926–1941	+11.6
Greg Maddux	1986–2005	+10.6
Lon Warneke	1931–1943	+9.9
Clark Griffith	1894–1900	+9.1
Kerry Wood	1998–2011	+8.8
Lee Smith	1981–1987	+8.7
Bruce Sutter	1976–1980	+8.6
Bill Lee	1934–1942	+8.6
Jake Arrieta	2013–2017	+8.2
William Hutchinson	1889–1895	+8.0
Carlos Zambrano	2002–2011	+7.4
Larry French	1935–1940	+7.3
Mark Prior	2002–2006	+7.0
John Clarkson	1884–1887	+6.8
Orval Overall	1906–1913	+6.2
Jon Lieber	1999–2008	+5.8
Pat Malone	1928–1934	+5.8
Kyle Hendricks	2014–2024	+5.3