Best Pirates Players of All Time, Ranked by NUT

PIT · 1882–nowThe best Pirates players ever, by NUT with the club.

#1 hitterHonus Wagner+66.8 NUT · 1900–1917

#1 pitcherBob Friend+20.4 NUT · 1951–1965

World Series titles5Last in 1979

Honus Wagner is the most productive hitter in Pirates history by NUT at +66.8 over 18 qualified seasons with the club (1900–1917). Bob Friend leads the pitchers at +20.4 over 15 seasons (1951–1965).

The franchise has played 144 seasons since 1882. It has won 5 World Series titles, the last in 1979, in 7 trips to the World Series.

Its best club by team NUT was the 1969 Pittsburgh Pirates at +22.5 (88-74), #1 of 24 that season.

Greatest Pirates NUT with the club, all qualified seasons

Hitters · top 25
#	Player	Seasons	NUT
1	Honus WagnerSS · 1900–1917	18	+66.8
2	Willie StargellLF · 1963–1980	18	+56.1
3	Paul WanerRF · 1926–1940	15	+44.2
4	Roberto ClementeRF · 1955–1972	18	+43.9
5	Ralph KinerLF · 1946–1952	7	+36.8
6	Arky VaughanSS · 1932–1941	10	+30.2
7	Andrew McCutchenCF · 2009–2025	12	+29.0
8	Fred ClarkeLF · 1900–1911	12	+27.7
9	Dave ParkerRF · 1973–1983	11	+22.8
10	Barry BondsLF · 1986–1992	7	+22.7
11	Brian GilesLF · 1999–2002	4	+20.7
12	Elbie Fletcher1B · 1939–1947	7	+16.1
13	Max CareyCF · 1911–1925	15	+15.9
14	Al OliverCF · 1969–1977	9	+15.4
15	George Grantham1B · 1925–1931	7	+15.4
16	Elmer Smith1892–1897	6	+14.3
17	Richie Hebner3B · 1969–1983	10	+14.2
18	Andy Van SlykeCF · 1987–1994	8	+13.5
19	Bobby Bonilla3B · 1986–1991	6	+13.4
20	Ginger BeaumontCF · 1899–1906	8	+12.9
21	Bryan ReynoldsLF · 2019–2026	8	+12.3
22	Bob Elliott3B · 1939–1946	8	+12.3
23	Donn Clendenon1B · 1962–1968	7	+12.2
24	Richie ZiskLF · 1973–1976	4	+11.2
25	Jason KendallC · 1996–2004	9	+11.0

Pitchers · top 25
#	Player	Seasons	NUT
1	Bob FriendP · 1951–1965	15	+20.4
2	Babe AdamsP · 1909–1926	16	+19.1
3	Bob VealeP · 1962–1971	10	+16.6
4	Deacon PhillippeP · 1900–1910	10	+14.9
5	Wilbur CooperP · 1912–1924	13	+11.0
6	Jesse TannehillP · 1897–1902	6	+10.4
7	Bob MooseP · 1968–1976	9	+9.2
8	Rick RhodenP · 1980–1986	7	+9.1
9	Dock EllisP · 1968–1979	9	+9.1
10	John CandelariaP · 1975–1984	10	+8.9
11	Cy BlantonP · 1935–1939	5	+8.5
12	Ed MorrisP · 1885–1889	5	+8.1
13	Paul SkenesP · 2024–2026	3	+8.0
14	Bill SwiftP · 1932–1939	8	+7.3
15	Frank KillenP · 1893–1898	6	+7.2
16	Gerrit ColeP · 2013–2017	5	+7.2
17	Kent TekulveP · 1975–1984	10	+7.0
18	Roy FaceP · 1953–1967	13	+6.5
19	Doug DrabekP · 1987–1992	6	+6.4
20	Sam LeeverP · 1898–1910	13	+6.0
21	Zane SmithP · 1990–1996	6	+5.6
22	Waite HoytP · 1933–1936	4	+5.5
23	Lee MeadowsP · 1923–1927	5	+5.4
24	Felipe VázquezP · 2016–2019	4	+5.1
25	Harvey HaddixP · 1959–1963	5	+5.1

Best single seasons season NUT

Hitters
Player	Season	NUT
Ralph Kiner	1951	+7.6
Honus Wagner	1908	+7.6
Ralph Kiner	1949	+7.3
Barry Bonds	1992	+7.1
Ralph Kiner	1947	+7.0
Arky Vaughan	1935	+6.8
Willie Stargell	1971	+6.8
Brian Giles	2002	+6.3
Roberto Clemente	1967	+6.2
Willie Stargell	1973	+6.2

Pitchers
Player	Season	NUT
Bob Veale	1965	+4.6
Bob Friend	1960	+4.1
Cy Blanton	1935	+3.8
Paul Skenes	2025	+3.8
Bob Veale	1964	+3.5
Bob Veale	1969	+3.5
Ed Morris	1886	+3.5
Gerrit Cole	2015	+3.2
Deacon Phillippe	1902	+3.2
Babe Adams	1919	+3.1

Best by decade NUT with the club in that decade

2020s

HitterBryan Reynolds+10.0

PitcherPaul Skenes+8.0

2010s

HitterAndrew McCutchen+26.1

PitcherGerrit Cole+7.2

2000s

HitterBrian Giles+16.0

PitcherMichael Gonzalez+3.0

1990s

HitterBarry Bonds+16.2

PitcherZane Smith+5.6

1980s

HitterJason Thompson+9.7

PitcherRick Rhoden+9.1

1970s

HitterWillie Stargell+36.8

PitcherDock Ellis+7.1

1960s

HitterRoberto Clemente+37.0

PitcherBob Veale+15.3

1950s

HitterRalph Kiner+16.7

PitcherBob Friend+6.8

1940s

HitterRalph Kiner+20.2

PitcherBob Klinger+1.9

1930s

HitterPaul Waner+26.4

PitcherCy Blanton+8.5

1920s

HitterPaul Waner+17.7

PitcherWilbur Cooper+7.4

1910s

HitterHonus Wagner+13.4

PitcherBabe Adams+11.5

1900s

HitterHonus Wagner+53.4

PitcherDeacon Phillippe+14.6

1890s

HitterElmer Smith+14.3

PitcherFrank Killen+7.2

1880s

HitterFred Carroll+9.5

PitcherEd Morris+8.1

Best Pirates teams season team NUT

1969

Pittsburgh Pirates88-74

Team NUT+22.5S#1 of 24

1966

Pittsburgh Pirates92-70

Team NUT+21.1S#1 of 20

1971

Pittsburgh Pirates97-65

Team NUT+20.9S#1 of 24Won the World Series

1972

Pittsburgh Pirates96-59

Team NUT+20.4S#1 of 24

1991

Pittsburgh Pirates98-64

Team NUT+17.9S#1 of 26

How these lists are built

Each player's number is his season NUT added up over every season he qualified with the Pirates (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 Pirates players of all time by NUT

Hitters
Player	Years	NUT
Honus Wagner	1900–1917	+66.8
Willie Stargell	1963–1980	+56.1
Paul Waner	1926–1940	+44.2
Roberto Clemente	1955–1972	+43.9
Ralph Kiner	1946–1952	+36.8
Arky Vaughan	1932–1941	+30.2
Andrew McCutchen	2009–2025	+29.0
Fred Clarke	1900–1911	+27.7
Dave Parker	1973–1983	+22.8
Barry Bonds	1986–1992	+22.7
Brian Giles	1999–2002	+20.7
Elbie Fletcher	1939–1947	+16.1
Max Carey	1911–1925	+15.9
Al Oliver	1969–1977	+15.4
George Grantham	1925–1931	+15.4
Elmer Smith	1892–1897	+14.3
Richie Hebner	1969–1983	+14.2
Andy Van Slyke	1987–1994	+13.5
Bobby Bonilla	1986–1991	+13.4
Ginger Beaumont	1899–1906	+12.9
Bryan Reynolds	2019–2026	+12.3
Bob Elliott	1939–1946	+12.3
Donn Clendenon	1962–1968	+12.2
Richie Zisk	1973–1976	+11.2
Jason Kendall	1996–2004	+11.0

Pitchers
Player	Years	NUT
Bob Friend	1951–1965	+20.4
Babe Adams	1909–1926	+19.1
Bob Veale	1962–1971	+16.6
Deacon Phillippe	1900–1910	+14.9
Wilbur Cooper	1912–1924	+11.0
Jesse Tannehill	1897–1902	+10.4
Bob Moose	1968–1976	+9.2
Rick Rhoden	1980–1986	+9.1
Dock Ellis	1968–1979	+9.1
John Candelaria	1975–1984	+8.9
Cy Blanton	1935–1939	+8.5
Ed Morris	1885–1889	+8.1
Paul Skenes	2024–2026	+8.0
Bill Swift	1932–1939	+7.3
Frank Killen	1893–1898	+7.2
Gerrit Cole	2013–2017	+7.2
Kent Tekulve	1975–1984	+7.0
Roy Face	1953–1967	+6.5
Doug Drabek	1987–1992	+6.4
Sam Leever	1898–1910	+6.0
Zane Smith	1990–1996	+5.6
Waite Hoyt	1933–1936	+5.5
Lee Meadows	1923–1927	+5.4
Felipe Vázquez	2016–2019	+5.1
Harvey Haddix	1959–1963	+5.1