Detroit Tigers: Best player by jersey number

The Detroit Tigers have had a player represent 71 out of 99 possible jersey numbers. Here is the best of each number in Tigers history.

The Detroit Tigers have retired seven numbers in franchise history. That number is soon to be nine, as both Alan Trammell (3) and Jack Morris (47) will see their numbers emblazoned on the center field wall at Comerica Park this summer.

That leaves 91 other numbers, including 28 that have never been worn, for some yet unknown Tigers player to lay claim to as the greatest in Tigers history. Some numbers, even though they aren’t retired, will likely be pretty hard to top. Numbers 1, 24, 29 and 35 all seem pretty secure with their current leaders.

Many numbers (32, 48, 49, 68, 77) are employed by current Tigers, who already hold the distinction as the greatest Tiger to wear that specific number.

Below is a look at each number in Tigers history. Thanks to the fabulous folks at baseball-reference for all of the data.

1 Lou Whitaker

No debate here. Whitaker is all over Detroit’s leaderboards, and should be in the Hall of Fame. Whitaker last wore #1 in 1995. The number remained unworn until 2013 presumably while the Tigers waited for Whitaker to get inducted. When it became clear that wasn’t happening, Jose Iglesias donned it. Hopefully, Jose is the last to wear it. If Whitaker gets inducted via the modern era committee in two years, no doubt the Tigers will retire number one.

2 Charlie Gehringer

Detroit’s first retired number belongs to ‘The Mechanical Man’. Gehringer played for the Tigers from 1924-1942, and made the Hall of Fame in 1949. The greatest second baseman in team history, Gehringer sits in the top three in nearly every offensive category in franchise history. Sadly, 19 players wore the number two after Gehringer’s retirement. The number was finally put to rest in 1982.

3 Alan Trammell

Trammell’s number isn’t retired by the Tigers yet, although it will be by the end of 2018. Trammell donned the number three for nearly 20 years, last wearing it in 1996. Since then Gary Sheffield and Ian Kinsler have both donned the number, although no one will be wearing it anymore.

4 Rudy York

Rudy York hit .282/.369/.503 with 239 home runs, 1,149 RBI and a 128 OPS+ with the Tigers from 1934-1945. That was good for a 31.7 bWAR, edging out Tony Phillips (25.3) and Bobby Higginson (23.1) for the crown. Four was last worn by Cameron Maybin in 2016.

5 Hank Greenberg

Not much of a debate here, as Greenberg was one of Detroit’s first superstars. He led the league in home runs and RBI four times, won two MVP awards and hit 331 career home runs. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1956, although his jersey number was not retired until 1982. 13 players wore #5 for the Tigers after Greenberg, most notably slugger Jim Northrup.

6 Al Kaline

The greatest Tigers player to actually wear a number (Ty Cobb played in the era before numbers) Kaline donned the number six for two decades. After he retired in 1974, the number was never worn again.

7 Harvey Kuenn

Harvey Kuenn is one of the greatest shortstops in team history. He donned lucky number seven for six years from 1954-1959. In that time he hit .315 with a 114 OPS+ and 209 doubles. Kuenn barely edged out his predecessor, Rocky Colavito, who wore number seven right after Kuenn from 1960-1963. He amassed 139 home runs and a 130 OPS+ in that time.

Number seven has been worn 34 times in franchise history, most recently by Ivan Rodriguez (2004-2008).

8 Ron LeFlore

The number eight has been worn 36 times in franchise history, most recently by Mikie Mahtook this year, and Justin Upton for the last two seasons. The best #8 in Tigers history was speedster Ron LeFlore, who played for the Tigers from 1975-1979. The former prisoner swiped 68 bases for the Tigers in 1978, which led the league.

9 Carlos Guillen

The number nine was worn plenty from 1931-1996, with very little success. Then, a string of Damion Easley, Carlos Guillen and now Nicholas Castellanos has given the number much more prestige in Tigers history. While Easley and Guillen are two of the best at their respective positions, Guillen gets the edge. Castellanos is well on his way however, and could someday take the top spot.

10 Tommy Bridges

The last player to wear number 10 for the Tigers was Fernando Vina back in 2004. Before that it was Bip Roberts in 1998. While it is not officially retired, Tommy Bridges holds the clear distinction as the greatest #10 in Tigers history. Another player who should be in the Hall of Fame, Bridges went 194-138 with a 3.57 ERA and a 126 ERA+ in his 16 year career, all spent with the Tigers.

11 Bill Freehan (and Sparky Anderson)

So #11 is retired for legendary manager Sparky Anderson. It has not been worn since Bruce Kimm in 1977. While Anderson is no doubt a Tigers legend, he never suited up for the team. The greatest player to wear number 11 was catcher Bill Freehan, who wore the number from 1963-1976. Prior to that, Dizzy Trout had 11 on his back from 1941-1952. Both were excellent players, with Freehan getting the slight edge. No one can hold a candle to the legend of Sparky Anderson, however.

12 Bobo Newsom

51 players have worn the #12 in Tigers history, with Leonys Martin currently sporting it this year. He’d have to have a heck of a career in the Motor City to unseat the current leader, Bobo Newsom. Although Newsom only played three years in Detroit, he posted an 18.1 bWAR and had one of the greatest pitching performances in team history.

A few other notable names include Brad Ausmus, Andy Dirks, Carlos Pena and Jim Price.

13 Lance Parrish

Apparently players believe #13 is unlucky, as only 12 players have ever donned the number in Detroit. Former catcher Lance Parrish is far and away the best of them, with 212 home runs and a 30.3 bWAR. Alex Avila wore #13 while he was here as well, and currently Mike Gerber sports it when he’s up with the big club.

14 Jim Bunning

Number 14 had a nice run for the Tigers recently, with Placido Polanco (2005-2009) Austin Jackson (2010-2014) and David Price (2014-2015) all sporting the 1-4. The best to wear it was Jim Bunning however, who wore it from 1956-1963. In that time he went 115-82 with a 3.36 ERA and one of the best performances in team history.

15 Brandon Inge

A polarizing figure in Tigers history, Inge donned the number 15 from 2003-2012, blasting 133 home runs in that time. That included 27 in Detroit’s magical 2006 season. Mahtook wore #15 last year, but no one is wearing it in 2018.

16 Hal Newhouser

Hal Newhouser was not elected to the Hall of Fame until 39 years after he finished his playing career. The Tigers waited three years after he was inducted to retire his number, meaning big lefty David Wells was the last to wear #16 from 1993-1995. Newhouser sits atop Detroit’s pitching leader-boards in multiple categories and is a true legend in Tigers history.

17 Denny McLain

Denny McLain will always be a legend in Detroit history, after his 31-6 season in 1968. He finished his Tigers career with 117 wins and a 3.39 ERA and won back-to-back Cy Young awards in 1968-1969.

The Tigers chose not to retire number 17, and it was worn recently by Andrew Romine and now Grayson Greiner.

18 John Hiller

42 players have donned the number 18, which was most recently worn by Tyler Collins. The best of the bunch is John Hiller, who spent his entire 15 year career in the Motor City. He led the league with 38 saves in 1973 and will go down as one of the best, if not the best, reliever in Tigers history.

19 Al Benton

55 players have worn #19, including Louis Coleman this year and Anibal Sanchez for the five previous seasons. Pitcher Al Benton narrowly edges out Sanchez and Dave Rozema for the best of the #19’s, with a 3.47 ERA and a 118 ERA+ from 1939-1948.

20 Mark Fidrych

Number 20 has been a popular one in Tigers history, with Mickey Tettleton, Omar Infante, Rajai Davis, Howard Johnson and Fred Gladding just some of the few who have worn it. The honor for best goes to a legendary Tiger in Mark Fidrych, aka The Bird. Fidrych’s career was tragically cut short by a series of injuries, but his imprint has lasted longer on the city of Detroit that one could have ever imagined.

21 Willie Hernandez

45 players have worn number 21, including JaCoby Jones this season. While there are a few pitchers who had similar numbers, the honor goes to 1984 AL MVP Willie Hernandez. Hernandez was on fire that season, with a 1.92 ERA in 140 1/3 innings. He made three All-Star games in Detroit and is one of the greatest relievers in franchise history.

22 Virgil Trucks

Victor Reyes is the latest Tigers player to don the number 22, and the first since Hiram Bocachica in 2002. The best of the group is Virgil Trucks. ‘Fire’ Trucks pitched for the Tigers from 1941-1952 and again in 1956. Along with a couple legendary performances, Trucks posted a 3.50 ERA and 1,046 strikeouts in 1800 2/3 innings with Detroit.

23 Willie Horton

Historically, the Tigers have waited until a player makes the Hall of Fame before they retire their number. While Horton is not a Hall of Famer, the team made an exception for the Detroit icon. Horton’s 262 home runs ranks fifth in Tiger history, and his legacy goes way beyond his playing days.

Hideo Nomo in 2000 was the last player to wear number 23, and Kirk Gibson wore it during his Tigers career as well.

24 Miguel Cabrera

The first active player on this list, Cabrera has long surpassed 1990’s infielder Travis Fryman for the top spot among #24’s in Tigers history. It’d be surprising to see anyone wear number 24 in Detroit ever again.

25 Norm Cash

Fun fact: Al Kaline actually wore #25 from 1953-1954 before switching over to #6. Over the next six years six different players wore #25 before it settled onto the back of Norm Cash for the next 14 years. Cash’s name is all over Detroit’s record books. 17 players have worn #25 since, most recently Ryan Raburn, but none have reached Cash’s level of sustained excellence.

26 Frank Tanana

52 different players have worn number 26 for the Tigers. Most of them have been one or two-year guys, with a few exceptions. Frank Tanana pitched for the Tigers from 1985-1992, winning 96 games and posting a 4.08 ERA. He narrowly edged out notorious pinch-hitter Gates Brown, who wore number 26 during his 13 year career in the Motor City.

27 Jhonny Peralta

Number 27 has been a popular one in Tigers history, having been worn every season since 1995. former shortstop Jhonny Peralta is the most successful of the group, narrowly beating Craig Monroe for the title. Jordan Zimmermann, Andrew Romine and Frank Catalanotto are other notable #27’s.

28 Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson didn’t pick up number 28 until 2005, but he still narrowly edges out J.D. Martinez for the #28 crown. Martinez’s departure passed the number 28 onto utility man Niko Goodrum, who seems unlikely to take over this title anytime soon.

29 Mickey Lolich

Lolich is perhaps the most criminally underrated Tiger of all-time, both by Detroit fans and baseball fans overall. He donned the 2-9 from 1963-1975, becoming one of the best pitchers in Tigers history and arguably one of the ten greatest left-handers of all-time.

30 Magglio Ordonez

43 players, including Alex Wilson for the last four years, have worn #30 in the Motor City. None were better than right fielder Magglio Ordonez, who had seven excellent years in Detroit. He is most known for his iconic walk-off home run in the 2006 ALCS, sending the Tigers to the World Series.

31 Larry Herndon

This is one of the closest ones yet, as left fielder Larry Herndon (1982-1988, 11.3 bWAR, 110 OPS+) is just ahead of right-hander Ned Garver (1953-1956, 8.1 bWAR, 105 ERA+) for the crown.

Ryan Carpenter donned number 31 in his few appearances this season, although he seems unlikely to take over the top spot anytime soon.

32 Michael Fulmer

The second active player to already hold this distinction, Michael Fulmer was selected over iconic Tiger Don Kelly for this crown. There have not been very many successful #32 in Tigers history, so Fulmer has already cemented his legacy.

33 Steve Kemp

The number 33 has had a lot of good, but not great, Tigers represent it. Drew Smyly, Marcus Thames, Matt Nokes and Steven Moya are recent examples, with Pete Kozma wearing it in 2018. None hold a candle to Steve Kemp, who was one of the few bright spots on Detroit’s very bad teams in the late-1970’s.

34 Chet Lemon

James McCann is going on his fifth year with the 3-4 on his back, but he still has a long ways to go if he wants to catch Chet Lemon for the title as the greatest to wear the number.

35 Justin Verlander

No one is wearing #35 for the Tigers this season, and there’s a good chance no one ever will again. Verlander’s legacy should, and likely will, live on with a retired jersey when he makes the Hall of Fame, if not sooner.

36 Jeff Weaver

Jeff Weaver heads a rather rag-tag group of Tigers who wore number 36, including Joe Nathan, Edwin Jackson, Colby Lewis, C.J. Nitkowski and now Blaine Hardy.

37 Max Scherzer

37 has been dominated by pitchers in Tigers history, with Kenny Rogers, Nate Robertson, Chuck Seelbach and Hank Aguirre all owning 37 at some point. None were better than Max Scherzer, who wore it from 2010-2014 before departing for the Washington Nationals.

38 Jeremy Bonderman

Even though six players have worn it since 2013, including Francisco Liriano this year, I can only see Bonderman when I see a Tigers #38 jersey. Mr. Snappy pitched for the Tigers for nearly a decade, and although he didn’t quite reach his potential, he was still a solid starter for the 2006 World Series bound Detroit Tigers.

39 Mike Henneman

Like Hiller and Hernandez, Henneman has a legit claim to the greatest reliever in Tigers history. He edges out Milt Wilcox and super-utility man Ramon Santiago for the best #39 in franchise history.

50 Bryan Holaday

Things are starting to get ugly now. Holaday hit .250 with six home runs in 180 games for the Tigers, enough to take the top spot. A solid season from Mike Fiers could push him into the top spot in 2018.

51 Matt Anderson

The Mariners have Ichiro and Randy Johnson, the Yankees have Bernie Williams and the Tigers have….Matt Anderson? Gabe Kapler? Roberto Novoa? It’s not a pretty list. Johnny Barbato, if he wears #51 again in 2019, would become the first Tiger ever to have that jersey for consecutive seasons.

52 Yoenis Cespedes

Remember when Yoenis Cespedes was a Tiger? His one season in Detroit was enough for him to earn the top spot for the number 52, a number that hasn’t been worn in Detroit since.

53 Joaquin Benoit

The first time #53 appeared on the Tigers was 1997. It has been used sparingly since, primarily by relievers. Benoit was the best of the bunch, and will likely remain in that spot unless Warwick Saupold really turns a corner.

54 Joel Zumaya

There have only been six #54’s for the Tigers, with the last few years belonging to Drew VerHagen. Joel Zumaya, despite his career being cut short by injuries, is clearly the best of the bunch.

55 John Hicks

Like Dixon Machado with the number 49, Hicks did not have to do much to win this crown. Daniel Schlereth and Mark Redman were a pair of relievers who had the number before him, but Hicks has already done enough to pass them.

56 Fernando Rodney

Only six #56’s in Tigers history. Only one Fernando Rodney.

57 Francisco Rodriguez

I’m starting to regret going this far down. Perhaps Artie Lewicki, who looked very solid in long relief a few days ago, will pass K-Rod on the list this season.

58 Doug Fister

Fister had some of the best years of his lengthy career in the Motor City, donning the old 5-8. He edges out Armando Galarraga, who had a rather pedestrian career minus his iconic near no-hitter.

59 Todd Jones

The poster boy for Detroit’s consistently bad bullpen, Jones is actually Detroit’s career leader in saves. Yikes.

60 Brayan Villarreal

Only two players, Villarreal and Howard Bailey, wore number 60 for longer than one season. Villarreal’s -0.2 bWAR is higher than Bailey’s -1.4, so he wins by default.

61 Shane Greene

Only three Tigers have ever worn number 61: Greene, Ezequiel Carrera in 2014 and Eric Eckenstahler in 2002. Greene wins this one fairly easily.

62 Al Alburquerque

Middle relievers tend to dominate the high numbers, with Alburquerque being a good example of that. He was much better thank Franklyn German, the only other #62 to play more than one season.

63 Pat McCoy

All five of the Tigers who wore #63 combined for 21 innings pitched and nine plate appearances. Reliever Pat McCoy had 14 of the innings pitched, back in 2014, so he wins.

64 Duane Below

Chad Bell, Drew VerHagen (for one year) and Duane Below represent your Tigers who wore #64. Below wins by having the only career bWAR over zero.

65 Blaine Hardy

Hardy and Myles Jaye (2017) are the only Tigers to ever wear #65.

66 Jeff Ferrell

Ferrell (2017) is joined by Arcenio Leon (2017) and Kevin Whelan (2014) as the only Tigers to wear #66.

67 Logan Kensing

In 2016, Logan Kensing became the first, and to date only, Tigers player to wear #67. His way of getting into the record books I suppose.

68 Daniel Stumpf

Current Tigers LOOGY Daniel Stumpf, like Kensing, is the only Tigers player to wear #68.

74 Ugueth Urbina

No Tigers player has ever worn any number between 69-73, but weirdly enough three Tigers have worn #74. Ugueth Urbina was the best of the group.

77 Joe Jimenez

Jimenez may someday find himself in the record books for saves, but he already has the record as the best #77 in franchise history, courtesy of being the only one.

94 Jose Mesa

Jsoe Mesa threw 11 2/3 terrible innings for the Tigers in 2007 at age 41. He also wore #94, the highest jersey number in Tigers history.

Next: Tigers best draft picks by round

So there you have it, the greatest Detroit Tigers for each jersey number in franchise history. Think we got one wrong? Let us know on Facebook or twitter!