Using the best single seasons in baseball history and the current MLB All-Star Game roster rules, here is the all-time NL All-Star team.
The all-time American League All-Star team featured some of the greatest players in baseball history, including an outfield of Ted Williams, Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth. That’s hard to beat, but the NL will give it a shot with Barry Bonds in left, Willie Mays in center, and Hank Aaron in right. They make up three of the top five home run hitters of all time.
The NL squad had some terrific position battles, including the starting catcher spot and the starter at the hot corner. Second base went three deep because it was impossible to keep a certain baseball pioneer off the team. Shortstop features on old-school all-time great.
The seven starting pitchers for the NL range from the Dead Ball Era to the first part of the 21st century. There are a ton of strikeouts in these arms. The bullpen has two of those 1970s multi-inning relievers, along with a man who will be on the stage in Cooperstown this summer giving his Hall of Fame speech.
Just as with the AL roster, the rules for populating the NL roster are the current all-star roster rules. There are 32 total roster spots for each league. This includes 20 position players and 12 pitchers. As always, every team must be represented.
In the case of the all-time National League All-Star roster, there were a number of younger teams who only had one player, including the Diamondbacks and Padres. In fact, players from three teams dominated the NL roster. The Dodgers, Cardinals, and Cubs combined for 14 of the 32 players who made the team.
With the MLB All-Star Game to be played on Tuesday, July 17, it’s fun to consider an all-time All-Star Game that would feature the best players from each league in their best seasons. This is the all-time NL All-Star roster.