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Best all-time center fielders in MLB history

By Bobby Mueller

ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 29: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hits a fly ball to deep center during the ninth inning of the MLB game against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium on July 29, 2018 in Anaheim, California. The Mariners defeated the Angels 8-5. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 29: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hits a fly ball to deep center during the ninth inning of the MLB game against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium on July 29, 2018 in Anaheim, California. The Mariners defeated the Angels 8-5. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /
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ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 21: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim makes a play in the game against the Houston Astros at Angel Stadium on July 21, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

Best All-Time Center Fielders #7: Mike Trout

“As a kid, I had this ultimate goal to be a teacher. I wanted to be a history teacher like my dad.”—Mike Trout

Mike Trout is in the middle of his seventh full season and I believe he already ranks seventh all-time among center fielders in MLB history. He’s been THAT good. He doesn’t rank as high as seventh in Fangraphs WAR (12th) or Baseball-Reference WAR (14th), but Jay Jaffe’s JAWS has him seventh among the top 20 center fielders listed here. He also ranks seventh in Wins Above Average and has the best wRC+ of any center fielder ever.

Other than a 40-game sample in 2011, Trout has been an all-star all every year. He won the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2012 and the AL MVP Award in 2014 and 2016. He could have won five straight MVP Awards if he wasn’t docked for playing on a team that has only made the postseason once in his career.

If Trout continues to play at the level he’s playing this year, he’ll have his third season with 10 or more WAR. Here are some players he’s likely to pass on the career WAR list before this year is over: Mark McGwire, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Lou Boudreau, Billy Williams, Dave Winfield, Willie McCovey, and Andre Dawson. Remember, Trout is only in his seventh full year. Those guys all accumulated that much value in careers at least twice as long. That’s why Trout is The God of WAR.

Everyone knows how good Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey, Jr. were as young players. They are both top-10 all-time on the Fangraphs WAR leaderboard for players 26 and under. Mike Trout is in his age-26 season. He’s second all-time, behind only Ty Cobb. That’s not just among center fielders, that’s among all players. And Trout is only one win behind Cobb so he could move to the top of the list before September.

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