Who is the best MLB Hall of Famer to never play in a World Series?

In the history of Major League Baseball, many great players have made their mark in the World Series. After all, Reggie Jackson never becomes “Mr. October” and Derek Jeter never earns “Mr. November” without their respective moments in the Fall Classic.

But there are also plenty of players who were never able to advance to the World Series, including 54 who are now enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. However, there are 23 of the 54 who stopped playing before the World Series started in 1903. That leaves 31 modern-era players who never stepped onto the field in the Fall Classic.

Who are the 31 modern-era Hall of Fame players who never played in a World Series?

Let’s take a look by position of those players, with names provided by the Baseball Hall of Fame.

C: Rick Ferrell

1B: Jake Beckley, George Sisler, Frank Thomas

2B: Rod Carew, Nap Lajoie, Ryne Sandberg

SS: Luke Appling, Ernie Banks, Bobby Wallace

3B: George Kell, Ron Santo

LF: Joe Kelley, Ralph Kiner, Billy Williams

CF: Ken Griffey Jr.

RF: Andre Dawson, Elmer Flick, Harry Heilmann, Willie Keeler

DH: Edgar Martinez

Pitchers: Jim Bunning, Jack Chesbro, Roy Halladay, Ferguson Jenkins, Addie Joss, Ted Lyons, Phil Niekro, Gaylord Perry, Lee Smith, and Rube Waddell.

Those are some impressive names, but which one is the best of the best to have never played in a World Series? That would be Lajoie, who compiled 106.9 bWAR during his playing career that stretched from 1896-1916. Lajoie was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame with the Hall’s second-ever class in 1937.

Lajoie’s bWAR is the 17th highest in MLB history. The top spot belongs to Babe Ruth at 162.7.

In second place on the list of Hall of Famers who never played in a World Series is Griffey Jr. and his 83.8 bWAR. He is now a partial owner of the Seattle Mariners, the team he played for for 13 years. “The Kid” is also a three-time Home Run Derby champion, 13-time All-Star, and 10-time Gold Glove winner.

Right behind Griffey Jr. is Rod Carew, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991 with 81.2 bWAR. Carew has seven batting titles and 18 All-Star Game selections to his credit. In 1985, he became the 16th player in MLB history to reach the 3,000-hit milestone.