Ranking the 10 greatest outfielders in Blue Jays history

The Toronto Blue Jays made a big splash last offseason signing George Springer to the richest contract in franchise history. He’s expected to be one of the franchise’s next great outfielders in the coming years.

Coming up with the 10 greatest outfielders in Jays’ history was hard, but easier than the list I came up with regarding the greatest infielders.

10. Kevin Pillar

Kevin Pillar is a rare example of a player picked late in the MLB Draft (32nd round) and winded up having a very successful career in the Major Leagues (and still going). Pillar has played nine years in the MLB, seven of them with the Blue Jays.

In Toronto, he never hit above .280 and also never hit more than 16 home runs.  Never drove in more than 59 runs. With the bat, he was nothing special. He was a below-average hitter as he consistently had WRC+ numbers below 100 as a Blue Jay according to Fangraphs.

His best offensive season came in 2015 when he hit 12 home runs and posted a .713 OPS. Not great, but when you combine that with Gold Glove-caliber defense, you get a 5.2 bWAR player.

Pillar didn’t get his nickname “Superman” for no reason. He made some of the most acrobatic catches in the outfield you’ll ever see.

Who are the 10 greatest Blue Jays outfielders in franchise history?

Despite somehow never winning a Gold Glove, Pillar was one of the best defensive outfielders in the game. From 2015 to 2018, Pillar put up 52 DRS. That was the second-highest mark among centre fielders.

Pillar ranks 5th in defensive WAR and 20th in WAR overall among position players in Blue Jays history according to baseball-reference.

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9. Shawn Green

Shawn Green was a first-round pick in the 1991 MLB Draft. He came into the organization with high expectations and was immediately the team’s best prospect. Once Green finally got meaningful playing time in the 1995 season, he was a 115 OPS+ hitter and finished fifth in the American League Rookie of the Year balloting.

He was a mainstay in the outfield for each of the next four seasons, averaging 144 games played and 26 home runs per season in that span.

Green’s best season came in 1999 when he had one of the best offensive seasons in Blue Jays history. He slashed .309/.384/.588 with 42 home runs and 123 RBI. He also tacked on 20 stolen bases. His 45 doubles and 361 total bases led the league and made his first All-Star team, winning a Silver Slugger Award, a Gold Glove, and finished ninth in the American League MVP voting. Green set Blue Jays franchise records in extra-base hits and runs scored in a single season.

In addition to having a great bat, Green was a really good outfielder. He won a Gold Glove in 1999 and in the season prior he had 14 outfield assists which ranked second amongst American League right fielders.

Green most definitely lived up to his potential in Toronto especially towards the end of his tenure with the club.

8. Alex Rios

Alex Rios was a steady contributor offensively, defensively, and on the basepaths in his 5.5 seasons as a Blue Jay. He was one of the better players on the team in a period of time when the Jays struggled as a unit. He made back-to-back All-Star game appearances in 2006 and 2007.

His best season came in 2007 when he put up a 122 WRC+ and posted a 5.2 fWAR. He hit 24 home runs which was his highest mark in Toronto and stole 17 bases. His 14 DRS led the American League right fielders and was tied for second overall among outfielders in the American League. He was one of the more complete outfielders in the AL.

Rios wasn’t a superstar but he was someone who was consistently relied upon to hit at an above-average level over 100 WRC+ and played exceptional defense. His 55 DRS in the outfield from 2006-2008 was the highest in the American League by 24 points, a substantial margin.

His tenure in Toronto ended on a bit of a sour note as he was acquired by the White Sox soon after signing a long extension. Rios is 12th for bWAR in franchise history and is without a doubt one of the more well-rounded outfielders in Jays’ history.

7. Joe Carter

Joe Carter is the hardest player to rank on this list. He’s not the best player the Jays have ever had, but he’s responsible for the biggest hit in franchise history with his walk-off series-clinching home run to win the 1993 World Series. Carter ended up hitting two home runs and drove in eight runs in the Jays six-game series victory.

Carter was acquired in a trade from the San Diego Padres after the 1990 season. The Jays were acquiring a player who never made an All-Star team but was a proven power hitter who would bolster their lineup.

His first season in Toronto was his best. He hit 33 home runs and drove in 108. He posted a .833 OPS and had a 123 WRC+ while also earning an All-Star appearance while winning the Silver Slugger Award, and finishing fifth in the American League MVP balloting.

Carter had four straight All-Star appearances from 1991-1994, driving in 100+ runs in each season and finished in the top 12 in the MVP balloting in each season as well.

Carter was consistently a good hitter for Toronto but his highest fWAR season came in 1991 when he was worth 4.6 fWAR. Beyond that, he never had an fWAR of 3.0 or higher, as his defense in the outfield was very subpar.

Carter is one of the better power hitters in Blue Jays history as he ranks fifth with his 203 career home runs in Toronto and his 736 RBI ranks fifth as well.

6. Devon White

Devon White was never awfully impressive at the plate. In his five seasons in Toronto, he only raised his WRC+ over 100 just twice, with his best offensive season coming in 1991. That season, he had a 119 WRC+ while hitting 40 doubles, 10 triples, 17 home runs, and stole 33 bases.

While he was an average to the below-average hitter, he was one of the best defensive players in Blue Jays history. His 1992 season saw him put up a franchise-record 3.9 defensive WAR, which was 1.4 more than second-place Cal Ripken Jr. in the American League that season.

White had three straight seasons of over 5.0 fWAR. His 17.7 fWAR from 1991-1993 ranked fourth in the AL and the only outfielder ahead of him was Ken Griffey Jr.

White being that productive as a player while not doing much at the plate in his time in Toronto speaks volumes of just how good he was in the outfield defensively. He won Gold Gloves in each of the five seasons he played in Toronto and was a key piece of the two World Series championship teams, leading off the famed WAMCO lineup.

5. George Bell

George Bell is a rare example of a Rule 5 pick that winds up blossoming into a very good player. The Jays stole Bell from the Phillies in 1980 and he became one of the best hitters the club ever had.

From 1984 to 1987, Bell posted a 129 WRC+ which was seventh among American League outfielders. In that span, he finished in the top 10 in the MVP balloting in three of those four years and won three Silver Slugger Awards as well.

1987 was Bell’s best year with the Jays and one of the best offensive seasons the organization has ever seen. He slashed .308/.352/.605 with 47 home runs and a league-leading 134 RBI. He made his first All-Star team, won the Silver Slugger Award, and won the AL MVP. He was the first Blue Jays player to ever win an MVP award. His 369 total bases led the AL and set a Jays’ franchise record at the time. His 47 home runs also was a Jays franchise record for a single season but was broken by another player on this list.

Bell was not very good defensively during his stint with the Jays, posting negative dWAR numbers in just about every season he played North of the border.

Bell is in the top 10 in virtually every important offensive category in Blue Jays franchise history and is one of the best hitters the Jays have ever had.

4. Jesse Barfield

In the first year that the Blue Jays were a part of the MLB draft, they selected Jesse Barfield in the ninth round. He went from a ninth-round pick to a member of the best outfield the Blue Jays have run out alongside George Bell and Lloyd Moseby.

Like Bell, Barfield was one of the best outfielders in the American League during his time in Toronto. He was sixth in the AL with a 130 WRC+ from 1984 to1987. His WRC+ was 1 point higher than Bell.

His best season came in 1986 when he hit an AL-leading 40 home runs and drove in 108 runs. He made his only All-Star game, won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger Award that season. His 147 WRC+ was third in the AL and first among outfielders. His all-around efforts helped him finish fifth in the American League MVP balloting.

Barfield is fourth in Jays’ franchise history in bWAR, second in defensive WAR and seventh in home runs. His ability to be productive offensively and defensively is why I consider him a top-four outfielder in Blue Jays franchise history even without an MVP award like George Bell.

2. Vernon Wells

Vernon Wells had a very underrated 12-year tenure with the Blue Jays. Through those 12 seasons, he won three Gold Gloves, was a three-time All-Star and won a Silver Slugger Award. He was consistently a good player on both sides of the ball during his time in Toronto.

The former fifth overall pick had his best offensive season in 2003. He slashed .317/.359/.550 with 33 home runs and 117 RBI while suiting up in 161 games. He led the league with 215 hits, 49 doubles, and 373 total bases. He was an All-Star, won his lone Silver Slugger, and finished eighth in the American League MVP balloting.

In each of the following three seasons, he won a Gold Glove Award. Wells’ 30 DRS from 2004-2006 ranked fifth in the American League and was the highest among center fielders.

He had his best all-around season in 2006 when he put up a 128 WRC+ and 12 DRS which were both second among AL center fielders.

Wells ranks fifth in bWAR, third in runs scored, second in hits, fourth in home runs, and second in RBI in Blue Jays history. His high ranks in virtually every single offensive category alongside his outstanding defense in centre field put him as the second-best outfielder in Blue Jays history and in my opinion the best center fielder to ever play for this franchise.

1. Jose Bautista

Without a doubt, the best outfielder and one arguably the best position player in Blue Jays history is Jose Bautista. After a long winding road as a journeyman in the Major Leagues, Bautista found his way to Toronto in 2008. After being a fill-in at third base from 2008-2009, Bautista finally got his chance to play in the outfield starting in 2010.

With his transition to the outfield taking place, his bat all of a sudden exploded. He hit a franchise record and MLB leading 54 home runs with 124 RBI. His previous highs in those categories were 16 and 63 in 2006 and 2007 respectively. It was an unprecedented turnaround for a player who was about to turn 30 years old.

The following season, Bautista proved that his breakout was no fluke. He led the league with 43 home runs and a 1.056 OPS. He made his second straight All-Star appearance, won his second straight Silver Slugger, and finished third in the MVP balloting. In those two seasons, Bautista posted a 173 WRC+and was second in the American League right behind Miguel Cabrera, who was in the midst of one of the best offensive stretches ever.

The Blue Jays have employed some really solid outfielders in their 45-year history. These are the 10 best to play for the franchise.

Bautista ended up making six consecutive All-Star teams from 2010-2015, won three Silver Slugger Awards, and finished in the top eight in the American League MVP voting four times.

In that span, he had established himself as one of the premier hitters in all of baseball, and it seemingly came out of nowhere.

Bautista was average defensively, using advanced metrics although he did put up a 6 and 7 DRS in 2012 and 2013 respectively. Bautista’s calling card in the field was his cannon of an arm in right field. He finished in the top 10 in outfield assists four times as a Blue Jay, including finishing second with 12 outfield assists in 2010.

Bautista is the franchise’s leader in bWAR among position players. He also ranks second in home runs and third in RBI. Simply put, he’s one of the best hitters to ever play for this franchise and is without a doubt the best outfielder to ever wear a Blue Jays uniform. He’s next in line to get his name in the Level of Excellence.