Robin Yount statue outside of Miller Park, home to the Milwaukee Brewers (Photo by Brett Welcher on Shutterstock)
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Best Brewers Players Of All Time: Top 5 Legendary Milwaukee Athletes, According To Fans

July 30, 2023
by Matthew Sherdan

Milwaukee is an amazing northern city known for some of the best beer and some of the most passionate sports fans who love cheering for the Brewers and Bucks – and Packers even though the team is based up the road in Green Bay. Milwaukee has had some legendary players come through the organization, but which players deserve to be called the best Brewers players of all time? 

Before we dive into the list of the best players to wear a Milwaukee Brewers uniform, let’s examine the lengths fans are willing to go to watch their favorite team play in person. A recent survey of 1,500 self-identified sports fanatics sought to discover the lengths sports fans are willing to go to see their favorite team play a game in person. The survey found that the average respondent is willing to travel an average of five hours and 48 minutes plus spend over $760 for tickets to the game. While 45 percent have left the country to see a game, results also found that 35 percent have specifically planned a vacation based on when and where their favorite team is playing. And the same number have taken a spontaneous trip to see their favorite team in action.

Traveling to professional sporting events is nothing new for Americans. We love our sports and we’re loyal to our teams. However, another recent study suggests that simply getting out to watch a live sports event – whether it’s professional or amateur sports – is beneficial for your mental health. Scientists at Anglia Ruskin University say that attending live sporting events actually helps increase overall mental well-being and reduces feelings of loneliness. A survey of 7,000 adults found that those respondents who attended live sporting events scored better in terms of life satisfaction than those who had not recently attended events. That’s definitely a great reason to get out and watch the Brewers play at American Family Field in Milwaukee this summer. 

So, which players are considered the greats in Milwaukee franchise history? StudyFinds did the research, consulting 10 sports and baseball-oriented websites in an effort to bring you a consensus list of the best Brewers players of all time. Our list comprises the five most frequently listed Brewers from across these sites. Think we swung and missed on your favorite player? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!

image of second base at ground level
Baseball base (Photo by Darrin Moore on Unsplash)

The List: Best Brewers Players of All Time, According to Experts

1. Robin Yount (1974-1993)

The top spot on the list of the best Brewers players of all time easily belongs to Robin Yount, who is one of the best shortstops of his generation, and he holds the Brewers franchise record across a range of statistical categories. 

“Yount is one of the greatest shortstops in MLB history (though he also played center field), and easily the best player to ever suit up for the Brewers. Yount is one of 32 players who have won multiple MVPs, having captured the American League’s top honor in both 1982 and 1989. The three-time Silver Slugger Award winner spent his entire 20-year career with the Brewers, and is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (2,856), fWAR (66.5), offensive WAR (83.1), hits (3,142), singles (2,182), doubles (583), triples (126), extra-base hits (960), walks (966) and RBIs (1,406),” writes Audacy. 

“Robin Yount” by Scott Ableman is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Robin Yount was a player willing to play any position, and the all-star third baseman changed positions to center field halfway through his career. Yount was just as great in center field as he was at shortstop, and he’s the only player to win MVPs at two different positions. 

“The most accomplished player in the history of the Milwaukee Brewers is certainly Robin Yount, who spent his entire 20-year career with the organization. The Danville, IL native was an accomplished shortstop for the first half of his career before the Brew Crew moved him to center field, but wherever he lined up defensively, Yount was easily the team’s most dangerous offensive player. In 2,856 games with Milwaukee, he slashed .285/.342/.430 with 251 homers, 1,406 RBI, 583 doubles, 126 triples, and 271 stolen bases. Yount was the MVP of the American League in both 1982 and 1989, earned three Silver Slugger awards, won a Gold Glove, and played in three all-star games. He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in nearly every discernible offensive category other than home runs,” furthers Yardbarker. 

Yount is still the Brewers franchise leader in several major statistical categories including hits and runs scored. Yount played a staggering 20 seasons in Milwaukee, and he’s easily the best player in the history of the Brewers organization.  

“I’m not sure if there’s ever been a more convincing ranking in the history of the franchise. What Robin Yount accomplished in 20 seasons with the Brewers may never be repeated or surpassed.  He holds the all-time lead in hits (3,142), runs scored (1,632), home runs (251), RBI (1406), stolen bases (271) and extra-base hits (960).  We could keep going, but I think you get the point. He was a three-time All Star and remains the only player in MLB history to win an MVP award at two separate positions—one coming as Milwaukee’s shortstop and the other coming as a center-fielder.  Yount also compiled three Silver Slugger awards and one Gold Glove, and his jersey number, 19, has been retired by Milwaukee,” adds Bleacher Report. 

2. Paul Molitor (1978-1992)

Paul Molitor was an extraordinary player who could truly do everything on a baseball field. He could hit, run, and play defense at a very high level. 

“Paul Molitor could seemingly do it all.  He could run, hit for power, hit for average and play defense. When you look up the definition of a ‘five-tool’ player, there’s probably a picture of Molitor. In 15 illustrious seasons with the Brewers, Molitor put up some truly incredible numbers. Seven times he posted a batting average over .300 and eight times he notched over 30 stolen bases in a single season. In 1987, easily his greatest season as a Brewer, Molitor batted an amazing .353 but somehow failed to reel-in [the] AL batting title,” writes Bleacher Report. 

Molitor and Yount played together and had great chemistry with one another. The two superstars helped power Milwaukee to the World Series in 1982, but the club fell short and lost to the St. Louis Cardinals – a division rival today. 

“Molitor made the Brewers squad out of spring training in 1978 and finished the season as the runner-up in the AL rookie-of-the-year voting to Lou Whitaker. By 1980 he was an All-Star, an honor he would receive seven times in his career, five times with the Brewers. He also won two Silver Sluggers with the Brew Crew and led the league in runs thrice, plate appearances twice, and hits/doubles/triples once with the franchise. In the 1981 postseason, Moli had 17 hits, scored nine runs, slugged two HRs, and drove in eight runs. Molitor signed with Toronto as a free agent before the 1994 season. The Blue Jays were coming off a world championship, and Molitor hadn’t seen the postseason since 1982. His presence with the club was a huge reason they repeated as he batted .458 in the World Series with two HRs, two triples, and seven RBI en route to winning the series MVP,” explains Pitcher List. 

Molitor finally got his World Series title with the Blue Jays, and his performance that postseason is a big reason why Toronto repeated as champions. Still, Molitor will always be remembered as a Brewer, and he’s beloved in the city of Milwaukee. 

“Infielder Paul Molitor was a teammate of Yount for over a decade, and the two combined to give the Brewers one of the most prolific duos in baseball for the entire 1980s. Milwaukee selected Molitor third overall in the 1977 draft coming out of the University of Minnesota, and he wasted little time making it to the big leagues. In the 15 years he played in Milwaukee the resume Molitor put together speaks for itself. In 1,856 games he slashed .303/.367/.444 with 160 homers, 790 RBI, 405 doubles, 86 triples, and 412 steals. He represented the Brewers in five all-star contests, won a pair of Silver Sluggers, and led the league in runs three times. Later in life he became the manager of his hometown Minnesota Twins and even won the Manager of the Year award in 2017,” adds Yardbarker. 

3. Ryan Braun (2007-2020)

The third spot on the list of the best Brewers players belongs to the living legend, Ryan Braun. Braun’s time in Milwaukee was nothing short of miraculous as he was a perennial MVP candidate and one of the best power hitters of his generation. However, Braun’s legacy in Milwaukee is filled with ups and downs. 

Ryan Braun at bat for the Brewers
“Ryan Braun 2008-2” by Steve Paluch on Flickr is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

“While it will be impossible to ever forget the saga that led to Braun being suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs, he had quite a few impressive seasons before and after his darkest moments as both a player and a person. Braun — despite disastrous defensive marks — won the 2007 National League Rookie of the Year, was a six-time All-Star, won five Silver Slugger Awards and the 2011 NL MVP, though that award will always be tainted to some degree given that Braun would later admit to PED use during what was his finest statistical season. You can make of Braun’s PED history what you will, but he’s the Brewers’ all-time leader with 352 home runs… From a statistical sense, he absolutely deserves to be this high,” explains Audacy. 

Yes, Ryan Braun’s legacy is tarnished, and he’ll always be remembered for the controversy, but that shouldn’t take away from the fact that he was an amazing baseball player. Braun was sensational from day one in Milwaukee, and he gave Brewers fans plenty to cheer for over the years. 

“Right-handed slugger Ryan Braun burst on the scene with the Brewers in 2007 and was an instant sensation, hitting .324 with 34 homers and 97 RBI in only 113 games to easily win the National League Rookie of the Year award. And over the next few seasons, the club’s first-round pick from the ’05 draft would quickly prove he was far from a one-hit wonder. Braun homered over 25 times and drove in over 100 runs in each of the next five seasons. He won the NL MVP award in ’11 and was the runner-up in ’12. Unfortunately, things went downhill after that. In ’13 Braun admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs and was suspended for the remainder of the season. He rallied to play well again in 2015 and made his 6th all-star team, but the damage to his reputation was done,” adds Yardbarker. 

Despite Braun’s masterful hitting and offensive production, the Brewers never made much noise in the postseason. Braun’s Brewers struggled in the playoffs, but his production was good. It’s a shame that Braun’s career fizzled out. 

“The Brewers were contenders again in 2018, and Braun returned to the postseason for the third time (the 2008 and 2011 Brewers also made the playoffs). His postseason production was admirable as he hit .330 with two HRs and 16 RBI in 27 games. However, he only managed two at-bats in his last series in 2020 before a rib injury shut him down. This was the last time Braun would take the field as the Brewers declined his option for 2021, and he slipped into retirement. A Hall-of-Fame start to his career was derailed by controversy, but at the very least, Brewers fans enjoyed some fantastic hitting from Braun for several seasons,” furthers Pitcher List. 

4. Cecil Cooper (1977-1987)

The fourth spot on the list of the best Brewers players of all time belongs to Cecil Cooper. Cecil Cooper’s impact on the Brewers was felt from his first day with the team, and he helped lead the Brewers to a World Series appearance in 1982. 

“The Brewers acquired Cooper in a trade with the Boston Red Sox for George Scott — who was near the end of his peak — ahead of the 1977 season. In 11 seasons in Milwaukee, Cooper made five All-Star Game appearances, won three Silver Sluggers and two Gold Gloves. On three occasions as a Brewer, Cooper finished fifth in American League MVP voting, including in 1982 when he helped Milwaukee reach their first — and to this point, only — World Series,” writes Audacy. 

Cecil Cooper clearly needed a change of scenery and a fresh start to help catapult his career. Milwaukee rejuvenated Cooper’s career and allowed him to shine in all facets of the game. 

“The Brewers acquired first baseman Cecil Cooper from the Red Sox before the 1977 season, and it was in Milwaukee where the left-handed slugger tapped into all of his immense potential. In 11 seasons with the Beermakers, Cooper slashed .302/.339/.470 with 201 long balls, 944 RBI, and 345 doubles. He led the Majors in RBI in both ’80 and ’83, paced the AL in doubles in ’79 and ’81, and crushed over 20 homers for Milwaukee five times. Cooper wore a Brewers hat in all five of his all-star game appearances, earned three Silver Slugger awards, and even won back-to-back Gold Gloves in 1979 and 1980,” adds Yardbarker. 

Cooper was a very good all-around player during his time with the Brewers. Cecil Cooper was an excellent defensive first baseman and a consistent power threat in Milwaukee’s lineup. 

“Cecil Cooper never truly found his way in the major leagues until he was traded to Milwaukee on December 6, 1976.  From then on, he was indeed a superstar. During his 11 season with the Brewers, Cooper was selected to the AL All-Star team five times and hoarded three Silver Slugger awards.  He also aggregated two gold glove awards, a testament to his superb defensive capabilities while playing first base for Milwaukee. From 1979 to 1983, Cooper averaged 25 home runs, 107 RBI and a .320 BA.  He led the AL in RBI in both 1980 and 1983 and finished in the top five in hits during that four-year span,” furthers Bleacher Report. 

5. Teddy Higuera (1985-1991 & 1993-1994)

Teddy Higuera is regarded as one of the best pitchers in Brewer’s franchise history and he’s beloved by Milwaukee fans. “Lefty Teddy Higuera pitched all nine of his big league seasons with the Brewers, and for nearly a decade, provided Milwaukee with a dependable middle-of-the-rotation hurler. In 213 outings for the club (205 of which were starts), Higuera went 94-64 with a 3.61 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP, while striking out 1,081 hitters in 1,380 innings. He was an all-star in 1986 when he won a career-high 20 games, and gave Milwaukee over 200 innings every season from ’85-’88,” explains Yardbarker.  

Higuera wasn’t a power pitcher and he didn’t chalk up a lot of strikeouts, but he was crafty and smart. “Following an excellent rookie campaign in ’85, he earned an All-Star spot and enough votes to come in second in Cy Young voting in 1986. That same season, Higuera won 20 games—a single season total no other Brewers pitcher has touched since—on the strength of a 2.79 ERA and an astonishing 15 complete games. Sadly, he missed time with a back injury in 1989, then tore his rotator cuff in 1991 (causing him to miss the entire 1992 season). Higuera missed more time and struggled mightily in 1993 and 1994 before begrudgingly calling it a career. Before his premature retirement, the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall Of Famer notched 94 wins (3rd most in team history) and 1,081 strikeouts (also 3rd most in team history) with 50 complete games and 12 shutouts,” adds Milwaukee Record. 

Higuera had an excellent start to his pitching career in Milwaukee. Unfortunately, Higuera experienced several injuries and couldn’t recover. Higuera’s career was cut short, and he eventually retired in the mid-‘90s. 

“Perhaps the greatest starting pitcher in franchise history, Higuera had one of the better six-year stretches to open his career that we’ve seen from a pitcher. Higuera — who finished runner up in voting for both the 1985 American League Rookie of the Year and 1986 AL Cy Young — was sixth in fWAR (25.7) among all starting pitchers in the sport between 1985 and 1990. Like Sheets, injuries derailed the second half of Higuera’s career. Still, Higuera is second in career fWAR (26.7) and FIP (3.49) among Brewers starting pitchers, while coming in at third in terms of wins (94), complete-game shutouts (12) and ERA (3.61),” furthers Audacy. 

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