The Philadelphia Phillies have had several players who made an everlasting impression among their fan base since their inception as the Quakers in 1883. Who is considered among the best players in the organization's illustrious history?
For this piece, we will be looking out which are the best at each position according to Wins Above Replacement (WAR). We have compiled the greatest players in Phillies history using FanGraphs WAR (fWAR).
In case you missed it, here's the Phillies all-time starting rotation based on WAR.
Phillies all-time best starting lineup based on WAR
The first position we will look at is catcher. Philadelphia has had many solid players at backstop since its inception in the majors two centuries ago.
Catcher: Jack Clements (25.9 fWAR)
Jack Clements was a Philadelphia native who was a member of the Quakers/Phillies from 1884 to 1897. He ranks 20th all-time with 636 RBI. During 1891, he finished with a slash line of .310/.380/.426 and a .806 OPS in 107 games. His 423 at-bats, 131 hits, and 29 doubles during this season were also the most of his career.
He totaled 17 home runs and 80 RBI in 94 contests during the 1893 season. This was the most Clements had in both categories during his career in a single season. The highest OPS he compiled was 1.058 in 1895. His .394 batting average in 88 games during the 1895 season was the best of his career.
Clements' fWAR continues to stand as the best among Philadelphia catchers. His 25.9 fWAR is slightly better than Darren Daulton's 24.4 fWAR, one of the most popular Phillies in the club's history. There's a good chance that current backstop J.T. Realmuto (22.2 fWAR) will surpass both catchers before he becomes a free agent following the 2025 season.
One of the unsung Phillies legends, Clements played in 997 games and compiled 4,088 plate appearances, fifth most in franchise history among backstops. He still has an impact among Philadelphia hitters, particularly those who play the catcher position.
Next: One of the more influential Phillies who played during a difficult period in American history.