List of oldest Major League Baseball players
This is a list of the oldest Major League Baseball (MLB) players, with their last season in parentheses. Only baseball players who played at least one game when they were older than 45 are included on the list. Active are players in bold type.
Oldest players in the regular season
Pitchers
- 59 – Satchel Paige (1965)
- 50 – Jack Quinn (1933)[1]
- 49 – Hoyt Wilhelm (1972)
- 49 – Jamie Moyer (2012)
- 48 – Phil Niekro (1987)[2]
- 48 – Nick Altrock (1924)
- 46 – Nolan Ryan (1993)
- 46 – Jesse Orosco (2003)
- 46 – Charlie Hough (1994)
- 46 – Tommy John (1989)
- 46 – Hod Lisenbee (1945)
- 46 – Randy Johnson (2009)
- 45 – Roger Clemens (2007)
- 45 – Gaylord Perry (1983)
- 45 – Fred Johnson (1939)
- 45 – Ted Lyons (1946)
- 45 – Tim Wakefield (2011)
- 45 – Bartolo Colón (2018)
Position players
- 58 – Charley O'Leary (1934)
- 57 – Nick Altrock (1933)
- 54 – Minnie Miñoso (1980)
- 54 – Jim O'Rourke (1904)
- 49 – Julio Franco (2007)
- 49 – Hughie Jennings (1918)
- 49 – Arlie Latham (1909)
- 48 – Gabby Street (1931)
- 48 – Deacon McGuire (1912)
- 48 – Johnny Evers (1929)
- 46 – Jimmy Austin (1926)
- 46 – Sam Thompson (1906)
- 46 – Dan Brouthers (1904)
- 45 – Cap Anson (1897)
- 45 – Pete Rose (1986)
- 45 – Carlton Fisk (1993)
- 45 – Omar Vizquel (2012)
- 45 – Ichiro Suzuki (2019)
Note: Paige, O'Leary, O'Rourke, Jennings, Street, McGuire and Evers each made one token major league appearance years (or even decades) after their careers had otherwise ended. The careers of Altrock, Miñoso and Latham had also effectively ended many years before their final major league appearances, though each were brought back for token appearances several times (spanning several seasons) before their final game. Julio Franco is the oldest position player to appear regularly.
Oldest players in the postseason
| Player | Team | Postseason | 🕳👇 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Quinn | Philadelphia Athletics | 1930 World Series | 47 years, 95 days |
| Jack Quinn | Philadelphia Athletics | 1929 World Series | 46 years, 103 days |
| Jamie Moyer | Philadelphia Phillies | 2008 World Series | 45 years, 342 days |
| Roger Clemens | New York Yankees | 2007 ALDS | 45 years, 64 days |
| Jamie Moyer | Philadelphia Phillies | 2007 NLDS | 44 years, 322 days |
| Sam Rice | Washington Senators | 1933 World Series | 43 years, 226 days |
| Phil Niekro | Atlanta Braves | 1982 NLCS | 43 years, 191 days |
| David Wells | San Diego Padres | 2006 NLDS | 43 years, 138 days |
| Roger Clemens | Houston Astros | 2005 World Series | 43 years, 79 days |
| Randy Johnson | New York Yankees | 2006 ALDS | 43 years, 31 days |
- Note: Phil Niekro's start came in the first game of the 1982 NLCS. However, with the Braves leading the St. Louis Cardinals 1–0, the game was delayed on account of rain. When the rain did not clear, the game was called three outs before it could be considered official, and was restarted the following night with Braves pitcher Pascual Pérez getting the start. The Braves would lose the game 7–0. [3]
See also
References
- Oldest pitcher to appear regularly; made 14 appearance as a reliever in his final season before his career ended on July 7, 1933, 6 days after turning 50
- Oldest pitcher to log over 100 innings in a season. Quinn pitched 87 innings as a 48-year-old, and Moyer pitched 532⁄3 innings at 49.
- http://www.sportspool.com/baseball/postseason/nlcs/1982.php