The best baseball players born on Jan. 28

January 28th, 2024

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar.

Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for Jan. 28.

1) Magglio Ordóñez (1974)
Ordóñez was one of the game’s premier hitters from 1997-2011. He won the batting title in 2007 after he hit a blistering .363. Ordóñez made six All-Star teams and won three Silver Slugger Awards across his 15-year career and ranks third all-time for home runs by a Venezuelan-born player with 294.

2) Bill White (1934)
White was an excellent fielder at first base throughout his 13-year career, winning seven consecutive Gold Glove awards from 1960-66. White held his own at the plate as well, hitting .286 with 202 career homers. He was named an All-Star eight times and won a World Series ring with the Cardinals in 1964.

3) Pete Runnels (1928)
Runnels won two batting titles with the Red Sox in 1960 and 1962 and was named an All-Star five times during his tenure in Boston. He received MVP votes in six seasons as well and ended his career with a .291 average.

4) George Wright (1847)
A baseball pioneer and Hall of Famer, Wright was a member of the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, the very first all-professional baseball team. He was the captain of the Boston Red Stockings from 1871-78, leading them to six championships. Wright was elected to the Hall in 1937, the second class to be nominated into Cooperstown.

5) Bill Doak (1891)
The top pitcher born on Jan. 28, Doak won two ERA titles in 1914 and 1921. "Spittin' Bill" tossed over 2,780 innings over his career for the Cardinals, Reds and Brooklyn Robins with an ERA of 2.98.

Others of note:
Ke'Bryan Hayes (1997)
The third baseman won his first Gold Glove Award while hitting .271 with 15 homers in 2023 for the Pirates. His father, Charlie, played 14 seasons in the Majors and caught the final out of the 1996 World Series for the Yankees.

Hunter Renfroe (1992)
The outfielder played the first four years of his career with the Padres and compiled 702 hits over eight seasons with six teams before inking a deal to join the Royals for 2024.

Want to see more baseball birthdays for Jan. 28? Find the complete list on Baseball Reference.