Luke Appling

Appling is the pure-contact, high-average star who looks weird to modern eyes until you remember his era. He was a batting-title level hitter at shortstop, and that matters because the position rarely offered that kind of average. He got on base, controlled at-bats, and avoided strikeouts in a way that would fit in any era’s lineup construction. The problem—under this framework—is that power is king, and Appling didn’t bring much of it. So his offensive value is more about on-base and average than about creating crooked numbers with one swing. Longevity helps his case and keeps him firmly in the top 20. Relative to peers, his bat was a major asset, not just adequate. But when you stack him against shortstops who could also slug, he gets passed. He’s a reminder that shortstop offense has taken different forms across eras. In his form, he was excellent: steady, difficult to strike out, and consistently productive. That earns 20th—high respect, limited ceiling. Elite hitter type, just not the power profile this list rewards most.