The list of professional baseball players who have never won the World Series is quite long and includes several members of the Hall of Fame. Some of the MLB’s best players, such as Ted Williams and Ernie Banks, never tasted championship glory despite their success.
Fortunately, some of today’s best players still have time to win a title. Let’s look at 15 MLB players who deserve to win the World Series.
Which MLB players deserve to win the World Series soon?
Mike Trout – Los Angeles Angels
Since winning the Rookie of the Year Award in 2011, Mike Trout has been one of the best players in the game. He is a 3x winner of the American League MVP Award and an 11x All-Star selection. The issues preventing Trout from winning a title are that he plays for the Angels and has trouble staying on the field. Regardless, he is a future Hall of Famer, but his resume would look so much better with a World Series ring.
Aaron Judge – New York Yankees
Aaron Judge has won the Rookie of the Year, two MVP Awards, four Silver Sluggers, and has been selected to 6 All-Star games. At 33 years of age, he seems to get better every year. In 2024, he led the Yankees to the World Series but faltered in the postseason. It would be a shame if he can’t add a ring to his accomplishments, but playing for the Yankees means that Judge should have a few more cracks at a championship.
Bobby Witt Jr. – Kansas City Royals
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral MLB stories via Google! Follow Us
Bobby Witt Jr. entered the 2025 MLB season coming off a monster campaign in 2024. He led the American League in hits, batting average, and games played, on his way to earning a Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, All-Star selection, and a second-place finish for MVP. Witt is a rare breed of player. He does everything and does it well. In only his 4th year, there’s still plenty of time to win a World Series, and as one of the game’s best young players, he deserves one.
Bryce Harper – Philadelphia Phillies
Bryce Harper and Mike Trout entered baseball together in 2012, each winning their respective league’s Rookie of the Year Awards, and seemed destined to be linked forever. Considering the parallels of their MLB careers, it’s not much of a surprise to see Harper’s name on our list. He’s got the individual accolades but not the ultimate one, a World Series ring. Trout plays for the Angels and has become injury-prone, while Bryce Harper plays for the more competitive Phillies, so a ring might not be far off.
Francisco Lindor – New York Mets
There seems to be a plethora of young, talented shortstops in the game today, and near the top of that list is Francisco Lindor. Not only is he one of the best current players, but he’s easily the heart and soul of the New York Mets. It’s been a long and frustrating 39 years since the Mets won the World Series, so if Lindor can lead New York to a championship, immortality will be his.
Nolan Arenado – St. Louis Cardinals
It’s easy to forget that Nolan Arenado hasn’t won a World Series, considering his well-decorated career. A true two-way MLB player, he has garnered recognition on both sides of the ball. Eight All-Stars, 5 Silver Sluggers, 10 Gold Gloves, and a future Hall of Fame induction. Playing on poor teams in Colorado and St. Louis has limited his ability to play in the postseason. Perhaps as the end of his contract nears, Nolan Arenado will wind up as the missing piece for some team’s playoff run.
J.T. Realmuto – Philadelphia Phillies
Over his first 11 years in the majors, J.T. Realmuto has never led the league in any significant offensive category. Despite that, he is a solid major league player. He is a 3x All-Star and has won 2 Gold Gloves backstopping the Phillies. While he most likely won’t be enshrined in the Hall of Fame when his career is done, a World Series is certainly possible. Any player who can escape playing in Miami has already overcome so much, but a championship ring would be a nice topper.
Manny Machado – San Diego Padres
It’s easy to forget that Manny Machado has been in the league for 14 years, but since debuting as a 19-year-old in 2012, he has gone on to become one of the best 3B/SS in the game. It won’t be long until he joins the conversation for an all-time great, but failing to win a World Series might hurt Machado’s standing in the eyes of some. The Padres have a pretty stacked team, so hopefully he’ll get his chance.
Gerrit Cole – New York Yankees
Gerrit Cole arrived in Houston after they won the World Series in 2017, and left town before they won it again. Now signed long-term in New York, Cole is currently out after Tommy John surgery. The Yankees lost the World Series in 2024, but being who they are, New York is typically in contention every year. It remains to be seen what Cole will look like when he returns, but a World Series ring would be a nice addition for what should be a Hall of Fame career.
Andrew McCutchen – Pittsburgh Pirates
The oldest, active player on the list, Andrew McCutchen, has toiled most of his MLB career away in Pittsburgh, which doesn’t bode well for any player seeking postseason glory. Which is unfortunate when it comes to the longtime Center Fielder, as he’s earned plenty of individual accolades – 4 Silver Sluggers, 5 All-Star nods, a Gold Glove, and an MVP Award. At 38 years old, the sand is running out of the hourglass for McCutchen to win a World Series.
Christian Yelich – Milwaukee Brewers
Since becoming a full-time player in 2014, Christian Yelich has been an incredibly productive player for both the Marlins and the Brewers. He is a former MLB MVP, a 3x All-Star, a 3x Silver Slugger winner, a 2x batting champion, and a Gold Glove winner. The one thing missing from that resume is a World Series title. At 33 years of age, and with 4 years left on his contract, Yelich still has time to fill in the missing blank on his resume.
Pete Alonso – New York Mets
A former Rookie of the Year, 4x All-Star, and 2x HR Derby champion, Pete Alonso spent 6 years as the leader of the New York Mets, hitting homeruns after homeruns. Throughout his time in Queens, he’s been a model of durability, averaging 158 games played per full season. Unfortunately, his free agent payday never materialized, and he signed a two-year deal (with an opt-out) to return to New York. Whether it’s with the Mets or another team, here’s hoping karma brings Alonso a ring.
Vlad Guerrero Jr. – Toronto Blue Jays
Will the son outshine the father? Vlad Guerrero Jr. is on pace for a Hall of Fame career. Just entering his 7th year, he has been a 4x All-Star, 2x Silver Slugger winner, Gold Glove winner, and twice finished in the top 6 for AL MVP. Having just signed a 14-year contract extension with Toronto to be the longtime face of the franchise, Vlad Jr. will have ample time to build his legacy.
Paul Goldschmidt – New York Yankees
There was hesitation in putting a third Yankee on the list, but it came down to simple math – 8 years in Arizona + 6 years in St. Louis is greater than 1.5 months in New York. Plus, let’s be honest, Paul Goldschmidt has been a really, really good player, offensively and defensively, for a long time. He’s probably a borderline Hall of Fame player, right now. A World Series title could be the difference between the Hall of Very Good and enshrinement in Cooperstown.
Zack Greinke – Unsigned
When the time comes, Zack Greinke will be an interesting case for the Hall of Fame. His resume is impressive – a Cy Young winner, a 6x All-Star, 6 Gold Gloves, and 2 ERA Titles. He’s not a lock, but over the 10-year window, he might garner enough votes. A World Series ring might tip the votes in his favor. As of the start of the 2025 season, Zack Greinke is not playing, but he’s also not retired. There’s still time, but it’s running out.
