The best Classic players, according to the data (2006-2026)
This ranking is not a poll and not an opinion column: it is the top 30 of the 3175 roster records Invicto uses, rated 1-99 against the average of their own league and their own era (full methodology). Each player appears once, with his best edition.
The absolute ceiling is Aaron Judge’s 99 in 2026, the highest mark the system has ever produced. Right behind come two arms that defined eras: the 2006 Francisco Liriano, back when he was the most unhittable lefty on the planet, and the 2013 Craig Kimbrel, the perfect closer. The tie at 95 says a lot about this tournament: Miguel Cabrera at his peak (2013) and the 2023 Shohei Ohtani who ended the final by striking out Mike Trout.
Some findings surprise anyone who only looks at names: the system respects the 2006 Johan Santana (94) more than several batting superstars, and puts Cal Raleigh and Tarik Skubal (2026) above 2006 legends like Chipper Jones. The reason is the method: every season is measured against its own league, so dominating in 2026 is worth exactly as much as dominating in 2006.
| # | Player | Country | Edition | Pos | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aaron Judge | 🇺🇸 United States | 2026 | RF·DH | 99 |
| 2 | Craig Kimbrel | 🇺🇸 United States | 2013 | RP·CL | 96 |
| 3 | Francisco Liriano | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 2006 | SP·RP | 96 |
| 4 | Miguel Cabrera | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 2013 | 3B·1B | 95 |
| 5 | Shohei Ohtani | 🇯🇵 Japan | 2023 | DH·SP·RP | 95 |
| 6 | Johan Santana | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 2006 | SP·RP | 94 |
| 7 | Paul Skenes | 🇺🇸 United States | 2026 | SP·RP | 94 |
| 8 | Albert Pujols | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 2006 | 1B | 93 |
| 9 | Alex Rodríguez | 🇺🇸 United States | 2006 | 3B | 93 |
| 10 | Cal Raleigh | 🇺🇸 United States | 2026 | C·DH | 93 |
| 11 | Joe Nathan | 🇺🇸 United States | 2006 | RP·CL | 93 |
| 12 | Roger Clemens | 🇺🇸 United States | 2006 | SP·RP | 93 |
| 13 | Tarik Skubal | 🇺🇸 United States | 2026 | SP·RP | 93 |
| 14 | Bobby Witt Jr. | 🇺🇸 United States | 2023 | SS·3B | 92 |
| 15 | Chipper Jones | 🇺🇸 United States | 2006 | 3B | 92 |
| 16 | Christian Yelich | 🇺🇸 United States | 2017 | LF·CF·RF | 92 |
| 17 | Fernando Rodney | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 2013 | RP·CL | 92 |
| 18 | Jake Peavy | 🇺🇸 United States | 2006 | SP·RP | 92 |
| 19 | Joey Votto | 🇨🇦 Canada | 2009 | 1B | 92 |
| 20 | Juan Soto | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 2023 | RF·LF | 92 |
| 21 | Kenley Jansen | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 2017 | RP·CL | 92 |
| 22 | Mike Trout | 🇺🇸 United States | 2023 | CF | 92 |
| 23 | Andrew Miller | 🇺🇸 United States | 2017 | RP·CL | 91 |
| 24 | David Ortiz | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 2006 | DH | 91 |
| 25 | Derrek Lee | 🇺🇸 United States | 2006 | 1B | 91 |
| 26 | Giancarlo Stanton | 🇺🇸 United States | 2013 | RF | 91 |
| 27 | José Abreu | 🇨🇺 Cuba | 2013 | 1B·DH | 91 |
| 28 | Mookie Betts | 🇺🇸 United States | 2023 | RF·2B·SS | 91 |
| 29 | Rafael Betancourt | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 2006 | RP | 91 |
| 30 | Félix Hernández | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 2009 | SP·RP | 90 |
Disagree with the order? The system does not negotiate: it is real statistics against each league’s average. But the game does let you prove something else: draft your own lineup and try to run the table with your favorites.